Concerts’ long-anticipated comeback this fall is stumbling, as more big-name artists cancel their tours and other musicians are coping with the complexities and expense of doing live shows amid concerns about resurgent Covid-19 cases.
The lingering pandemic has artist teams navigating a patchwork of safety protocols that vary by city and venue, looking to create “bubbles” around acts on the road, contending with higher logistical costs, and appealing to eager fan bases to get vaccinated.
Veteran music manager Irving Azoff has several major acts on the road this fall—including the Eagles, Dead & Company, Harry Styles and Maroon 5—whose dates were rescheduled, some of them twice.
“We got into this euphoria here for a moment when the CDC said if you’re vaccinated you don’t have to be masked,” he said. “That moment gave us a false start, and then we were committed.”
Earlier this month, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival cut bait, citing rising infection rates. Foo Fighters and Fall Out Boy have pulled out of shows because of infections in their camps, while Garth Brooks, Florida Georgia Line, Nine Inch Nails, Stevie Nicks and Limp Bizkit canceled tours altogether.
