The Festival experience, coming to a living room near you.

As I am sure you all are experiencing, life as we know it has paused indefinitely. Instead of taking this time to read off the news and statistics of the situation, I want to focus on how one industry is turning this dilemma into a force for good.

While there hasn’t been any band or musician credited with starting the trend, there have been a plethora of labels, management companies, touring musicians, drag queens, and pop stars reverting to virtual concerts as shows worldwide are being postponed and cancelled. A few examples of these e-concerts have been put on by Emo Nite (a touring DJ event), Universal Music Group (UMG), and by a variety of bands and artists on their social media platforms. These virtual concerts are free and allow people from all over the world to watch their favorite acts perform from the safety of their homes. In just a short time, artists have taken the concept of performing live online and transformed it into an immersive experience. This insurgence of internet performances has been incredible, and I would not be surprised to see this trend continue even after social distancing ends. It allows fans from smaller communities and lower socio-economic statuses the same experience that everyone else would get, and makes all fans equal for even just an hour. 

Wondering where you can find a virtual concert? Check social media! Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Tik Tok have all hosted several events in the last few weeks. These are typically one artist shows, but as the idea becomes mainstream, many are even planning line-ups and festivals.  In addition, NPR released a calendar of virtual events that you can check out HERE.

The music industry has been hit especially hard by the Coronavirus outbreak, and I think that it is beyond admirable that many musicians are offering free concerts in this unprecedented time. They could be offering these shows for a fee, because they also are suffering from sudden lack of income, but instead they are using this time and their craft to focus on what really matters: community, positivity, and the endurance of the human spirit.

Music is something that has brought people together for all of time, and hopefully you can take the time to tune in and remember how beautiful this world can be when we all work together.

By Erica Nelson