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  2020-06-05

  The Collapse of the Concert Industry

  On June 5, 2020, I was scheduled to attend a concert to see The Lumineers at BB&T Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey. As an avid concert-goer, I would regularly attend music festivals, live performances, and music events throughout the year to view my favorite performers. From Radiohead and Lana Del Rey to Post Malone and Pearl Jam, the amount of musicians that I have yet to see is limited. My experience at music festivals speaks to the love and appreciation I have for the concert industry; spending a week outside in the blazing heat surrounded by thousands of other concertgoers (who are usually drenched in sweat and dehydrated) are moments that I cherish year after year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, I was unable to see any concerts, music festivals, or performances because of CDC health restrictions and the threat of the virus. In June, I received an email detailing that my concert tickets to see The Lumineers were cancelled and my money would be refunded. An option that the event company provided was to donate concert tickets to healthcare workers serving in hospitals, nursing homes, and other essential workspaces. The inclusion of this option struck me as a compassionate and empathetic gesture towards recognizing the essential workers of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a college student, I do not bear witness to the firsthand account of serving sick patients and being exposed to a deadly virus. Providing healthcare workers, who are risking their lives to keep the majority of the population safe, concert tickets to enjoy when the pandemic ends is a wonderful gesture and reminds me to celebrate local healthcare workers in my community. Despite the positive tone of the cancellation email, I am saddened to reflect on the future of the concert industry. Health restrictions caused many local concert venues to close and left many struggling musicians and artists to find other means of work instead of pursuing a music career. Concerts are a means of bringing diverse communities together to celebrate a singular thing: the power of music in providing healing, love, and joy. During adversities, I turn to music to find solace and comfort, as do others, and the absence of live performances in the future gives me anguish knowing that I may never see Vampire Weekend on stage, attend Lollapalooza Music Festival, or dance to Tame Impala’s music ever again. However, I love seeing the creation of alternative options to live music, such as neighborhood concerts and rooftop performances where viewers can distance themselves from others and wear masks while enjoying the atmosphere of a concert-like setting. Once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, I am anxiously awaiting the return of the concert industry so I can continue to sing and dance to my favorite bands! The image I have concluded is a screenshot of the email that I received from BB&T Pavilion detailing that the concert was cancelled, but I had the option to donate my tickets to healthcare workers on the frontline. While I am upset that I was not able to attend the concert in June, I believe that healthcare workers should be compensated for their time, sacrifice, and devotion to the betterment of our society through their tireless efforts in healthcare. This option is a perfect example of how individuals can give back to members of our society that are fighting to end the COVID-19 pandemic and to acknowledge their progress and effort to keep every person safe from sickness.