FEATURE:
Encore
IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé during her Renaissance World Tour
Recognising the Stamina and Resilience of Modern Day Touring Artists
_________
IT might have always been the way…
IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift during her Eras Tour/PHOTO CREDIT: John Shearer
yet I feel it is more obvious how intense and hard touring is. Artists are in competition with each other to get attention. With most artists’ revenue coming from touring, it does seem that they are pushing themselves to the limit. This has negative and positive repercussions. On the one hand, you have artists who are delivering the most amazing sets. More ambitious and wide-scale. There is also the effect on mental health. This important book is a guide for artists. Surviving life on and off of the road; putting mental health first is paramount. I think that the mental effects of touring can be as severe as the physical ones. Maybe there is something inbuilt with artists. They seem to have this resilience and energy that means they can go on stage and captivate in such an effortless way. I am thinking about artists like Taylor Swift. Say what you want about her music and the negatives – the use of private jets is not the best message to send out – but her stamina is unbelievable! Think about all the shows she does. How long they last. How far she has to travel. It is the same for icons like Madonna and Beyoncé. One could say some of the old guard like The Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney are still at their peak. Taylor Swift is a good example. The way she can perform on this gigantic tour and really deliver night in night out. She doesn’t even pick up a cold! That is the thing with artists. If they get ill, it can be almost impossible to perform. Having to weight up what toll it will take on them and how many gigs they might have to cancel, it can be scary stepping onto the stage. Testament to their strength, it is inspiring seeing artists keep going and stay strong.
One never knows how much is going on beneath the surface. What toll touring takes on their minds. If you think about huge bands and solo artists, they have to go through rehearsals. That whole preparation side can be draining. They also have to promote on social media in addition to promoting through the media. All the components of a tour is overwhelming. This has always been the way, yet there seems to be this extra pressure. Ticket prices are rising. Artists feeling like they need to justify this. Maybe not something smaller artists have to consider, I know that life for them is still hard. Staying fit and healthy so that they can give fans a top quality show. So that they can remain on the road and fulfil their commitments. If the likes of you or me can make it into work with a cold or a real lack of energy, we can also consider taking a few days off. I do think that, in such a competitive time, that any day off or one down because of illness, can make an artist feel stressed. That makes things worse. Others maybe soldiering on because they feel like they’ll let their fans down. Every time I see a festival headliner or an artist touring the world during this really long sets, I wonder how they do it. It seems almost superhuman that they can do that once, let alone dozens of times. I think that we need to remember this whenever we criticise someone or talk about ticket prices. Sure, things can get extortionate when you get to the major artists. Even so, with the length of shows and everything that goes in, it doesn’t seem as unreasonable. I do like the fact that we get these world-class live spectacles today. It is also brilliant that smaller venues are hosting the stars of the future. It makes it even more important that they remain open and profitable. At a moment when many are closing and struggling, their vitalness needs to be underlined and financed.
PHOTO CREDIT: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels
I know that some people prefer live sets that are more sparse and just about the music. Not any big sets, lightning and concepts. However you prefer your live music, there is no denying how essential it is. How it is brings people together. I am not sure whether we understand just what artists put into a live show. How tiring it is touring. When you see an artist on the stage doing a twenty-song set or more, consider what that does to their body and system. To do that for one night would take most of us down. The way they need to be in peak physical condition. Even if a set is less about movement and more about the vocals, there can be vocal strain and dangers. Artists risking that every time they get onto the stage. I love how artists are able to give fans such a spectacular show every night. Not many of us truly appreciate how much stamina and strength is required. From a globe-straddling Taylor Swift to a new band coming through plying their trade at local venues, artists should be commended for their passion and ability. I have had a cold for a month now and could barely function in an office job. They have to go on stage and really push their bodies each night. I know that nobody is perfect. Artists can turn up late or not be at their best. There can be problems and cancellations but, by and large, you are lucky enough to be at this transformative and unifying experience. All of this should definitely…
NOT be taken for granted.