Hindsight is 20/20 | Events & Entertainment
By: Andy Wilson, Vice President
On March 12, 2020 my wife and I landed in Toronto after barely making it out of Europe on our way to get back to the U.S. It had been announced that no travelers from Europe would be allowed back in by Friday of that week; the 12th was Thursday. Our first flight was late to leave due to weather, and by the time we made it to Amsterdam and got to our gate, our plane was backing away. In that moment, we felt like giving up. We pushed on, and fortunately landed two seats to Canada just in time. That was just the beginning.
The year 2020 was projected to be a $12.2 billion year for the live concert industry, not to mention sporting events and other live segments. The industry has seen continued growth, and 2020 looked to continue that trend until the lockdown caused by COVID-19 shut things down overnight.
In nearly 25 years of working on live events and entertainment, I have assisted in a number of crisis communications-related efforts and incidents both high profile and ones that called for quick, timely decisions to help combat a crisis before it became one. But, this situation we’re in now is totally different as everyone is in the same boat at the same time.
So, what do you do? Reassess, get creative, dig in and reach out. When we are generally knee-deep in working on tours, automotive events and artist publicity for some 400+ shows per year, we have had to quickly shift gears. The summer of 2020 saw our events team working on a variety of events and projects including:
promoting drive-in concert experiences
online streaming events
communicating and messaging for rescheduled and postponed events
communications strategy for events that can still happen and are following state mandates and distancing measures
assisting national and state organizations such as NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) and the IIVA (Indiana Independent Venue Alliance)
arranging special Zoom calls for virtual interviews and events with the likes of Foreigner, Poison, 38 Special, REO Speedwagon, Journey, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Aronoff, Will Power, John Sebastian, Dane Clark and more
To be entertained, even during trying times, is something the human spirit desires. And at some point, live entertainment will return and we will commune and celebrate life together once again. During any test, the key is flexibility and a willingness to change direction – even if just for a short time (at least I hope it’s relatively short!).
Be well, take care and wear a mask.