A Dire Prediction

Lzzy Hale of Halestorm predicts a lot of bands won't survive the post COVID-19 fallout. She may be right but musicians are insanely innovative, entrepreneurial and typically scrappy. I do think we will see an even bigger divide between the legacy big bands and newer, underground artists. Tour support dollars have already dried up and small clubs will close but things always come back! I have hope that a lot of musicians we love will hang on and will weather this odd storm. Ditto for the small bars and clubs that host so many bands as they move up the talent ladder. None of us can predict the future but I am hoping Ms. Hale is wrong on this one.

Remember, most bands these days make their money from touring. Do your part and buy a CD, download or sweatshirt when you find an artist you connect with on a special level.

Comments

[Bkallday]

She’s exactly right. This will absolutely keep any young and upcoming bands from getting anything going. Now that Cuomo has opened sports back up(w/o fans) in NY, that’s a great start! I expect & hope many others will follow suit and sports will be back in no time(month or so) Concerts are gonna be different though, but they will be back & normalcy will return. Only a matter of time! \m/

[GNR]

I hope the opposite is true - that the legacy big venue bands would be the ones to cave and the smaller venues, with easier variables to control would put the other smaller or upcoming bands back to the forefront. I'm yet to be convinced how an outside venue cannot succeed on some level.

Cue the AC/DC ~ Ain't no Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)

[Metalboy!]

Haha!!, GNR! ... I was just listening to that song this past Saturday!

I actually believe almost ALL of our heroes AND their bands will survive!

Once the pandemic subsides, it will never SNAFU as usual for our favorite bands!

One note, however ... Allyson, you mention it could be a challenge for up and coming bands on their way up playing the clubs and bars.

Well, let’s not forget the bands on the way down — that is, bands that were playing large venues in the 80’s and 90’s, now relegated to the club circuit and have been so for decades ...

[steverox]

I just hope the opposite is true. The last few years, I have been gravitating more and more away from the "big shows" and going to smaller clubs to either see newer bands, or tribute bands. I'm worried things may look different "on the other side".

I'm hoping my go-to smaller venues the Mercury Ballroom, Louisville Palace, and Bogart's in Cincinnati all survive this. I hope many of the bands I like to see there survive this, such as Hairbanger's Ball, That Arena Rock Show, the Iron Maidens, Thunderstruck, Departure, Appetite for Destruction, the Four Horsemen, Dressed to Kill, Slippery when Wet, Running with the Devil, Rumours and all the others I can't remember.

I know the Velcro Pygmies will make it through this as they just played a show last weekend, probably one of the first shows for any band in a long time.

I hope my favorite festivals come back next year such as M3, and the Louisville trilogy of Louder than Life, Bourbon and Beyond and yes, even Hometown Rising.

I wish all the bands, crew, promoters, venue owners, and staff all the best and hope they all come back, sooner rather than later.

I will be ready to spend some money. I'm supporting the bands that I can that are doing Facebook live shows, or any other online shows. I will do what I can because I miss live music, the atmosphere, the crowd, the drinks, the late nights .... a lot.

As Freddie sang: Show Must Go On!!! (we need a Queen tribute band to come around town as well!)

[crued]

@steverox Just wondering is there a place that tells about upcoming Facebook live shows?
P.S "The show must go on" is my fave Queen song ever!!

[steverox]

Crued: good question. I really don't know the answer. I only find out about it when a band I follow (and I follow most of those I listed) announces a show via Facebook, which can be either a facebook live show, or will include a link to some other site.

There haven't been too many. The only online shows from bands on that list that I've seen are "That Arena Rock Show", "Thunderstruck" (twice), and "Departure" just last Sunday evening.

Plus Dropkick Murphy's back when this started on St. Patrick's Day. BTW, they are doing another online show from Fenway Park on May 29 with Bruce Springsteen as special guest. If you haven't seen them, you should.