Just as soon as the live music industry started up, it seems that the Delta variant is causing some artists to rethink whether it is time to tour or to wait it out.
The New Orleans Jazz Fest announced their scheduled fall festival featuring The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, and many more would be cancelled. Organizers hope to return in the spring of 2022.
Last week Limp Bizkit cancelled all of their 2021 tour dates following their performance at the packed Lollapalooza music festival.
The band released a statement: “Out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of the band, crew and most of all the fans, the Limp Bizkit show this Monday and the remaining tour is being cancelled,”
The arrival of the three vaccines earlier this year boosted confidence that the shows could go on. Many artists have taken extra precautions including a mandate requiring every band member and crew get vaccinated.
Artist are taking it so seriously that The Offspring recently ousted their drummer Pete Parada when he refused to get the vaccination. Parada stated his refusal was due to health reasons and the band will hit the road soon with a yet to be announced drummer.
Being vaccinated isn’t a silver bullet though. Fall Out Boy has pulled out of three shows on the Hella Mega Tour with Green Day, Weezer, and the Interrupters after a fully vaccinated crew member tested positive for COVID-19.
Foo Fighters also had to cancel their show at the Los Angeles Forum after someone in the band’s organization tested positive even though everyone was vaccinated. That show was set to be the first full capacity show since the pandemic started. No makeup date has been announced yet.
Live Nation, one of leading live entertainment companies, announced that they have devised a strategy to pull off large events like Lollapalooza with an estimated attendance of 180k, which implemented the new policy and is being considered a success.
Part of that strategy is that Live Nation will allow artists performing at their venues to have the option to require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter the venue. The company will also begin requiring all of their employees to get vaccinated by October 4th.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino told Rolling Stone magazine that “Our business and our industry is about uniting people and vaccines are one of the greatest tools for making sure that everyone can continue to enjoy live music together.”
Can Proof of Vaccination save concerts? I have a feeling that we will find out soon.