Are People Worried About Attending Live Events?
On May 4, the state of Missouri began to slowly reopen, and concerts were allowed to proceed with no stated restrictions on crowd size — at least at the state level. Many of the state’s major cities, however, still have indefinite stay-at-home orders in place, or do not include large venues in its Phase 1 of lifting those orders. While many music lovers might be eager to see a live show again, venues and promoters remain overall hesitant. A recent Riverfront Times piece highlighted that the precautionary measures venues would likely have to implement may not be practical for those businesses, causing our beloved sanctuaries to remain closed.
Recently, Billboard and Nielsen Music released a series of studies that focus on the impact COVID-19 is having on the entertainment industry. In its most recent release, it shared insights on how the public would react to live events which comply with most government safety guidelines. Over 60% of those surveyed said they would want hand sanitizer stations throughout the venue, and 51% would prefer the concert take place at an outdoor or open-air venue. Additionally, the majority of people support limiting the number of tickets sold, keeping the venue from hitting maximum capacity.
What about the likelihood of people attending a live event? The study covered this question as well, and the answer is not a bright one for venues. Of the general population, only 29% of people would attend a live event within a month of the pandemic passing or a vaccine/treatment becoming available. The organization polled people again, a week later, and the percentage dropped by six percentage points, showing increased reluctance as we started the month of April. There is a market for live events once the situation improves, but the overall consumer behavior suggests many will not want to return for concerts immediately.
In the meantime, here are three alternatives musicians and venues can focus on until a sense of normalcy returns:
1. Virtual Concerts
For those considering virtual concerts, here are a couple of points you’ll want to remember.
Connection — Consider how fans can interact with you directly and with each other like they would at a regular concert. One idea is to focus on small groups rather than general broadcasts by identifying top fans and their friends.
Brevity — Attention spans shrink faster on digital platforms than they would at in-person concerts. Shorten your set list and dig into personalizing the experience with new music or celebrating a special occasion.
Planning — There is nothing that ruins the overall experience of a show like technical issues. Take the time to thoroughly plan out your setup and run a test if you can beforehand on your personal account.
2. Video & Audio Streaming
Video content is being consumed at an exorbitant rate because people want to escape the news about the pandemic. If you have music videos, push those to your fans or release behind-the-scenes footage about how you made it. It is also a great time to premiere a music video you’ve held onto for awhile, or planned to share prior to the pandemic.
Are you a country-focused musician, or make music for children? You may have noticed your audio streams are growing rapidly. These two genres continue to be in-demand week after week with no signs of slowing down. Capitalize on this momentum by generating content focused on those consumers.
3. Try Something New
Your fans are the blood of your career. Assuming you’ve listened to them, you should have an idea of how to pivot your strategies to build unique experiences for them. There are a few options we’d recommend testing out, though.
We mentioned earlier video content was in high demand, but short-form videos are king. If you haven’t used TikTok yet, it’s time to start exploring the platform. Musicians stand to gain a lot from using this channel for two main reasons:
The app revolves around sound bites either made from songs, dialogue, or a combination of the two. The audio is even searchable to find other videos using it.
The potential reach for a video is significantly higher due to the faster consumption rate and how easy it is that videos could ignite a trend. With the right content, your TikTok could also end up being shared across other social platforms organically.
Another avenue to explore is selling merchandise. Fans with the means to do so are willing to buy merch or music to support you. Certainly you can sell face masks like some of the big name acts, but we encourage you to look local. Partner with a cause and donate a portion of the proceeds. People are eager for a sense of community and this is the perfect opportunity for artists to foster that feeling among their fans.
The way we consume entertainment has changed forever, and likely won’t return to the previous “normal.” For instance, Missouri looks to host its first drive-in concert, with promising enthusiasm from the community. Our best advice to indie artists is to try. These are uncharted waters the entire industry is facing, and we shouldn’t be too quick to rule out an idea. Think in unconventional ways on how to provide people quality entertainment, and the results may surprise you.