Live Nation will begin testing a variety of new concert experiences in the coming months.

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CEO Michael Rapino explained that they will be experimenting with drive-in concerts, fan-less virtual concerts and more during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Thursday.

“So over the next six months, we’ll be starting slow and small, focusing on the basics and testing regionally,” he said. “But whether it’s in Arkansas or [another] state that is safe, secure, and politically fine to proceed in, we’re going to dabble in fan-less concerts with broadcasts and reduced-capacity shows, because we can make the math work. There are a lot of great artists that can sell out an arena, but they’ll do higher-end theaters or clubs.

Live Nation is planning to bring back in-the-flesh concert experiences, but they’ve implemented tons of social distancing measures in order to keep attendees, artists, and everyone in between safe amid the coronavirus pandemic. It was reported by Yahoo Finance on Wednesday (May 6th) that Live Nation plans to cut venue capacity by 80% for future concert events. Additionally, audience members will be placed at least 2-12 seats apart in order to remain six feet apart minimum at all times. It will also be required for everyone to wear a mask at all times, and have their temperature checked at each entry point. Venues will be completely sanitized using fog sprayers, bathrooms will be limited to ten people at a time, and soap and paper towel dispensers will be contactless.

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The event promoter is testing out this new approach with its first official socially distanced concert. Travis McCready, the frontman of country-rock band Bishop Gunn, is set to play a show in Fort Smith, Arkansas, next Friday (May 15th), with all the aforementioned safety measures in place. As indicated, the venue capacity will be cut by 80%, from 1100 to 229 permitted attendees. Depending on how successful this particular event proves to be in terms of reducing coronavirus exposure and providing a worthwhile concert experience, more artists may be able to start performing live once again.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world as we know it. As the majority of people remain in quarantine to respect social distancing measures, it's quite apparent that mayors and politicians across the world are pushing to reopen the economy. Unfortunately, relaunching the economy at this point comes with the possibility of spreading the virus even further.

Missouri is set to be the first state to allow live concerts to resume, starting on May 4.

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Gov. Mike Parson is taking steps to reopen the state through the Show Me Strong recovery plan. Retail stores and restaurants will be able to resume business, but must limit capacity to a safe number of patrons.

Concertgoers will still be required to observe social distancing guidelines and stay at least six feet apart.

“There are currently no limitations on social gatherings as long as necessary precautions are taken and six feet of distance can be maintained between individuals and/or families,” the Show Me Strong recovery plan says.

“We are currently assessing the details of the announcement and the latest information from health experts,” Matt Gerding of FPC Live, the company which manages The Blue Note, a live venue in Columbia, tells Billboard. “We hope to chart a path to reopening as soon as possible but have not determined the timing of that just yet.”

“No matter how long it takes, I assure you we will recover from this and come back better than before. I look forward to seeing Missourians safe, healthy, and back to work,” Governor Parson said in April.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly made the world even more dependant on technology than ever. Without being able to leave their homes, people have had to rely on Zoom and Facetime to keep up with their friends. However, in the wake of the pandemic, the music industry has had to take a long, hard look at the future of live music. More artists have been hosting live stream concerts from their home on Instagram Live but that hasn’t been bringing in the cash the same way as actual concerts in venues.

Facebook could be leading the charge in the shift of live events. The company announced that Facebook Live will be allowing artists to charge for entry to concert live streams, which will surely prove even more profitable when the world is restored. They will also be re-introducing the Live With a feature that allows co-hosts to jump on a stream as well as live streams for online-only event pages. At this point, Facebook hasn’t set in stone just how the payment system will work for paid events.

In addition to live concerts, Facebook will also be allowing users to accept payments for classes and seminars online. Though the payment option has yet to be rolled out, they have allowed donations for non-profit organizations.

Are you feeling this or nah? Sound off in the comments below. 

Ticketmaster is preparing a new refund policy to get money back to fans who lost out on tickets to concerts during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Beginning May 1, fans will receive an email from Ticketmaster offering 30-days to redeem a refund on any postponed concert. They will also be able to simply keep their ticket, which will be honored at any rescheduled show.

Live Nation is going as far as to offer a 150% credit for the value of their refunded tickets. The credit can be used for any future Live Nation shows. The company explained the move in the statement below:

Live Nation will soon be rolling out Rock When You’re Ready, a full program of options for fans with tickets to shows that have been canceled or rescheduled. Our venues across North America will be offering loyal fans a variety of Concert Cash credits to put towards future ticket purchases. For canceled shows, fans can choose to receive up to 150% of their ticket value as Concert Cash, and for rescheduled shows they will receive Concert Cash once they attend the new date. Those looking for ways to give back can opt to donate their tickets to health care workers through Live Nation’s expanded Hero Nation program.

Both sites were initially criticized for not refunding tickets immediately. A source from Live Nation explained the delay to Billboard saying, “It just takes time to work through the math and work with the calendar. When you move a Friday show to a Monday night, you don’t know what is going to happen with the fans. We had to move slow to get it right and we hoped by May we would have some clarity on dates and agreed terms.”

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One of the businesses hit hardest by the COVID-19 outbreak is the concert industry. Without the ability to gather in large groups, effectively all concerts have been canceled. A new study from Pollstar shows that loses could reach upwards of $9 billion for the concert industry if things don’t return to normal, fast.

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“Estimating what might have been lost obviously depends on when the business rebounds,” the study reads, “but if the rest of the year is dark – which is a worst-case scenario and certainly not expected – the potential $12.2 billion yearly estimate minus the grosses from all the shows completed before cancellations and postponements places potential losses for the remainder of the year right at $8.9 billion.”

Total losses could be “much less, about $2.3 billion, if touring is possible as early as late-May,” the study continues. “And if quarantines continue through the summer, say, late-August, industry losses could total about $5.2 billion in just missed ticket sales alone.”

As of now, there is no definite answer as to when the world will return to business as usual. President Trump hopes by the end of April, while other suggest this could go on for as long as a year. Either way, the concert industry will struggle throughout.

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Inarguably one of the most popular artists on the face of the planet, Texas-raised Post Malone has been thriving for the last five years, enjoying commercial success with each release since 2016’s Stoney. Starting off in the somewhat-dreaded SoundCloud rap lane, Post Malone made his way out of that box with consistency, charm, and a wide-ranging appeal. After Stoney, Malone had fans in the hip-hop and pop crowds twiddling their thumbs as they waited for his eventual follow-up, the critically-acclaimed beerbongs & bentleys, which remains a streaming favorite to this day. The singer/rapper made history another time with his third studio album Hollywood’s Bleeding last year, leading to a multi-nation sold-out arena tour that impacted Montreal, Canada’s Bell Center on Sunday, February 16.

Upon arriving at the arena, which holds over 21,000 fans on any given day, Post Malone’s panoramic following was made clear from the jump. Humans of all ages, genders, and backgrounds were waiting in line to enter the packed building. Whether you were in the general admission pit, one of the seated sections, or in a box view getting VIP service, you were forced to wait outside with thousands of others before making your way into your designated entrance. 

With his radio appeal, a multitude of generations was present to watch the rapper, who was last in the city for Osheaga Festival in 2018. A band of supporting acts, including Tyla Yaweh and Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd fame, opened up for the diamond-certified artist, complementing his sound and bringing similar amounts of energy to their sets. I, unfortunately, was stuck in a media security room during the entirety of Yaweh’s set but several attendees raved about his song selection, his stage presence, and his overall dedication to artistry.

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Given the number of times they’ve collaborated in the past, striking on songs like “Sunflower” and “Spoil My Night,” Swae Lee was the perfect addition to this tour. When he’s touring with his brother Slim Jxmmi as the duo Rae Sremmurd, party vibes dictate their set, but last night at the Bell Center, Swae was more emotional than ever before. He seemed to stray ever-so-slightly from his “No Flex Zone” past to focus on his softer offerings, including “Guatemala” and his celebrated section of “Unforgettable.” 

The 26-year-old songwriter got personal with his fans, recalling one girl from his meet-and-greet earlier that night before noticing her in the crowd, inviting her onto the stage, and serenading her with her favorite song. He even debuted some unreleased music before flashing his phone number on the mega-tron, encouraging fans to shoot him a text message for additional release information. The words “Human Nature” appeared on the screen before Swae exited the stage, perhaps offering an early look into his next solo drop, which meant only one more performer was slated to entertain the crowd: the incomparable Post Malone.

Much of Post Malone’s appeal comes from his universal likeability. Post Malone occupies an extremely unique role in the world of hip-hop. At first, he was not fully accepted as the total package in rap but, after proving himself as a veritable hitmaker, the hip-hop community has had no choice but to accept him. His face is filled with tattoos, he drinks a shit-ton of Bud Light, and his smile lights up a room filled with over 20,000 people. The man’s presence is unlike any other artist I’ve witnessed in a live setting.

Rocking a shirt that included a woman’s picture and the words “She belongs to the streets,” Post Malone came out to a boisterous Montreal welcome, performing a myriad of head-bopping tunes from his three ultra-popular albums. 

“I’m here to sing you some shitty songs and get fucked up,” said the 24-year-old artist before admitting that, prior to getting on stage, he had played a few rounds of beer pong with his boys. It’s that transparency and relatability that keeps fans coming back for future Post Malone releases.

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Post was active throughout much of the show, taking a breather only to perform a few slower cuts from Stoney and b&b. Even then, you could tell that he was giving it his all for the thousands in attendance. His face dripped with sweat after belting out fifteen-straight bangers, burning off all of those beer-pong calories quickly. As the energy began to reach a peak, Swae Lee returned to the stage with a bouquet of sunflowers to tease their joint collaboration comparing the human soul to the delicate flora, handing out stems to front-row attendees. The two have incredible chemistry, which clearly transcends the studio. While they obviously have the ability to make some of the catchiest songs of the last decade, their friendship is what became most clear from their interactions on stage, enjoying a warm embrace before Posty finished the remainder of his tracklist. 

Above all else, the Runaway Tour proves Malone’s status as rap’s resident rock star. Before closing his set with “Congratulations,” Posty performed a 21 Savage-less version of his hit record “rockstar.” An extended instrumental break allowed the star to run to the backstage area to grab the guitar he so passionately strummed on minutes earlier to an acoustic version of “Stay,” before smashing it to shreds and pouring a can of Bud Light into the wreckage. Would you expect anything less from Post?

This isn’t a typical rap show, but that much should already be clear when considering purchasing tickets to a Post Malone concert. The man refuses to be boxed into a single genre, adapting elements of hip-hop, pop, rock, and even country in his music. If you’re attending a future leg of the Runaway Tour, be prepared to encounter an emotive new experience. 

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A Quando Rondo concert in Norfolk, VA ended abruptly when the “Safest” rapper was struck with a water bottle and he jumped into the crowd to address his attacker. Earlier this year, the Savannah, GA-bred artist released his debut studio album, QPac (2020), which peaked at the 22nd slot on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums chart. With a successful album under his belt, the 20-year-old emcee is officially on tour and enjoying every minute of it. Except for his Saturday (Feb. 15) night performance when he was hit in the face with a bottle while performing at Dolce Luxury Lounge. 

In the video, a shirtless Quando Rondo is seen on stage when he is unexpectedly smacked with an open water bottle in the face. Rondo, born Tyquian Terrel Bowman, then questions the crowd stating, “Who the f*ck did that? Hey, on 6-0, who did that? Go get the rod.” After questioning the concert-goers and not receiving an answer, the “Motivation” rapper hopped off stage in pursuit of the person who hit him with the bottle before the video comes to an end.   

After the show, Quando Rondo took to his Instagram account to call out his assailant, saying:

“I put this on 6-0, y’all bitch ass niggas knew not to come outside. On God, I was gon’ sling that iron at y’all niggas’ ass, on hood… On my mama, whoever threw that water at me, I put this on gang, this on everything I love. If y’all niggas woulda came outside ya’ll ass woulda got stepped on.”

The following day (Feb. 16), Quando Rondo took to his IG Story again in a much calmer fashion, blowing the incident off and showing off a stack money saying:

“On hood, that sh*t ain’t even that serious, man. Y’all talking about a water bottle. Y’all niggas p*ssies. Pinker than these 50s.” 

With the incident now behind him and continuing his current tour, Quando Rondo has the opportunity to become a standout act of this new generation of hip-hop artists if he remains consistent. Check out the clip of him blowing off the situation in the video provided below and check out our interview with the rapper, here. 

Lizzo was the most recent artist to cover Rolling Stone magazine, a well-deserved honour following her massive breakout year. Not only did she have several #1 hits on the charts and earn multiple platinum certifications, but the multi-talented artist managed to receive the most nominations for the Grammy Awards this year. In her cover story, Lizzo opened up about her creative process, including the widespread claims that her music panders to white people.

“Yeah, there’s hella white people at my shows,” Lizzo acknowledged. “What am I gonna do, turn them away? My music is for everybody.” While Lizzo insists on remaining inclusive with her work, she is still always being herself and telling stories in her music through her personal perspective. “As a black woman, I make music for people, from an experience that is from a black woman,” she said. Lizzo makes a point of noting that her goal is to ultimately reach and empower people who are often the least represented and most deserving. “I’m making music that hopefully makes other people feel good and helps me discover self-love. That message I want to go directly to black women, big black women, black trans women. Period.”

This Sunday will bring Lizzo’s very first Grammys performance, as she heads into the night with eight nominations. She is up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Truth Hurts,” as well as Best Album for Cuz I Love You, Best R&B Performance for “Exactly How I Feel,” and Best New Artist.