Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
It puts a lot of people at risk, especially our loved ones who are older.
This career is already really volatile.
Its been pretty crazy that the world has put the brakes on.
When my shows were canceled, I was gutted.
Its genuinely why I do it not even the show, just meeting everyone afterwards gets me going.
I woke up one morning after my shows were canceled and was like, You know what?
I need to feel that connection and noise, that energy.
Theres gonna be noliteralnoise from the audience, but theres gonna be noise online.
Youll be able to comment on the livestream.
venture to give people a bit of positivity, laughter, and emotion.
But our financial situation is one of the least important things about this.
Ive been broke for most of my entire adult life, so Ill be fine.
I think whats happening in the country is a much bigger deal.
ET] all fucking day and yesterday.
We saw this as a wall and a door, to start something new for everybody.
Its gonna be a full-scale concert not just us at practice.
But this new record is also about what is happening.
And look where were at!
This also wouldve been my first tour with my baby, whos almost 8 months old.
We definitely took a hit financially.
These are tours we planned at least a year in advance.
Youre relying and planning on that income.
Ive been reassured that the grant is intact and theyre not gonna ask for the money back.
What the grant enabled me to do I have to pay forward to my musicians.
We have to wait until everything settles down to get back on the road.
Thats a huge investment for an independent band to make, and its the nature of the beast.
I have no idea whats gonna happen.
Theres less and less room for developing artists in media, so how are we going to grow?
We were gonna go to Treefort, and now thats postponed.
I kind of feel like we should just postpone all of it in general.
Its the smartest thing to do.
Im trying to figure out now how to get creative online.
Were talking about livestreaming a show, if we can figure out a way to do it properly.
You hope people focus their attention on buying records or merch.
It felt like it was getting to the end of what were able to do right now.
Graham Lewis, bass:The pictures changing so rapidly that its extremely difficult to predict anything.
The wheels just came off the tour for us.
A really good friend of mine in Belgium said theyve closed all the bars and restaurants.
Who knows whats about to happen?
Weve already had a couple of festivals that have canceled.
What can you do?
But this has become something else, hasnt it?
I really just didnt take it seriously.
So Im in shock, honestly.
We just got back from a tour, and I didnt think about it one time.
The reality of it struck me quickly.
Its also a loss of joy.
Times are so tenuous already that an evening of music can be healing and bonding.
It takes people out of themselves.
If were losing that right now, its culturally very devastating.
Its so strange to think of everyone I know not touring.
Also, we didnt want to get stranded in Europe.
Wed rather be back home in Australia, where we have health care and could get treated.
We took a massive financial hit from this.
In terms of lost guarantees and potential merch sales, around $25,000.
We also left our jobs before we left, so were going back to nothing.
I cant imagine its a great time to find a job right now.
If youre dead, youre not gonna make any money.
Also, were not so popular that our shows typically constitute large gatherings.
Im wondering how people will adapt.
Will shows go underground?
Livestreaming shows feels really fucking lame to me.
I dont want to do a performance for a computer.
Part of being a punk band is living off the energy of a live crowd.
Its a symbiotic relationship.
You cant replicate that.
Is it something wed try?
Maybe, but it doesnt seem artistically appealing.
Everyone I know is on edge.
I think everyones still processing it.
This isnt just affecting bands, too its industrywide.
There are so many people involved in live performances, and its affecting all of them.
A lot of these decisions that are happening are out of our hands.
We have to put our head down and follow orders.
It wipes out an entire source of revenue for many artists.
Our booking agent keeps calling us up and saying, Well, there goes another gig.
The promoters and the venues are as in the dark as anyone else, too.
Charlie Ryder: Ive never been so invested in local-government tweets.
Burgess:Weve been talking about holing up in my apartment and livestreaming shows.
Who knows whats gonna happen in September?
Were so in-the-moment right now that thinking ahead is hard.
Weve invested a lot of time and engaged so many other people in this new album.
But were lucky to have a digital following, especially when the world is so connected.
All that hard work and anticipation for nothing.
Weve probably lost between 1,0002000 from this.
That money couldve paid for a good amount of recording.
It could be an incredibly quiet year for bands.
The uncertainty is killing stuff thats booked for the late spring and summer.
Nadia Reid (Port Chalmers, New Zealand)
I just woke up to a decision.
Its also hard to know whats reality and whats just hype in the media.
If the U.K. tour gets canceled, thats a huge chunk of my year gone.
The money stuff is a real bummer, but this is a real threat healthwise, too.
We played in Wellington last night to 600 people, and I felt a strange energy in the room.
Its good for people to be together in these uncertain times providing that its okay healthwise.
Coming together during uncertainty is helpful for people.
Its a really difficult thing to cancel shows.
Were freaked out, and we just want to do the right thing for everybody.
Solo performances for my project Noveller are also being postponed or canceled altogether.
With the tour postponed, its looking pretty bleak in terms of opportunities to recoup the loss.
Its a devastating blow, financially.
Ive been told that current insurance coverage doesnt include viral pandemics, so no compensation is to be expected.
A lot of the time, I get paid in gear for the promo videos I do.
Im trying to reestablish communication with filmmakers whod previously reached out to me about scoring their projects.
Everyone Ive spoken to is anxious and frustrated.
Some friends with postponed tours are lucky enough to be getting compensated by their bands.
Most of us are definitely freaking out about the sudden loss of income and the uncertainty that lies ahead.
Were committed to keeping our readers informed.Weve removed our paywall from essential coronavirus news stories.
