The pendulum swings, too and fro. In life some of the hardest hits happen when you least expect them. We are compelled to learn from these hits to find ways to rebuild the structure of our livelihood. It is no different with live music right now. A connection is desperately needed, and an outlet is searching for a way to relieve the pressure.
I may not know the situation around the world with live music, and I only know what I hear from friends of mine in other bands across the United States. The fabric of live music is being pushed to its limits right now, artists are struggling to find gigs. Musicians are crossing state boundaries in search of work. States with not so strict social distancing guidelines are being flooded with independent artists hungry for a chance to find relevance and still exist. The beauty of this great country is its willingness to not only evolve but endure. We are a country of innovators. We as a people look onward towards new horizons, new ways to succeed. So for the time being we are looking to succeed through the conduit of online media. The live stream is here to stay! Or at least for the time being.
There are many states that are still experiencing strict social distancing guidelines and lockdowns much like my home state of California. We may not have a definitive answer to when these restrictions will be lifted. We do know that through innovation and perseverance we will find a way to continue sharing our art, through the temporary fix online outlets of YouTube live, Facebook live, Instagram live and other live streaming platforms. We are seeing a surge in podcast downloads, and a hunger for new music and multi-media content. We need art more now than ever to help us escape, even if for a moment. We need creativity to help give us hope, even if for a moment. We need the common ground of melody to help re-join common goals for communities, even if for a moment. We need the beautiful poetry of expression to help relieve societal tension, even if for a moment. We need humanity to realize we are all in this fight together and the great unifier of music can make that happen, even if it’s for a moment.
Take a deep breath and look towards the past. When was the last time you had one of those moments? How much would you love to have one of those moments of connection again? The kind of connection that helps you realize that life is worth living. The kind of connection that brings so much humanity together that you feel like the whole universe is listening. The kind of connection where every heartbeat is moving in unison to the same sound. The kind of connection that is being shared while watching a performance on a live stage projected onto every soul attending through a perfectly balanced sound system. We need a return to that connection. So for now it may just be an online escape from the negativity of today’s social unrest. Trust that the temporary solution of live streaming shows might be the connection that helps get the pendulum to swing us back to the real thing.