We are 9 months into the pandemic and vaccines are on the way. That’s good news.  Even what seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, the live performances are stuck in limbo. Artists performing live is off the table and live streaming is the new normal. What’s the future of live shows? That’s the million dollar question that everyone in the industry is asking. Everybody wants to know the future of live shows.   Will there be restrictions when live shows return? Ticketmaster revealed it would require concert goers to present evidence of a vaccination or a negative covid test. The ticket company was met with an immediate backlash and they pulled back the statement. The socially distant concerts held in the UK weren’t largely successful.
Live shows in New Zealand are back to normal. No masks, no distancing, just like pre-pandemic days. The live show arena won’t succeed unless it returns to normal. The live show was built on a community gathering and sharing an experience. Any restriction will kill it off. Promoters know this. If these restrictions continue in the future, then music venues and clubs will continue to shut down and live music workers will leave the industry permanently.
Right now, the industry is betting on a vaccine. All eyes are on Pfizer. Yes, the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. If millions of doses of the vaccine does the trick, then live music can resume in the second half of 2021. But with restrictions like masks, temp checks, verification cards? Who knows.
SXSW has gone virtual for 2021. Coachella is scheduled for April, but I’m betting it’s cancelling, Bonnaroo is moving dates, and Lollapalooza’s 2021 is in the air. With all that, live shows are stuck in a holding pattern.

Tarn PK is wrapping up the year with the song Sky is Falling. It’s moody, ambient, slightly experimental and probably my favorite song to date.  The track comes off his upcoming Monarch EP. The 19 year old New Zealand singer songwriter known for blending genres such as R&B, funk, and pop has become a kings favorite  when the whiz kid released “Talk to You” that landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday. Give it a stream on KOAR’s Indie Invaders.

Two hits are worth more than one hit, but regardless, one hit can generate lots of money. Toni Watson aka as Tones and I had one of most-played songs on Spotify with Dance Monkey. In fact, that monkey danced its way up to 2 billion streams and earned $12 million in royalties. Dance Monkey travelled faster than covid topping the charts in more than 30 countries. Can you believe Toni was busking on the streets before becoming one of Australia’s richest musicians?

I’m really liking the mid tempo electro ballad Let Me Go by L E A. According to the 25 year old singer songwriter, “Let Me Go is definitely a vulnerable piece that took me over a year to write. After visiting several revisions of this song, I finally landed on one after using a simple beat at like 4AM”. Originally from NJ, L E A now lives in Los Angeles and spends time creating social media content and writing songs. Although the latest song has a hint of R&B you would never guess she grew up listening to emo artists and fronting Robert Plant in a Zeppelin Tribute performance. Check it out on KOAR’s Indie Invaders Playlist.

Songwriters tend to stay behind the scenes avoiding the spotlight allowing the full spectrum to shine on the artist. That’s why writers are the most overlooked creative professionals in music.  Spotify will shine the spotlight on the community of songwriters and has introduced the Songwriters Hub which allows listeners to follow their favorite songwriters. Spotify have added pages for songwriters including Sia, Ant Clemons, Bebe Rexha, Gregg Wattenberg, Noonie Bao, Ashley Gorley and Irving Berlin.
Songwriter Nija who worked with Ariana Grande on Positions says this: “Having a hub for songwriters is extremely important because people need to know who these people are who are helping create the soundtrack to our lives. Songwriters deserve to be praised for their contributions just as much as artists and producers. A lot of times we get the short end of the stick, so I’m glad that there’s a place where people can see who’s writing their favorite songs.”