Here in North Carolina, the state’s governor has ordered the canceling of all gatherings of 100 or more people.
That includes a Graham Nash show I had tickets for at the end of this month and the annual MerleFest music festival I had planned to attend next month.
With his vast collection of hit songs and 50-year successful career I don’t believe Nash has much to worry about financially. Nash’s former band-mate David Crosby, however, is another story. He says if these cancellations extend to his tour beginning in May, he could lose his house.
Crosby and other musicians have railed against the advent of streaming services that have cut deeply into the revenue from other recording formats. He told a reporter that it’s like someone working for a month and being paid a nickel for that effort. So touring has been a financial lifeline.
And it’s not just the artists who are suffering. Promoters too are feeling the strain as companies such as Live Nation cancel or postpone its upcoming shows. You know it’s bad when I start to feel sorry for the music business suits.
But for the little guy who can’t rely on mechanical royalties from hit songs or fan bases numbering in the millions these have to be the worst of times.
One advantage they do have is the ability to play more intimate venues. Small clubs, brewery taprooms, and house concerts may still provide an oasis that can provide some much needed relief.
Some can also monetize streaming shows on platforms such as Facebook Live, but not nearly enough to make up for interrupted tours.
Public safety, of course, is a priority and economic impacts pale in comparison to the suffering of those who have been seriously infected or have succumbed to the pandemic. And this health emergency is certainly going to hurt a lot of individuals and businesses.
I’m fortunate enough to have an independent revenue stream, but for many full-time musicians making a living at their craft is tough even in the best of times. I suspect that big companies like Delta Airlines and Carnival Cruise line will find a way to survive in these troubling times, but I’m not so sure about the indie artists who don’t have as many options.
So, if you have a chance this month to see a show small enough to maintain safe social distancing or to buy CDs or merchandise from a struggling musician I know it will be much appreciated.