The State of Music in the Pandemic

Written by Ryan Curtiss

We live in a time of vast uncertainty. People are worried about their jobs while others are worried about their health. And while we enter the phase of a second lockdown and an ongoing, crippling pandemic, the state of the music industry is questionable at best, especially for unsigned and local bands.

Luckily, we have bands such as The Menzingers, The Wonder Years, and Anthony Green, among others, who have utilized online performances to give the illusion of a concert. Yet, it still doesn't have the same feel. Staring at a screen can't compare to being in a crowd, jumping up and down, screaming along to songs that you love. 

Talking to Matt Kelly, the lead singer for Philadelphia based pop-punk group Midfield, he seems hopeful for the future of the music industry even if everything seems iffy right now. "Right now, it looks dark. A lot of smaller venues are closing, and with the lockdowns and cases spiking, I'm not really sure when things will get back to normal. However, I do believe that when this is all over, the music industry will be bigger than ever. People are hungry, and a lot of people like myself live for concerts, so I have hope for the future". 

And while bands are having a difficult time adjusting to the horrible circumstances, venues are having a worse time. Multiple live music venues across the United States have been forced to shut down due to lack of incoming funds such as Boot & Saddle in Philadelphia, Port City Music Hall in Portland, and The Soundry in Maryland. 

"The post-pandemic world will include live streaming as a legitimate means of performing," comments Basil Ivan, who performs under the title Jaguardini. "Early on, I discovered Socially Distant Fest, which was a great safe space for virtual performance with a super supportive base."

Traction is gaining more and more for live online performances that you can watch from your living room. But, after this pandemic, will this be a more acceptable approach to live music, especially considering so many venues are shutting their doors for good? It only makes sense that venues or the bands themselves will start to offer digital tickets in place of physically going to the show.

Brian Walker, who makes music under the moniker A Day Without Love, and who is the founder of the Philadelphia DIY Collaborative, is more skeptical when it comes to the future of the music industry, and can you blame him? After having to cancel three tours, anyone would be bummed out. "The future is looking pretty uncertain. We still have a government that doesn't have Healthcare or music in its best interest". 

And he is spot-on: The Save Our Stages Act, a 10 billion dollar grant program that would keep venues alive for another six months has been submitted into congress. Unfortunately, it has been in limbo with no progress since July. If we're being blunt, that really sucks.

In the realm of music, everyone has been affected by this pandemic: fans, bands, venues. While many bands are trying to survive, the future of the live music industry is up in the air. Hopefully, we'll be able to go see our favorite bands live soon and leave this awful time behind us.

Boot and Saddle Bar In Philadelphia