From Stages To Screens: The Uncertainty of Live Chicago Music
What is the future of live music in Chicago? COVID-19 has put most venues on indefinite hiatus due to the global pandemic. No concert, no tour, and not even a global festival is safe from cancellation. Chicago’s own Lollapalooza felt that firsthand as the annual summer music festival was made virtual for the first time in recent memory. While many are disappointed and just want to get back to normal, livestream concerts may be the only way to connect to live music for the foreseeable future.
Many workers in the live music industry have been displaced by the pandemic, particularly hospitality and production staff which includes Connor Campbell (Schubas Tavern Music Hall, Empty Bottle, Paradigm Talent Agency). On his interest in virtual Lollapalooza he responded with “I thought it was a cool idea, I’m the type to watch streams of festivals if I’m not attending it, me and roommates would make a thing out of it and watch all these sets.” Which speaks to the community aspect that virtual live streams bring to the table as well as the essential production necessary to make it watchable. “I wanna see all the lights, the full stage production, studio quality sound, etc.,” according to Campbell.
Quality production value seems to be key as local Chicago venues have begun adopting this formula to keep the music scene alive during quarantine. Lincoln Hall and Schubas have been doing their own livestream shows from the venues, ticketed ($15 for a show) as well as studio quality and they look great. Perspectives from those who have participated in the live streams indicate that is the closest thing to quality aside from big budget production companies.
Too many paid virtual concerts may seem like a waste of time, but its success rate will vary depending on the artist and the effort they put it into the stream. Dedicated live music and production staffer Carolyn Matyus (Metro, Lincoln Hall, Schubas, Live Nation, Paradigm) made it clear that people are willing to spend the money for the musicians they love.
“If it was an artist I really cared about I would have no problem spending the money if it was virtual. Knowing other people are watching too kinda establishes a little bit of a community again,” said Matyus.
Community perfectly encapsulates what many are missing right now from the lack of live music, but that does not mean people are not trying to bring that feeling back. While virtual concerts seem to be the future both Campbell and Matyus have been involved with working drive-in socially distanced concerts at Soldier Field.
“I think it’s been really reassuring,” says Matyus . “I didn’t understand how it would work or if people would follow the rules, but everyone’s been really respectful. It’s been nice to feel normal again and see people having fun.”
As the end of the summer and the next possible quarantine begins one has to wonder what we as a city can do to save our stages and support our favorite musicians. “I’d like to think that the virtual concerts will become more abundant...maybe setting up a way that we can pay the artist and have ticket sales and do a similar type of concert but virtual,” says Matyus . Optimism helps but others tend to see a more unsure future. In the words of Connor Campbell, “It’s pretty bleak to be honest, getting into the fall months. I don’t think we’re gonna have any shows till February or March, I would love to be proven wrong but here we are now.”