In March 2020, I flew home from a music residency at the Banff Centre to find Toronto in a state of total uncertainty. With impending lockdowns, quarantines and restrictions on large gatherings, things looked bleak. As a touring musician, live performance had long been my main source of income. I bubbled with my girlfriend and patiently waited for some good news. As the months crawled by, I mostly lived off CERB, royalty payments and a small artist relief grant.
Yet, despite shows seemingly returning to “normal” for audiences, the reality for musicians behind the scenes is fraught. As an unprecedented number of bands clamour to get back in front of people after a long absence, some artists are saying that touring just isn’t worth it. Well-known musicians like Santigold, Regina Spektor, Animal Collective and Metronomy have all cancelled tours in recent months due to a combination of concerns for their mental, physical and financial well-being.
I was emotionally and physically depleted. Our touring party conducted rapid tests constantly, praying that we wouldn’t have to cancel the remaining shows. Long drives, a poor diet, anxiety and a lack of sleep weighed on me. We had some successful shows with over a hundred engaged fans and a few where only a handful of people showed up. When I got home, I calculated how much I had made from merch sales and show fees.
Grimy, gruelling van tours and fans getting to see their favourite obscure band play a tiny club show increasingly look like things of the past.
I *need* live music in my life! We need to return to an era of sustainability for live performances. I realize that - living in Toronto - I’m spoiled for choice. That’s why I think platforms like sidedooraccess are so important!
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