mvm.

With outdoor gigs and plays given the go-ahead to resume again from this weekend, it seems that in the live entertainment industry is gradually returning to our lives. Step by step, live music will return to our grass-root venues and our stadium shows across the UK.

But, with all these steps in place to prevent further spread of the disease, one question ultimately begs an answer.

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Will we ever feel comfortable in a crowd again?

Will we ever get back to disregarding our personal space, standing in a field full of strangers while we breathe the same air and smell the same sweat?

It is certainly something to think about right about now.

I imagine that even after a few years and it is confirmed that there have been no new UK cases and we return to normality, we will always be looking over our shoulder, hesitant around others. With this pandemic maybe being the only disastrous one we go through in our lifetime, it is safe to say that we will not forget it anytime soon. I think that much is pretty obvious, but it begs to be said, right?

For me, I would be extremely hesitant on travelling across cities to a music gig, as soon as all the rules are lifted. I know a lot of people I know, have pre-emptively purchased their favourite band’s re-scheduled tour tickets for late 2020 / early 2021 and are excited for it.

For the die-hard music fans, I imagine there will be some hesitance there to begin with. But once the stage lights rise in the sky and the bass booms throughout the venue, the past four months will be all forgotten about.

But this comes with caution, surely? What’s to say we will not get third or fourth waves when Glastonbury is scheduled again for July next year?

I mean, numbers equating to that of a small city come together to mingle in a field across the stretch of four days.

Here, it might be best to ask if you would be comfortable going to Glastonbury this time next year. Now we understand the effect that COVID-19 had in terms of fatalities and a complete halt on the economy, would we feel safe enough to visit our favourite UK music festivals like Glastonbury?

I mean, just last week for example, local pubs in the hospitality industry, have resorted to closing again and contacting their customers as they have seen spikes of cases, which seems like they have either stemmed from brawls or heavy drinking – a problem that the Government assured they would enforce on the British public.

With indoor venues regulated to a maximum capacity of perhaps no more than 20 people per gig at the moment, and with fans not expected to fill out stadiums fully until the end of summer next year, I feel it will be a steady, necessary process.

I think it will ultimately take time for us to get back to normal proceedings, especially with local to stadium gigs, in the live music industry.

I’m not overly concerned with artists selling a lack of concert tickets though. From the die-hard fans to the avid consumers of amenities, gigs will not be lacklustre.

With thousands of people flocking to the coast during lockdown, I think it’s also safe to say we have passed the line what people are capable of doing to enjoy themselves – whilst completely disregarding the rest of the country.