One Year Later… Industry Survey: Reactions, Strategies, Takeaways, The Future, First Show Back

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Survey Participants (Left to right from Top): Bill Reeves, Cara Lewis, Michael Strickland, Tina Farris, Rob Marcus, Akin Aliu, Brandon Pankey, Elena Sotomayor, Trey Wilson, Paul Bassman, Disco Donnie, Tim Westergren, Julie Greenberg, Lance Jackson, Scott Morris

This week marks one very long year since the onset of the global pandemic forced the live industry to shutter. Pollstar commemorated the occasion by conducting a survey with a wide swath of the live business executives from various live sectors, including management, agencies, promoters, insurance, festivals, production and livestreaming. This we undertook with the goal of documenting our industry’s experiences during this crisis and analyzing what we learned from this year all toward gaining insights into our recovery and business strategies to make it to the other side. And, of course, we also want to know what shows people are making a beeline for.

What do you most remember about the week of March 12 as the industry was shutting down? Which events most impacted you and your business and prompted you to change course?

I had just returned from Houston where Chance the Rapper was performing on March 6 at the Houston Rodeo. Houston had just announced its first COVID case while I was there. On March 11, the Houston Rodeo announced their 2020 cancellation and postponed the rest of their talent lineup to 2021, which has since moved to 2022. I had Trippie Redd and Jill Scott both on tour and at the time, both tours had a few weeks to go. I immediately had to postpone the remaining shows a few months later, as well as reroute other upcoming tours. None of the postponed dates ever played.

Not only was the industry shutting down but living in Nashville, we had just been hit by a tornado a few days prior to the industry news so my first real memory was sheer overwhelmingness. Two life-altering events back-to-back, one business and the other personal, it was a lot to digest. But what really impacted the business, in my opinion, and influenced me to change course was the announcement of SXSW. For a massive festival to pull the plug, it meant this was serious and here to stay.

Between March 12 and March 13 Bandit had 20-plus tours shut down and return home. We also had a large number of corporate events taking place or loading in. By 5:30 p.m. on Friday the 13th, we were 100% closed as was the industry. Revenue went to zero in 24 hours. Few mention the date, but it was Friday the 13th!

In the late part of February and the early part of March I was foolishly believing Trump so I wasn’t overly concerned. We had just had our convention in early February and I was looking forward to a series of one-offs with my client. When they canceled SXSW I knew things were worse than advertised.

SXSW canceling to me was the first major shoe dropping. When Coachella canceled it was the other major shoe when it was cemented that things were going to get really bad.

I had just returned from South Africa to join Ilana Glazer’s “Horny 4 Tha Polls” Tour. The first leg was off to an incredible start and we were keen to finish. We stocked up on PPE and took drives and flights, aware but knowing we only had a few days to go while we monitored the world. We were done by March 8th and of course canceled the remaining legs.

A few things stand out that exact week, which marked the 8th Annual Gala for the Maestro Cares Foundation that Henry Cardenas, our CEO, co-founded with Marc Anthony. Our annual gala was sold out and we had to speak to all board members and make a tough decision five days before the event. On the music side, more than 40- 50 shows which were already on sale and in the process of selling out were cancelled including Alejandro Sanz in Latin America, four Marc Anthony dates as part of his “Opus Tour,” all Sech dates, remaining dates for Ana Gabriel, Prince Royce and Banda MS

On the morning of March 13th, I received an email that our offices in Nashville were closing and to please work from home. I spoke to [Blackberry Smoke’s] tour manger and he told me they were loading in and putting the production up. I set up a call with the heads of Live Nation Canada. They informed me that Montreal had just put a gathering ban into place, Toronto had not done so yet, but was likely next. We agreed it was best to stop the tour at this point, try and reschedule the dates when we thought it would be safe, which was determined to be the fall. If there ever is a postponement of a show, we always like to post a new date with it. I immediately updated the agent, instructed them to start finding new dates and if we could, in the next few hours from the doors opening in Kitchner, announce it all. I hung up and called the tour manager, updated him to start packing up. I sent the band and crew a text message and starting drafting a post to let the fans know as well as instructed our travel partner to find flights as soon as possible out of Toronto.
— Trey Wilson, Vector Management

Honestly, I was thinking “damn, we have to delay our festivals a couple of months”… foolish and naïve about the impact of this pandemic. The event that most impacted me was watching every business shut down, across multiple sectors all at once. It was eye-opening to say the least.
— Brandon Pankey, Live Nation Urban

I knew some type of shutdown was coming. We were holding our breath going into every weekend and after we would get through it we would say “just give us one more weekend.” I went to bed on March 12 with about 40 shows that weekend and when I woke up they were all gone.
— Disco Donnie, DDP

It was such a surreal time. I most remember thinking that the industry was in denial about the magnitude of the change that was coming.
— Tim Westergren, Sessions

When and what was the final event you attended and how did it inform your perspective?

Seinfeld on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at the Hard Rock Hollywood, Fla. – I was on my way back from the Superbowl where our client J Balvin performed as part of the halftime show. I grew up a huge Seinfeld fan, but had never seen him live. It was great. Had a lovely dinner in a packed restaurant and then went to a sold-out show. No masks, nothing. Although we were aware of COVID, there was no fear of any sort whatsoever.
– Rob Markus, WME

Part of the CMN Team was mid Prince Royce Tour, Other teams were on tour with UB40 in Bogota Colombia and Ana Gabriel in Chile (Vina Del Mar, and Cali Colombia), I attended those shows myself which were sold out, no word or concern from consumers, venues or producers.
— Elena Sotomayor, CMN

The last two events I attended was a gig I worked with Earth, Wind & Fire Jan. 25th and The Roadies Of Color United Conference in early February. In both instances I was totally unaware or prepared for what was about to happen.
– Lance Jackson, Roadies of Color

I attended a charity event in Knoxville for the Knoxville Museum of Art on March 6th. It is a black tie event Bandit illuminates for free every year. It was literally the last public event in Knoxville. Bandit was on target for our best year in history, up 35% that day. All was well until the 12th.
— Michael Strickland, Bandit Lites

I had shows during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Everybody on my plane was coughing and wheezing there and back. I sold every stock I owned while I was in New Orleans and of course I ended up getting sick when I got home. My wife thought I was crazy for quarantining in my office for a week.
— Disco Donnie, DDP

I was in Baton Rouge the evening of March 12th for a show the next day. While at dinner that evening with the artist and his manager the promoter phoned to say the Mayor of Baton Rouge had shut down all public gatherings beginning the next day. So we flew home on Friday the 13th. By Saturday the 14th all of the upcoming shows for March and April had been postponed. How did that inform my perspective? I applied for unemployment on Monday the 15th. That was the first time I applied for unemployment this century.
– Bill Reeves, Roadies of Color

I believe the final event I attended was the Pollstar conference. It was a fantastic time and I was thinking that 2020 would be the biggest year ever for my firm.
— Paul Bassman, Higginbotham

On Feb 26th I flew from Nashville to Atlanta with the legendary Mr. Jimmy Hall. I rented a car and we drove to Macon, Ga. Blackberry Smoke had already arrived and set up in Capricorn Sound Studios, home of Capricorn Records. The studio had recently been restored, and although it was a lot of new paint and decor, the equipment and studio were still the same as when Little Richard, The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, and countless others recorded some of their most prolific work. We came up with an idea to go record six versions of songs that had a deep historical connection to the studio and Macon, film it and use it as part of our promotions for their summer amphitheater tour called “Spirit of the South.” Since Jimmy and his band Wet Willie were part of that amazing time period, and having cataloged much of his work there, he agreed to come and sit-in, and be a part of this resurrection. We worked into the night.
— Trey Wilson, Vector Management

I had stopped attending live events of any kind long before March. The last music I saw was a band playing outside in Golden Gate Park, plugged into a generator. They were good!
— Tim Westergren, Sessions

It was so crazy… the weekend of March 14-15, Live Nation Urban and LN Miami had co-produced a HUGE festival in Miami, Jazz in the Gardens. I was in LA maybe 7-8 days earlier and we were still prepping for the event. When I think back, it’s mind boggling. We lost a piece of everything that we loved in an instant. My perspective on life changed.
— Brandon Pankey, Live Nation Urban

Houston Rodeo on March 5 and 6th. People were talking about COVID and very aware of what was happening globally. Looking back it felt foreboding, but the alarms didn’t start going off for me quite yet.
— Akin Aliu, CAA

How did you initially adjust your strategies to cope with the immediate challenges and concerns the pandemic presented?

Collected all the monies owed. Immediately singed up for an SBA. Turned UP my producer hat and jumped into digital producing.

We believed this would be a 4 to 6 week event. No one was laid off and no one received a pay cut. We started to focus on repairing equipment and building new offices in two facilities. We believed this was a good time to do some house-keeping items. We were in a position to take this approach. I immediately reached out to Senators Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn to explore relief options from the Federal Government.
— Michael Strickland, Bandit Lites

— Rob Markus, WME

There was no time to rest. We had claims to deal with (yes we had some COVID claims pay out) and policies to adjust/cancel. We were busier than ever once things started shutting down. I couldn’t adjust right away as there was just too much to do for my staff.
— Paul Bassman, Higginbotham

The first month felt reactive, every day there was new information that was shifting our expectations of the scale of the pandemic. Quickly, we adapted, we knew that our clients were going to need opportunities for visibility and income. We sought out brand partnerships, livestreams, corporate events, and more to maximize exposure and generate revenue. We kept moving tours to meet the then-current expectations of when things would return to normal, hoping to get our artists on the road as soon as possible. There were weekly strategy conference calls with agency heads as well as conference calls with promoters, all to try to figure out how our industry could adjust in a rapidly changing environment that had an insane amount of inconsistent information.
— Cara Lewis, CLG

At the beginning, I just wanted to be as informed as possible about what was going on and what was coming. My family, the artists and crew and their families. How long can we keep up our payroll? The band and I didn’t want to have to stop paying them like we kept seeing other artists having to do. Being that we are our own record label, merch company, music publisher, etc, I kept thinking that crisis is opportunity, what else can we do? We had recorded those six songs at Capricorn Sound Studios. We announced it and put out the first song on March 3, 2020, the anniversary of “Midnight Rider.” As the news and spread continued to get worse, we decided, let’s take this project, and make an EP out of it. We can donate a portion of the proceeds to MusiCares. So we adjusted and put out one song a month from then until releasing it on June 19. Our merchandise business has been doing record numbers as people are all home shopping. Our streaming numbers are up, but still touring and live business is the lion share of where Blackberry Smokes revenue is derived.
— Trey Wilson, Vector Management

Although we conceived of Sessions long before there was any sign of COVID, the pandemic only made our profit more urgent and necessary. We’ve had to grow fast to accommodate the demand.
— Tim Westergren, Sessions

We understood what we needed to do. Live Nation Urban is unapologetically Black and we play a very important role in culture. There was a pandemic and civil unrest. So we needed to take our properties and create the most amazing virtual experiences and make sure we made a SOCIAL impact as well. To partner with Michelle Obama and have over 1.5 million viewers watch the Roots Picnic virtually…to interview dozens of Black executives on a weekly basis … to be a leading voice in Black culture …. Live Nation Urban stepped up during the pandemic and we’ll be here moving forward, long after the pandemic ends.
— Brandon Pankey, Live Nation Urban

We started livestreaming, but we didn’t have access to a lot of touring artists because most of our venues are in the Midwest and Southeast. Then we switched to drive-ins and we were one of the first to market with those.
— Disco Donnie, DDP

Looking back now, what do you wish you better understood then?
I remember thinking that events were canceling too early however I realize now that it’s absolutely what had to happen.
— Paul Bassman, Higginbotham

I believe we all wish we had known in March 2020 that this would last over a year. Many people would have reacted differently. For me, the approach I took with Senators and Representatives in the first three months would have been different. I took a “we need short term relief” approach. The initial PPP seemed like a life saver. It was only a delay of the inevitable for many. Had I taken a long term approach, perhaps more relief could have been provided.
— Michael Strickland, Bandit Lites

I now understand nothing is promised. Everything can change for the worst.
— Bill Reeves, Roadies of Color

I wish I better understood the timeline and just pushed everything into 2022 off the bat to play it safe instead of moving tours 3x in the year of 2020/2021.
— Julie Greenberg CAA

My team rolled with the punches and executed well under pressure. We look out for each other and hire each other when needed.
— Tina Farris, Afropunk

At that point there was no way to tell what was going to happen and how soon the vaccines were going to be developed or even how long the pandemic would last. We had one thing clear and it was that we were going to be the last to come back due to our large capacities of our shows. We stayed focused, studied and stayed in the know in regards to the impact of COVID-19 on the entertainment industry and landscape.
— Elena Sotomayor, CMN

I wish we had truly leaped into digital content prior to the pandemic. There are so many a start-ups and livestreams companies now. I just wish we could have been more pro-active in the space. Innovation doesn’t wait for anyone.
— Brandon Pankey, Live Nation Urban

I always thought they would close down the country in phases and since we are in so many states we would always have some source of income.
— Disco Donnie, DDP

Initially there was panic – work, health, everything … once I realized that I could only control what I could control, not the timetable for example, I was able to find my way.
— Rob Markus, WME

In what ways do you think the business will have changed when it returns?

As it returns we see many changes and adjustments. Not only in the way that fans will consume talent but how the touring industry will have to prepare for additional precautions in contracts, negotiations, additional costs incurred to implement protocols mandated by each state and venue. Also, all of the new technologies we as an industry have to implement and educate our fans to consume tickets merch, food, fashion and culture the new way.
— Elena Sotomayor, CMN

There will be more consolidation. Many firms will be gone. Many people will have left the industry. There will be an influx of new, less qualified people. But, we will survive. It is what humans do. Human nature drives us forward to survive. We will emerge stronger, better and more prepared for future emergencies that we once never imagined.
— Michael Strickland, Bandit Lites

I don’t think it will change that much. Agents are already being agents and asking for more money for artists then pre-COVID. So it’s already starting to get back to normal.
— Disco Donnie, DDP

I was a germaphobe before, now I don’t know how or who to trust. People have different attitudes and opinions about this pandemic and how to move going forward. The team building is going to need to be close knit and solid. And cut down. I appreciate smaller crews anyway. I’m looking forward to seeing artists bring home more money and less spent on spectaculars that involve 10 buses.
— Tina Farris, Afropunk

Everything will take time to get back to where it was. As the venues open, we will all need to recognize the end goal, which will be to protect the long term. That will entail new safety protocols, additional health measures at all events and strategic booking.
— Cara Lewis, CLG

Certainly, at first it will be very tentative and reduced in scope. There will be stringent COVID mitigation protocols governing work backstage as well vaccination certifications requirements for both road and local crews. I suspect that health checks and some kind of social distancing for the audience will be with us for quite a while.
— Bill Reeves, Roadies of Color

I hope people attend more live events than ever before. I know I will. There won’t be any “oh, I’ll catch them next tour” as I will go to every concert I have even the slightest interest in seeing.
— Paul Bassman, Higginbotham

Immediately there will be extremely high standards and protocols for everything. There will absolutely be more sanitization practices and protocols in place. I am speaking to several insurance companies about liability issues and risk mitigation. I think you will see a new role of a COVID compliance officer at the venues as well as on tours. I think there will be adjustments to meet- and-greets, who is allowed where. Routing will be scrutinized harder than ever since certain markets may still have mandates in place for capacities. It will still take a while for it to resemble the way it used to be.
— Trey Wilson, Vector Management

I think artists will come back with a new found sense of how tenuous their hold is on their audience, and how important it is for them to take that control back. The social media fanbases they thought they could count on turned out to be locked behind the paywalls of Facebook and Instagram.
— Tim Westergren, Sessions

From a health and safety point of view, we can expect many new protocols – sanitization, vaccination, etc. … I think artists will also rethink production, travel party sizes, etc. … to control costs better.
— Rob Markus, WME

I think we’ll see a hybrid of virtual and live moving forward. We need to be mindful that not everyone will take the vaccine and will still live in fear so they may not be ready to see a live show, even a year from now. The evolution of the livestream will be the future, which is exciting.
— Julie Greenberg, CAA

What are the larger lessons you will take away from your experiences over the last year?

— Disco Donnie, DDP

Be over prepared mentally. My exit plan has come to light.
— Tina Farris, Afropunk

Diversification and the ability to adapt to change has been the greatest takeaway.
— Cara Lewis, CLG

How much time it takes to educate an industry to embrace change, no matter how obvious the benefits are. People are very resistant to adopt new modalities.
— Tim Westergren, Sessions

The larger lessons were learned and now being implemented mostly in the legal and contractual process, inclusion of force-majure clauses to protect us during artist negotiations, venues, bookings, promotional media negotiations, insurance clauses. Because we never thought we would live through a time like this the lessons have been priceless and now implemented as we move forward with our new normal.
— Elena Sotomayor, CMN

Be prepared. Be nimble. Remain optimistic, and emerge from this with a greater understanding of what’s important in our work and our personal lives.
— Scott Morris, CAA

Having patience and empathy for people in general … everyone is going through this and how it affects one person is not necessarily the same as how it affects the next person.
— Rob Markus, WME

Make the time. It’s there, the busiest people in the world make the time. It’s cliche to say this but stopping to do the things you want to do, be creative, let loose, etc, it does help balance. Ultimately, I think this time has shown us, hey, maybe we don’t have to travel as much, maybe we can work from home more. Maybe leaving the phone in another room isn’t worrisome. Slowing things down might have been a life saver for a lot of people. I have a 4-year-old and 3-year-old and one of the biggest challenges throughout the last year has been that if my wife and I are both working, as we do a lot, they need attention for some of their safety and a lot of our sanity. Hopefully the last year has reminded us very vividly to continue to make the time when things continue to get back to normal.
—Trey Wilson, Vector Management

Your perception is your reality. In my thousands of conversations I hear from people with eternal hope and those in sheer desperation, and everything in between. A lack of work deprives us not only of money, but also of purpose. When we as people lose our sense of purpose, the daily journey becomes more difficult. Keeping people in the best possible frame of mind became job one for me. We all now realize that as a unified industry, we need an organization, a lobby and a PAC to represent us in the future. That is something we must start on this year. We must be unified as one, not as separate segments working against one another. Together we are an $877 billion dollar industry with over 10 million people. We must create that team and use the force of its’ size. We possess 10 million-plus voices and votes.
— Michael Strickland, Bandit Lites

Save more because if the business shut down once, it can shut down again. I had always operated under the assumption that the concert business was recession proof and that there would always be shows and tours because even when the rest of world is in turmoil people still want to go out and listen to live music and see a show. I never considered that circumstances might prevent people from congregating.
— Bill Reeves, Roadies of Color

What live event will you make a beeline for upon the live industry’s return?

Praying for that Daft Punk Reunion Tour in 2022. That’s the only thing that will make up for 2020.
— Disco Donnie, DDP

I would love to see the Carlos Santana and Earth, Wind & Fire “Miraculous Supernatural Tour” get rescheduled.
– Lance Jackson, Roadies of Color

A show, any show!!!
— Cara Lewis, CLG

Personally, my team and I are fighting hard to keep Blackberry Smoke’s Spirit of the South Tour on track for this summer, so that’s something I really want, and ultimately will happen at some level this summer. Any large festival will be great to see again
– Trey Wilson, Vector Management

Give me anything. I can’t wait to be able to walk into any theater or arena again!
— Scott Morris, CAA

The Roots Picnic, Broccoli City and Camp Flog Gnaw.
— Tina Farris, Afropunk

ANY LIVE EVENT. But in all seriousness, I gained my experience, growth and love for the live industry working on the Roots Picnic Festival. I can’t wait to experience that in my hometown of Philly again.
— Brandon Pankey, Live Nation Urban

Looking forward to seeing buzzing acts that the kids are excited about play small, sweaty rooms like the Roxy. On the larger end of things, very excited to be amongst tens of thousands of people at Coachella.
— Akin Aliu, CAA

Our CEO Henry Cardenas would love to see a live soccer game and of course our very own shows with Marc Anthony and the rest of our roster
— Elena Sotomayor, CMN

I don’t care where the event is and who’s on stage as long as I’m backstage working and getting paid!
— Bill Reeves, Roadies of Color