FEATURE:
Live and (Just About) Kicking…
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The Worry for Artists and Their Physical and Mental Health Whilst Touring
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ONE exciting thing that is happening…
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is that venues are open again and gigs are back in full swing! Although the pandemic is not over, things are open and there is great accessibility to live music. I wonder how long it will last and whether there will be further lockdowns in the future. It is unfortunate that there were lockdowns, as many venues had to close permanently because of the loss of trade. I hope the Government properly subsidise venues and ensure they are covered if we do return to lockdown. Festivals are going ahead through the summer, and it will be the first time many have been to a festival for over two years. Although it is great for punters and music fans that have been deprived of seeing live music in the flesh for a long time, I do wonder what it is like for the artists. It is great that they are performing and are resuming life as it was before 2020. I have seen quite a few posts from artists who are catching COVID-19 because they are in close contact with so many people. I guess this is an issue that could affect a lot of gigs this year. Already many are being cancelled or rescheduled because of this. The other problem I see is exhaustion and stress from touring. As a lot of artists are now trying to reduce their carbon footprint, many are using public transport rather than planes or cars. Things have had to change in that respect. The life of a touring artist is tougher now than ever. Having missed out on gigs for so long, so many are performing flat-out for the rest of the year.
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It’s wonderful that they have enthusiasm and want to see as many fans as possible. I do worry whether this will have an impact on their general mental health afterwards. Not only is there that ever-present danger of catching COVID-19 and having to be derailed for a little bit. This sense of making up for lost time means they are pushing themselves the limit! Cramming in more gigs this year then they would at any other time, so many artists are competing for spaces and slots. Many venues were fully booked up a while ago, whereas others are struggling to accommodate demand. For those artists who have been playing at venues, they are getting back into the routine. Sort of like retraining themselves or working muscles that have been atrophied for a long time, I am reading social media posts from some who are already feeling quite strained. The overall impression and reaction from artists is positive. They are pumped to be back on the road and doing something that was not possible until fairly recently. Relying on gigs for income, there are a mass of artists who are probably working harder than ever. Sleeping less and not getting as much rest as they should, I do have a concern of what all this intense performance – after quite a time away from the circuit – will do shortly.
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I guess there is no real way of being able to recoup lost earnings and only perform at select venues and times. So many artists are in the same storm. That desire and love of being back touring, but there is also that risk of their health being jeopardised. Not only is it the physical demands of going back to gigs; there is also that fatigue and the stress of packing so much. As the pandemic still looms large and can affect any artist at any time, it is a time that is both strange and a relief. I do hope that artists will be okay but, as there is this sense of catch-up and relishing a return to near-normality, a lot of the impact and effects of rigorous performance might not be felt right away, or it is being supressed. It is wonderful live music has made a big return. There are great charities like Music Minds Matter that provide support to anyone who is struggling or finding their mental health has taken a hit. Musicians are a sensible bunch, though they also want to please their fans. I can only imagine how fantastic it is for them to be back on stage making that direct connection! There are many who are already finding things quite hard and tiring. Conflicted as they want to gig and deliver to the fans, many are not giving themselves room to breathe and time to relax. I hope that they do. It is a moment when the pandemic is calming slightly in one sense, but also making a big return in another. It is fairly precarious, meaning it is hard for artists to know what to do when it comes to their schedule and how many gigs they take on. Although it is so important to make sure fans are happy and get to see gigs, it is even more important that artists and touring crews…
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FIND time to look after themselves!