Live Stream Performances Might Be Our New Normal: And They Aren’t Half-Bad
No matter who you are or what you’re into, you probably love a good live show. Maybe you love the moment when the lights are dimmed and the pre-show buzz begins. Maybe it’s the momentary realization that your favorite performers are real people who will be breathing the same air as you for two glorious hours. Whatever the case is: we call it post-concert depression for a reason.
So, when thinking about those who couldn’t simply transition to Zoom meetings or complete their tasks from the comfort of their couch as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s impossible not to think of those in the world of live entertainment. For our favorite musicians, touring came to an abrupt halt in March and countless social media posts announced that the festivals and concerts we’d been anxiously anticipating were postponed until 2021. For Broadway stars, March 12th marked the beginning of a shutdown that is reported to last until the summer of 2021.
While musicians are no longer able to connect with their audiences through live performances, they — thankfully— are still able to continue with their careers by releasing new music, producing creative music videos, and keeping up with promotional appearances on now-virtual talk shows. Unfortunately, though, our friends on Broadway have fewer alternatives. As long as theaters are unsafe, they’ll remain among the thousands of Americans that are now unemployed.
Despite the clear and sometimes deadly consequences of breaking social distancing guidelines, some performers have attempted to push past the strangeness of the COVID-era and force a return to concert normalcy. For example, back in May, singer Travis McCready held a show in Arkansas that required masks but did not enforce social distancing. According to Pitchfork, the government intervened with a cease and desist. Similarly, when headlining what was meant to be a drive-in charity concert in the Hamptons this summer, the Chainsmokers ended up with a crowd full of tightly packed and maskless fans. Shortly after photographs of the event were released, the DJ duo found themselves “under investigation by the State of New York.”
On one hand, I completely understand artists’ desire to get on stage and organically connect with their fans. From the fan perspective, there’s absolutely nothing like singing along to your favorite songs and being reminded of the fact that your favorite artists are real people. However, during a time when attending these live performances could severely impact the lives of our loved ones, how do we redesign them to be both safe and, well, fun?
So far, the best answer we have is live streaming. Sometimes ticketed and other times free, artists have begun to broadcast make-shift concerts to fans all over the world. While many, including myself, were initially skeptical about the ability of these broadcasts to feel like the real deal, the fact that “engagement with paid live streams has risen by 577%” since March indicates that they may not be half bad.
At the beginning of October, I decided to explore the live stream concert world for myself when one of my favorite artists, Machine Gun Kelly, announced he would be holding two virtual shows — one for his new album Tickets to My Downfall and the other for his 2019 album Hotel Diablo. After deciding on the show for Hotel Diablo, I was easily guided through the ticketing process by the streaming platform No Cap (short for “No Capacity”). I paid around 25 dollars (including tax) for my ticket and, after confirming my purchase, was even guided to a “Merch Stand” that allowed me to browse through Machine Gun Kelly’s latest merchandise as many of us would before an in-person show.
On the day of the live stream, I grew curious about how the show would attempt to foster the same connection among strangers that “normal” concerts do. Upon entering the live stream, however, I was pleasantly surprised by the Live Chat feature: a space in which concertgoers could talk, exchange social media handles, and fawn over their favorite parts of the performance together. When combined with the concert mood I’d set in my apartment via dimmed lights and blasted volume, I was genuinely surprised at the authenticity of my pre-show excitement.
However, when it came to the show itself, I noticed a few things I didn’t love about the live stream concert alternative. First, there was very little direct interaction with the audience or even an acknowledgment that we were there. While an in-person show would include pauses between songs and some small conversation, this particular live stream went from song-to-song-to-song pretty swiftly which made for a much briefer concert than I was used to. All in all, while I loved watching MGK do his thing, I really had to jump through a lot of mental hoops to remember that I wasn’t watching a pre-recorded video.
I’m incredibly aware that a lot of people have this concern about virtual concerts. After all, it may seem ridiculous to pay for an experience that looks like something you could find on YouTube. However, more recent live stream shows provide a glimmer of hope that artists have the potential to make virtual shows feel exciting, personal, and interactive. Case in point, Billie Eilish.
On October 24th, the 18-year-old singer held a ticketed, “virtual interactive experience” for her album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? that truly exceeded all expectations. Similar to the MGK show, concertgoers were met with a Live Chat feature once they signed into the streaming platform. However, not only were they able to chat with each other, but they were surprised by messages from Billie Eilish herself. Other features such as an exclusive look at the singer’s upcoming documentary, elaborate and visually engaging effects during the performances, frequent conversation with and acknowledgment of the audience members, and the opportunity for fans to have their faces displayed during Eilish’s performance of “Everything I Wanted” made the show a beautifully unique experience that couldn’t dare be compared to a recording on YouTube.
So, until we figure out whether or not we can vibe with attending concerts in plastic bubbles à la The Flaming Lips, live streams are here to stay. On the bright side of it all, concerts that were previously inaccessible to those who couldn’t afford tickets or who lived outside of their favorite artist’s touring circuit are now available to anyone with a device to watch them on. And, as these virtual shows are tweaked and improved in the music industry, they may even emerge as the perfect solution for the Broadway performers who haven’t been able to get on a stage in months.
In the COVID’s early months, Broadway films such as Lin Manuel-Miranda’s Hamilton on Disney + were thought to be the next step for an industry whose mere existence suddenly became unsafe. However, as these virtual shows are tweaked and improved in the music industry, secure and ticketed live streams would not only give theater-lovers that pre-show excitement and engagement with their favorite performers that music-lovers have gotten a taste of - but they would surely help get unemployed performers back on their feet.
Sure, we are all more than ready to get back to what we know as normal. Unfortunately, though, a post-COVID world may look nothing like the one we knew just a few months ago. Rest assured, it’ll be one full of re-defining, re-imagining, and loads of readjusting. Until then, here’s to making the most of what we’ve got.
