“We all support the vaccine mandate, we think’s great,” said Jeff Cohen, concert promoter and part owner of Toronto indie-rock venues the Horseshoe Tavern and Lee’s Palace. “But I’m operating at 23-per-cent capacity right now, which doesn’t make any sense.”Jack Ross, a Toronto agent with APA Agency Canada who represents Hamilton rock band Arkells among other big-name acts, believes venues need be at full volume. “The industry may never be the same again,” he said. “People lost their livelihood.
“It was incredibly thrilling for those artists to get back on stage and perform and do what they love to do,” said Ross, who was involved with the Budweiser Stage concerts. The margins have always been tight. On a 30-show tour, for example, the profit comes from the last concerts. “If we lose two concerts because of COVID-19 restrictions, we’d probably decide to scrap the whole tour,” said Finkelstein. “We’ve cancelled two tours already. To make it worthwhile, the tour has to pay for itself in a meaningful way.
Must be on experimental drugs to enter.