When Will Music Festivals Return?
When oh when will be smashed together in crowds to listen to music in the summer open air? Hard to say since the risks of covid are still a big concern. By most estimates, big concerts won’t happen again until the end of the year or early 2021. It’s hard to say exactly as the timeline keeps changing but according to live promotion company Live Nation, they will resume a “full blown” concert schedule by 2021. Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino has outlined the company's plans to resume concerts and tours. This includes, as he stated, "...drive-in concerts, which we’re going to test and roll out and we’re having some success with; or reduced-capacity festival concerts, which could be outdoors in a theater on a large stadium floor, where there’s enough room to be safe."
Surely other large venues and promoters will follow suit. Smaller clubs and venues may have a harder time adapting to the social distancing rules due to space. So only time will tell what will happen to the world of live music performance.
Until then, it looks like watching concerts either on your computer or the occasional neighborhood marching band is your best outlet for live music.
Paul Simon To Return To The Stage At Outsidelands
Outside Lands announced that Paul Simon will return to the live concert stage for a special live show this August to close the festival on Sunday, August 11th. Simon no longer touring, has said he will do live concerts from time to time to benefit philanthropic causes.
Outside Lands which takes place in San Francisco’s, Golden Gate Park will also host numerous environmental initiatives. Further, Simon will be donating the net proceeds from his performance to local non-profit organizations.
Go Paul go.