It's been a year since the pandemic shuttered live music. Now, with the coronavirus vaccination rollout underway, many are beginning to dig out and are wondering how different things will be.
With venues worldwide shattered by the outbreak — not to mention artists, many of whom make their money through live shows and have been forced to rehearse, perform, record, and release their music remotely — the entire industry has shifted in sudden and seismic ways. Even as people consider a return to some sense of live show normalcy, there are new aspects to consider including the greater economic significance of a live performance, vaccine hesitation, and, undoubtedly, a lingering avoidance of crowds and public spaces.
What will become of live music as we know it? GBH and Front Row Boston recently held a discussion with individuals embedded deep in the fabric of the Boston music scene. This panel explored the future of live music and what has been forever changed by this pandemic.
Panelists include Catherine T. Morris, founder of BAMSfest; JJ Gonson, director of ONCE Somerville; Jared Dobson, talent buyer from The Bowery Presents and Jessica Richards, an independent artist manager.
