Live Music Business and Corona II – how to get through the crisis


In my previous post I mentioned 6 reasons why people in the live music business have been hit extra hard by all corona measurements. Now I tell how to get through this crisis. The next post will be about how to prepare for after the crisis.

The 6 reasons can be categorized in three categories: business, finances and mental condition.

Business
With first in last out and by no alternative (see previous post), all concerts have been cancelled and there is no alternative to the income from live music. The live music business can only survive by huge savings that we can turn to now, or by government support. It is worth while to check everywhere on how to get financial support. It can come from the local, regional and national government, even from PRS companies. Impala, the association for independent record companies, has published a great map of national measurements in Europe.

Finances
No live concerts mean for most of us no income. Governmental help is often insufficient because it doesn’t apply to a lot of people working in live music, and doesn’t take the seasonal aspect of it into account. This financial pressure results in creative ideas. Young people live with their parents again. Some tour managers work as painter now. Many musicians offer live streaming of living room concerts to their fans, some of them paid or with asking for a tip. The first drive-in concerts have been a fact. Though all of this creativity does not compensate for the income from real live music. 1,5 meter distance at concerts will not result in a sustainable business model.

Mental conditions
In my previous post I was mentioning that creative people usually have a less good functioning filter for information. This is called cognitive disinhibition. One way to deal with it is to put yourself on a information diet. My experience is, that this is very difficult when it is about corona, unless you avoid social media, news, business news, meeting neighbors, etc. So if you can’t avoid that information, you can change your perspective on it. Once you realize that no one knows enough of this virus to come to valid conclusions, it’s easier to dismiss all speculations.
Another common emotion now is anxiety. And here again social media is worsening it. Recent research has shown, that a high use of social media is linked to a high level of anxiety. On social media, you are showcasing your best self. The discrepancy with your real self is causing extra anxiety.
Social distancing is often resulting in loneliness and depression. That is something to be aware of, and to act against it by using all technical help available to keep in touch with your friends and family. If you feel down during a longer time, please check with your GP.

Here in short how to get through this crisis:
– check for financial support everywhere you can
– be creative in how to spend your time and make extra income
– don’t believe everything you read or hear about this virus
– keep in touch with your friends and family
– stay patient and entertain yourself

Only if we are able to get through this crisis, we can think about how to prepare for the time after. That is what my next blog post will be about.

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