Suggestion No 1 – don’t moan about shows getting canceled or postponed.
It sucks having a show you’ve been looking forward to for weeks or even months or years (cue My Chemical Romance reunion tears) canceled or postponed, but listen up: this is serious, artists and management are not taking these decisions lightly so here’s a few ways you can still support the artists you love. Because this time is just as scary for them as it is for you, even more so because this is their livelihood.
#1 Buy merch
Now, we are fully aware not all fans can afford to do so. But if you can, buy an extra piece of merch or music this month. It will make a massive difference, especially to smaller artists who depend on this income to pay rent etc.
#2 If you can’t buy merch – stream, stream, stream
Stream the sh*t out of your favourite artist. Stuck at home in quarantine or working from home? Play all your favourite tracks on repeat, even if you have a physical copy of the album.
#3 Keep your tickets
So your show has been postponed with a new date to be announced. Hold on to that tickets, you’re likely to still be able to get a refund once the new date is announced if you really can’t go (check with your ticket seller though!). You wanted to go in the first place, and chances are the show will be postponed to later in the summer or early fall.
#4 Sign the petition
The events industry will be severely hit by the cancellations so on top of buying merch and streaming music, you can sign this petition for the UK events industry to receive economic assistance. I mean, if Richard Branson can ask for a handout for the aviation industry, we can ask for the help of the industry we love, right?!
#5 Don’t moan
Seriously. Don’t moan at the artist, management, venue or ticket sellers – none of them made these decisions light-heartedly and the artist wants the show to go ahead as much as you do. But this isn’t just a bit of a flu outbreak, large gatherings are essentially an incubation hub for the virus. And whilst you might be young and resilient, the people you get in contact with afterward may not be. Don’t be selfish, there will be gigs again.
In conclusion, if Italians can come together and sing Taylor Swift from their balconies in isolation, then we can do this to support our artists but keep everyone safe at the same time.
And once the show is back on, we’ll be right there with you, jumping into gigs like a dog into a pile of fall leaves.
High Fives & Stage Dives 