Will Concerts Happen In 2021? How Live Music Events Could Go On

Concert-goers and music lovers have had to put their traveling hobbies on hold for the duration of 2020 because of COVID-19, but with a vaccine and more understanding of the virus, concerts may start-up again in 2021, just in a different way.

The live music business took a huge hit financially in 2020. From booking agents to crew members at venues, many lost their jobs because no physical concerts were being held throughout the year. While no one knows when regular concerts will be able to be played, there are some predictions of how they’ll come back this upcoming year.

Even though many artists around the world had to cancel their tours and performances throughout 2020, they moved the concerts to an online platform. This was a safe and easy way for fans to still see their favorite artist and feel like they were at a concert without being around thousands of other people.

One of those artists was Dua Lipa. In November, she streamed a live performance that consisted of dancers, props and even guest performers. Millions of fans were able to stream in and purchase tickets to watch, according to the BBC.

These types of performances and virtual concerts could continue into 2021 since they’ve been successful throughout 2020.

As for in-person concerts and festivals, there could be a few, but various guidelines will be set in place to control the spread of the virus.

Over the summer, Gosforth Park in Newcastle hosted a “festival” with various performances. Each family, or household, had their own viewing platform and were socially distanced from other groups. Whether this type of distancing and set-up will continue is unknown.

Another idea that was reported by the BBC was providing rapid COVID-19 tests at concerts. Events could also include fans that would spray disinfectant “fog” and have wristbands that vibrate or alert attendees when there’s a lack of social distance from another person. Nothing has yet been set in stone, with all of these potential solutions still in the proposal stage.

Nothing about large music festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach, Austin City Limits or Bonaroo has been announced yet, as they would likely require even more work to pull off successfully.

The last time Coachella was hosted, in 2019, they had a 99,000 attendance limit each day, while Stagecoach, a country music festival in the same area, had a 70,000 attendance limit, according to Golden Voice.

What’s in store for 2021 concerts is still up in the air, but there are plenty of ideas floating around that could be implemented. Fans will just have to wait and see what the new year may hold.