2021 Tour Cancellations...
Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 12:44PM
Monster Magnet, to their credit, aren’t deluding themselves that concerts will be possible in January. Even if shows are miraculously allowed to take place by then — amidst what is expected to be a winter resurgence of Covid-19 on top of the fact that the disease never went away in many places to begin with — what would those shows even look like? High-level tours can’t make a profit without big-money “anchor dates” in cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles subsidizing small-dollar-earning or loss-bearing shows in less populated markets, and those places won’t be hosting shows any time soon. What’s more, bands and venues alike can’t make the dollars work if they’re limited to 25% or even 50% capacity. And all that assumes fans will be willing to venture out to enclosed, poorly-ventilated venues to begin with.
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The 2021 Tour Cancelations Have Already Begun… Buckle In. https://t.co/oQtRRMMD78
— MetalSucks (@metalsucks) September 17, 2020
Reader Comments (14)
Monster Magnet was actually one of the shows on my calendar back in April - I was going more for the opening band Silvertomb (check out related comments in the recent Quiet Riot post, as Silvertomb features drummer Johnny Kelly).
It sure doesn't feel like shows are coming back any time soon. As much as this sucks for fans, it REALLY sucks for the people who had been making their living in this industry; from road crew to promoters, venues, and the artists themselves.
And now the USA government has doubled the cost of visas for bands entering the country. So when this thing does open back up there will still be a reduction in overall shows (and variety) in North America. Good job, DHS!
The whole thing just sucks.
This is not dissimilar to what is happening in other areas of life. I get it. There is the hope for normalcy. When? Soon. When is that? Um, later? And while there are some good signs on the horizon--Eric Chou’s show in Taiwan in front of 10,000 people likely made some smile--there are also some annoyingly less good signs as well: Sturgis (yes, I know they over-hyped the transmission fallout from that event); recent up-ticks in Europe, and problems in other places as well. This big marble is a lot smaller that we thought, even if the situation on the ground differs radically when you move from county to county and state to state, not to mention country to country or continent to continent (see, I am doing an expansive thing here). My point? What is normal is not necessarily normal in another place. And you then have to factor in the mixing of trends when people hop on a plane (even one to nowhere!), get in a car, ride in a bus, or travel beyond their zone of normalcy. I hear weddings in Maine are lovely this time of year. Can't make those dates work? Well then think about hopping in a time machine so you can attend the Biogen conference this past February. You can't attend either of those functions? Don't worry. We can bring the fun to you!!!
But I agree with Mike. It sucks for all those who depend on concerts for their livelihoods: the people who own the venues, those that work for them, the bars and restaurants that surround those venues, the drivers that ferry people to and from the venues, the staff at the hotels where people from out of town stay, and the persons who do the load-in and load-out for the bands, as well as their additional staff and families, that play at the venues before and after staying at hotels in the surrounding area. There is a ripple effect to all the damage that COVID-19 has caused. We are only seeing the first of what are likely to be many more waves. When you plug that into the larger matrix, it is easy to get really depressed (see my paragraph above). I hate the use of the word 'systemic' (for reasons I will keep to myself). But that fits when you talk about the hell that has been wrought by this virus . . . and the damage done is just starting. And please note: even if I was standing precariously on a soapbox of sorts (and I don't think it was a particularly foamy one), I left politics, and optics, and framing out of my comments. You can talk about the damage and not resort to flinging mud at people who have opinions that differ (with apologies to those from Biogen, who didn't really know, and to those in Maine, who probably should have had some clue).
Having said all that, I have to ask (and do so respectfully): what is 'ridiculous' about these cancellations, Jeff? I am just trying to contextualize your response. Nothing more or less.
I hope everyone has a safe and healthy weekend. And, in the words of Monster Magnet, "Polish them rockets now and swallow those pills!" I think that is proverb of some sort.
It's probably my advancing age speaking, but the first couple months of all this actually felt kind of nice. I generally have lots things on the go - shows, trips, sports, etc., and it was refreshing to have a clean slate for a while. But man, those feelings have passed. I really miss concerts, I miss going out and acting stupid with friends, and I miss things being normal.
Speaking of Sonic Temple, I'm wondering what the folks at DWP are thinking right now. Obviously, they are as aware of the situation as anyone, and know that chances of having 3 major festivals in May is pretty low. It wouldn't surprise me if they move everything to September or October next year.
I'm not saying blow the door open and let it be a free for all, but there are ways to do this by cutting attendance, taking temps when people enter, requiring masks, etc. But to outright cancel is Yes, Ridiculous
Sooner or later, we will have to move on from from lockdowns and closures to "risk management".
Hmm. Well, Jeff, I think you answered my question in a roundabout way. So thanks for that. I guess you and I disagree on some of the finer points re: this virus. That is fine. But that is also what complicates an overall plan and makes living here so damn great (normally). The paradox of living in a republic is both its strength and its weakness. So I have no interest in a granular debate with you. You do you. And others will do as they see fit, as you point out.
Bkallday, the glory of sports is a mixed-bag when it comes to this virus. I am not saying that you painted an overly optimistic picture of things. But I will say that decision-making involved in both professional and collegiate sports is often questionable, occasionally contradictory, and at times inspiring. Some sports are designed for a careful approach; others are not. So we will see what plays out (no pun intended) as sports-related organizations tinker with this new normal. And, here again, is an area with a lot of people dependent on sports for their livelihoods. So I empathize with them, more than I do the guy in the Viking Helmet who needs a braut. Is that political? I don't think so. I guess I am just choosing to think about those who work at these events (including the players) more than I am those who attend the same.
As I noted previously, and regardless what anyone thinks about the virus or how one should go about protecting themselves or finding ways to find relief from all of this, the impact is going to be ongoing and widely felt. My heart goes out to those who lose loved one or their livelihoods.
That is just the opinion of an old-ish-adjacent person with bi-focals! And, Gary, quoting Morrison was priceless! That said, you can influence the manner of your departure! Jim certainly did! He went from Lizard King to an extra on a show called "Lumberjack Confidential." The show is about to end . . . I mean, begin.