The live music business was the first business that was hit by the measurements to control the corona pandemic. The immediate stop of all live shows is a global situation we have to deal with. It has of course a huge financial impact too. Next to the global situation and the financial impact, there is also a mental impact with anxiety. This is extra strong for people in the live music business, as you can read below.
- first in, last out
In pretty every country, live music was the first thing that was not allowed anymore. According to EU regulations, it will also be the last thing that will be allowed again. - no alternative
Live shows are there to bring people together. Though many musicians stream living-room concerts now and are asking the audience to give tips, it’s not substitute for being at a live show and for getting paid for giving a live concert. - no income
With all shows been cancelled from one day to the other, all income has disappeared, for several month, and we don’t know when shows will be possible again, under what conditions, and if the audience will have enough trust to buy tickets and to come. - insufficient help
Though many governments have special measurements to help entrepreneurs, it doesn’t apply to many artists and people working in the live music business. And if musicians and people in the music business can apply, the financial help often is by far not enough. - seasonal work
Many people in the live music business make a huge part of their income during the summer months, with working at many festivals. With all festivals gone, they not only miss the average monthly income. They miss a huge part of the yearly income. - cognitive disinhibition
Most people in the live music business are creatives. Creative people seem to be extra alert to all information around them. Part of creativity is to make unique connections between unrelated matters. Less creative people are better in filtering out all non-essential information, where creative people are more likely to get overwhelmed, to develop anxiety, research shows.
This overview might show you already, that you are not the only one. Everyone in the live music business has been hit really hard. That makes it more likely that there will be sufficient help from the governments.
In the next post I’ll show you how to get through the corona crisis, and in a later post how to prepare for after-corona.