As with everything else in the world right now, there is uncertainty about what will happen and when. Last year lots of events had to be canceled from local funfairs to the Olympics. Unfortunately, music festivals did not escape this either with small gigs and even Glastonbury having to be canceled. More so than other events, music festivals can be even more dangerous as singing can allow for more droplets to spread. There also wouldn’t be much point in trying to listen to someone sing if they aren’t allowed to remove their mask when in public spaces or buildings.
What Music Festivals became in 2020
To look forward, first, we often have to look back at the past. Ever since the first national lockdown started back in March, musicians have been finding new and inventive ways to continue sharing their music. Dominic Richard Harrison, or Yungblud as he is better known as a singer who encapsulates the attitudes of today’s youth with his lyrical content and activism.
This further extenuates his response during the lockdown. After his tour was canceled, he becomes one of the first acts to decide to have their tour be entirely virtual instead. Even though it was being held online, the tour still traveled around by having each performance be for a certain area. Yungblud stated that he wanted his tour to “be a unique localized experience with full-scale production”. It was during this tour that fans first heard his song “Weird!”, that was influenced by the craziness the last year had brought to his life. This idea quickly caught on with many other bands and singers including K-pop idols BTS, deciding to hold live online concerts and tours in a pay-to-view system so that fans could still watch their performances. It is not outside the realm of possibility that instead of just a singular act, a festival made up of multiple different artists could be viewed online.
Watching Music Festivals in person
Unfortunately, it seems like watching live music festivals in person is not something we are going to do anytime soon. As stated before, festivals pose additional risk due to the amount of singing. Similarly, with gathering being banned, it is unlikely that the large crowds drawn in by festivals would pass government regulation. And with many being held on open fields to hold such large numbers of people, it would be hard for staff and police to enforce social distancing. We may have to wait until 2022 to experience another summer of music festivals in the UK.
What we can look forward to
On the bright side, this means that we can now enjoy music festivals from the comfort of our own home. There will be no need to spend a small fortune on travel or tickets. You won’t have to stay in a leaking tent stuffed to the brim with people for nights on end. Or wish that you had brought warm clothes whilst freezing in your shorts and bohemian crop top. Nor will you get drenched when it inevitably starts raining. Instead, you can relax with soothing egf masks as opposed to a face mask whilst listening to the sound of your favorite artists. You can dance in the space of your living room without accidentally elbowing strangers in the face. And message your friends, who might overwise have been able to visit the festival, that now has the chance to experience it. Plus, you can experience all of this for just a fraction of the price. So I say bring on 2021, and all the music that it brings!
