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An Attempt At Mitigating Concert Related COVID-19 Contamination
Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash
WHEW it’s getting real up in here y’all!
Cancellations galore in the music industry is increasingly stressing everyone out, both fans and industry folk alike. As a person who doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt from this, I have been weighing this decision heavily about how to proceed as a person for the next few months. I think we can all agree that missing your favorite band is better than someone getting really sick or dying.
THAT ALL SAID. If you’re going to give it a shot, here are some tips for how to navigate going to shows in a COVID-19 infested world:
Don’t go to the show! No but really, REALLY have a conversation with yourself if it’s worth potentially being exposed and subsequently exposing someone to something that can get you killed is worth seeing someone.
Social distancing is the most effective way to make sure no one gets hurt. It absolutely fucking sucks, but assume that the second things are free and clear that bands will be clamoring to hit the road so they can be adored by you. If you feel bad about missing the show, I strongly suggest you find their online merch store and buy enough merch to cover the ticket price you would have paid PLUS what you would have probably spent at the show on drinks/merch.
Give that band all your fuckin money.🤑🤑🤑
It’s an intentional move they will absolutely appreciate. If they don’t have enough of a variety and you have to buy multiples of the same thing, who cares!? Give it to a friend. You’re actually doing the band a bigger favor because merch is a gift that keeps on giving in terms of marketing. SPEAKING OF! Since we’re all about to be Very Online™ for awhile, now would be the time to like, RT, share, etc. as much of the band’s content as you can. I imagine some folks are gonna get really creative with ways to entertain you while we’re all laying low. Make it worth it to them! SHARE THAT SHIT.
Fuck okay you actually wanted to read more which means you’re actually gonna try go go okay remember I’M NOT A DOCTOR I’VE JUST BEEN READING A LOT THROUGH THE LENS OF A SHOW-GOER OKAY. Also industry fam if you see this and have thoughts I am SO HAPPY TO EDIT THIS!!!!
Wash your fucking hands: Don’t be gross. Wash your hands. Use hand sanitizer if you can’t get to a sink. We’re all sharing the WashYourLyrics memes. Use that fuckin thing. 20 seconds minimum. No exceptions. Touch a thing you didn’t see someone wipe down with a fresh sanitizing wipe of some sort? Yep, you gotta do it fam. Your hands will sting by the end of the night, so this better fucking be worth it.
Don’t touch your face: This doesn’t really have a lot to do with being a person at a show specifically, but you touch your face way more than you think you do, so if I tell you again not to do it, hopefully you’ll be more mindful of it. In general be really mindful of where your hands are going in general when you’re among other people. You should be doing this at shows anyway—keeping your hands to yourself, that is.
Cough/sneeze into your elbow/shoulder: Remember that whole ✨we’re not tryna spread a deadly disease✨ thing? Even if you never get COVID-19, at least help other people stay calm by doing everything you can to keep your potential germs to yourself. If you find yourself in a coughing/sneezing fit, try to get the fuck away from everybody. WHO is saying you gotta be at least 3 feet away from someone who’s coughing. If you use a tissue or something, get rid of that shit ASAP. No pockets. Garbage can. Now. Not later. No chances.
Arrive early to the show: This sounds weird and possibly uncool (*gag*), but if you’re the kinda stan who needs to be in the front row and don’t wanna have to push through people…. get there early! See all the openers instead of just the band you came to see! Oh no poor you, you saw more music in the process and possibly got another favorite band out of it. Wah wah You know what’s worse? Death, but you’re still doing this anyway.
Bouncer/Ticketing interactions: these brave souls have to touch your IDs, put wristbands on you, stamp you, etc. Offer to put on your own wristband to limit the time you have to interact. Hand sanitizer is your bff. Consider being a fucking hero and bringing some disinfectant wipes and wipe the counter in front of any ticket windows. Pave that good germ free shit forward when you can.
Limit your drinking: Try and be hydrated before you get to the show so you don’t have to pee and wash your hands a billion times. Also you don’t know who is taking the same precautions as you, so wading through a crowd, resting your hands on bars while you wait for your drinks, etc etc is just asking for more opportunities to make your hands sting with hand sanitizer. If you’re into green things, consider that instead and (I hate saying this) be greedy and don’t share. You don’t *need* a substance to enjoy a show. That said, if you don’t want to pregame, hand sanitizer is your friend. Tip the shit out of the bartenders because they’re taking risks too. Avoid cash if you can. Credit Cards + Hand Sanitizer/Wipes. Ugh. Are your hands not fucking burning yet?
Avoid using your phone: Unless you have the receipts to prove that you wiped your phone down with a sanitizing wipe as you walked through the door of the venue, your phone is probably gross as fuck with god knows what. You should be paying attention to the band anyway, but that’s for another rant.
Limit convos. See how fucking annoying this is getting to be outside? Having conversations at shows requires you to get super close to people because it’s loud as hell. Being super close to people is how this kinda germy stuff gets around real fast, which is why everyone is championing social distancing. Are you hype to have a really awkward time at a show? Welcome to #COVID19Concerts, my friends!
Don’t touch anyone, especially not the band: I know you wanna shake their hand or give them a hug and tell them their show was so fucking worth risking your life and the lives of others, but for fucks sake have you been reading any of this? The band is already risking their livelihood by touring, don’t complicate shit any further. People are crushing it with the high elbows and foot tapping, if you insist on human contact of some sort, do that. Also, be content with where you’re at in the room. I imagine shoving your hand in between people to get through a crowd right now will result in someone screaming at you or worse, so just hold still.
IRL MERCH interactions: Speaking of interactions with the band, think about your options here. Cash? 😬 Credit Cards? 😬 It’s already gonna be kinda iffy with the handing merch off bit (we are assuming bands are taking precautions obvi), but in an effort to spare everyone’s hands, offer to use Venmo or Paypal if you’re able to. If I were a band/merch person, I wouldn’t want you touching my device that has Square/whatever on it, although you might get lucky and they have one of those credit card machines with the tapping or where you could insert the card in yourself, but again with the screen touching on someone else’s device. Again, be mindful. If you’re too weirded out to touch shit, just make note of what you could get online and do that.
Don’t come if you kind of feel sick: Tucking this here at the bottom because I’m trying to give y’all the benefit of the doubt, but don’t be an asshole and show up if you think you might be sick at all. You shouldn’t do this ever anyways, btw.
So yeah if all that seems doable for you, best of luck out there. Remember: you don’t have to be in full panic mode, you just have to be smart and more thoughtful of others around you than we have in the past. Common sense, facts, and keeping your hands clean are your new best friends when you go outside now. Also, moisturize your hands when you get home and wash your hands one more time before bed. This is gonna be a rough few months on your hands.
Spread love, not germs. 💖
![[Watch] LANY - "WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS (Official Video)"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61cb91c18cbd5c31ee4ab0fd/1671499218536-A7KXRF87AM3A5P6XF3L9/image-asset.png)
[Watch] LANY - "WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS (Official Video)"
Have you ever encountered a song that is such a #selfie you find yourself chuckling as you bob and dance around to it because it's just too real? My latest "song #selfie" comes from Los Angeles group LANY. The track, "WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS", now complete with an accompanying video (below), details a Friday night alone consisting of wine and the internet thanks to some [presumably] flakey friends.
Um, hi. lol. That was mostly me when I first moved to New York and occasionally me now when I think I have a show but I don't. It's funny that the only thing that's changed in 10 years is I went from Sparks to fancy pants wine, but the sentiment is still the same.
Anyway, I'm fairly certain everyone can identify with this video, which features lead singer Paul Klein awkwardly trying to navigate a party despite being obviously disconnected from all of them. Klein was fortunate enough to pair up with director Nadia Marquard Otzen for the video. “There needed to be vibe but not at the expense of narrative," he said, "I was insanely lucky to work with Nadia on piecing together a concept that delivered both.”
The band is currently gearing up for the first ever headlining tour in May, which equally surprises me and doesn't that it has already sold out. They'll also be making the rounds at a bunch of festivals, so hopefully you'll luck out seeing them in your town.
Check out their latest EP, Make Out along with their upcoming dates below.
LANY On Tour
U.S. HEADLINE TOUR DATES
May 1 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour *Sold Out*
May 2 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour *Sold Out*
May 10 Dallas, TX @ The Cambridge Room at House of Blues *Sold Out*
May 11 Dallas, TX @ The Cambridge Room at House of Blues *Sold Out*
May 12 Houston, TX @ The Studio at Warehouse Live *Sold Out*
May 16 Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel *Sold Out*
May 17 Boston, MA @ The Sinclair *Sold Out*
May 19 Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory *Sold Out*
May 20 New York, NY @ The Marlin Room at Webster Hall *Sold Out*
May 21 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live *Sold Out*
May 24 Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Lounge *Sold Out*
May 25 Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue *Sold Out*
FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
May 14 Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
May 27 George, WA @ Sasquatch!
June 5 Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury
June 9 Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
June 16 Dover, DE @ Firefly
June 26 Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest
July 22 Oro-Medonte, ON @ WayHome
Aug 5 San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands
[Watch] Mew - "Witness"
Mew have released their official video for, "Witness", which features a group of devoted fans that the band invited to take part in the filming. The track comes from their latest album, + -, which is out now.
In addition to recently confirming a late appearance at this summer's Green Man Festival the band has announced that they will host two very special nights at London's Village Underground called "An Evening With Mew" this December. Dates are below.
21.08.15 - POWYS Green Man Festival
14.12.15 - LONDON Village Underground
15.12.15 - LONDON Village Underground
[Watch] Arctic Monkeys Live at T In The Park (Full Set)
Arctic Monkeys have been playing headline shows for a while now, and they've gotten pretty damn good at it. Back in 2007 when they got asked to headline Glastonbury for the first time, the band hadn't even been to the festival as punters. Their rise has been meteoric and they're not slowing down for anyone, doing their own thing, evolving with each record. Last night they closed T In The Park in their new found slick fashion with a career spanning set-list which featured an acoustic performance of the old classic; "A Certain Romance". As Alex walks out on stage and begins to play he can hear Disclosure's set in the next tent and begins performing in time to the Brothers' set. If like me, you're struggling with some post-weekend blues, check over your shoulder for your boss, put your headphones in and click play on the video below and waste some of your Monday with the Sheffield lads done good. It's their entire set from what will be the last TITP to take place at the Balado venue. Watch a bit of history go down and enjoy the chants of "Here we fucking go!".
[News] Studio Killers Launch Kickstarter Campaign To Fund Live Shows
In their current state, electro-pop outfit Studio Killers have been confined to computer screens all over the world. If the group has it their way, however, that won't be the case for very long. In addition to the announcement that they would perform live at two festivals in Finland, a few days ago the trio launched a Kickstarter campaign in hopes to raise £50,000. At the time of this post, the campaign currently sits at close to £15,000, with 9 days left to reach their goal. While it seems like a hefty chunk of change to ask of their fans before they even perform their first live show ever, the band hopes to cover the costs of bringing their characters to life using state of the art technology courtesy of design company Immersive Ltd.. The firm's previous clients include: Jason Mraz, Bon Jovi, Knife Party, deadmau5, and many more. Additionally, per the band's Kickstarter page, they hope to use the funds to bring their live show various international locations as well.
I for one hope they reach their goal. In fact, I've kicked in £60 because I feel like their live show would be something worth bringing to the masses. Their latest single, "Grand Finale" hints at a promising follow up to their self-titled debut, which makes me want to see the group through until they're standing on their own two pixels performing wherever they're loved the most. In terms of incentives, you get a little love regarless of how much/little you give. I'm personally very excited that my £60 will get me a limited print from Cherry since I've yet to experience her art in person (their gallery installation was in Helsinki).
If you need further convincing, enjoy a snippet of "Grand Finale" below.
[News] Y Not Festival Announces Initial Line-Up
As we've mentioned in the past few weeks, there are tonnes of festivals announcing their line-ups at the moment and all of them seem to be delivering some stellar line-ups. We have a reformed Outkast playing tonnes of dates the world over, Arctic Monkeys for Reading and Leeds, Snoop Dogg at Parklife, Beck at Bestival. Summer 2014 is already looking like one for the books.
Keeping it real in the Derbyshire Countryside though, the ever growing Y-Not Festival has announced it's first few headliners and a bunch of acts playing their tents across the first weekend of August 1st-3rd. Dizzee Rascal and White Lies top the bill for the main stage, with some exciting looking names throughout the initial announcement. If you're up for a party, I'm sure Andrew W.K. will be happy to help out with that. Or maybe you're feeling a little more chilled, in which case Newton Faulkner can serenade you. Last year's Y Not was their biggest yet and by the looks of it the team their are planning something extra special for 2014. I'd highly recommend if you're in the UK and wanting to check out a grass roots festival with a really nice, relaxed atmosphere, make it this one.
If you're in a band and fancy playing the festival, head over to their Facebook page for more info and you could be doing just that; playing Y Not!
Tickets are on sale now and you can grab them here. Check out the announcement video below for the full line-up though.
[News] Bestival Announces Line-Up Additions; Beck & Foals join Outkast as headliners
Bestival has just announced its initial line-up and it's going to be hard to beat in terms of ending your summer on a high in 2014. Beck and Foals will top the bill at the event, joining the returning duo of Outkast, as announced last week. The rest of the acts announced are Disclosure, Major Lazer, Sam Smith, CHVRCHES, London Grammar, Wild Beasts, Caribou, Clean Bandit and Laura Mvula.
As is tradition with the festival, it will have a theme and this year it's 'Desert Island Disco'. I think opens up a few more options compared to 2013's nautical 'HMS Bestival' theme so get your thinking caps on if you're planning on grabbing a ticket.
Bestival takes place from September 4th-7th on the Isle of Wight and tickets are on sale now.
For more information, head over to Bestival.net
[Listen] Vimes - "Celestial"
