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I HAD surgery last week. A very nice surgeon took a blade and cut a hole in me; the next day when the anaesthetic wore off it was sore – really, really sore – but today was worse.
It was another kick to the stomach of an entire industry that has already taken a couple of kicks too many.
In April 2020 when the commercial live music sector started talking to government about supports to get us through the pandemic, we were repeatedly told that they had already “looked after” the sector through funds given to the Arts Council.
More power to the Arts Council, but they weren’t funding us. Though we’d never asked before, so maybe they could be forgiven for not knowing who we were?
So we told them, repeatedly, how thing were affecting us. I even went in front of the Oireachtas Special Committee, for all the good that it did. We ran a huge campaign in September of 2020, wrote a pre-Budget Submission via the EPIC Working Group, we told the government that ‘This Is Who We Are’.
We thought they listened. Today proved that they didn’t.
Maybe at €3.5 billion value to the economy and 30,000 people employed in the events sector, we’re not a strong enough lobby? Maybe other groups have been around longer, asking for longer, strolling through the halls of power for longer? Maybe we’re just too many individual groups?
I can’t answer the question. What I do know is that we are last, we are the last ones left. This government has given preference to every other sector over ours. I can drive to Belfast or fly to Copenhagen and stand watching a gig with a beer, but I can’t do it here.
And here we are again, 19 October, three days to reopening and we have a vague announcement that just gives us more questions than answers. You can dance mask-less in a club but you can’t stand and watch a band – seems like guitars and drum kits attract the virus laden droplets more than the CDJs… but again I don’t know, these are answers we hoped for from government but we only got more questions.
As event professionals we know better than most about safety. It’s what we do. We know that things move fast in a pandemic, all we want is our government to do the same – move fast, be proactive to save our sector. Unfortunately what we have is a government that moves about as fast as Harry Maguire did away at Leicester last Saturday.
We were behind Europe on mask wearing, we’re behind again on antigen testing, it even seems to take NIAC an eternity to make a decision on vaccines, inevitably coming to the same decision as the EU norm only weeks later.
Seated-only shows will allow for some increased activity, but going back to the earlier point it just shows that this government hasn’t listened, they don’t know who we are or what we do.
I’m sure they know the VAT we generate, the hoops we have to jump through to get event and bar licenses as one of the most overseen industries in the country, but they don’t really know.
The industry was told only a couple of weeks ago that reopening was on track. A senior NPHET member did a press run telling us that the virus was almost suppressed – we believed them, staff were hired back, taken off a Pandemic Unemployment Payment that they can’t now get back on. Sites were built for the Spiegeltent and the Cork Jazz, millions invested and here we are, like kites in a hurricane, trying to decipher a confusing press conference, vague guidelines and why it’s ok to stand in a club but not at a gig.
There are many concerts that are are sold to full standing capacity over the coming months. Most will have to cancel if the requirement for full seating stays in place, and jobs and businesses will be lost, of this there is no doubt.
All of us in the events industry closed on 12 March 2020, before we were asked. The artists, the crew – everyone has done everything asked of them for 586 days. We’ve been allocated some grants, but not enough to cover losses or pay ourselves, and far less than other sectors who have been allowed to open.
Where do we go from here? Well that’s another question that I don’t have an answer to. But today was a devastating day for our industry and many won’t recover, that much I do know.
Shane Dunne is an event producer and promoter from Cork and founder of the Indiependence Music & Arts Festival.
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We all need to reflect, study the increasing number of cases, implement properly the criteria for protecting ourselves & our family & colleagues. If we could only put our energies into persuading everybody to get vacinne rather than critising the powers that be! Somebody has to be responsible!
@Anne C.: Well said. Completely agree.
@Anne C.: God, seriously. If you have been fully vaccinated or not, you can still catch and pass on Covid-19. The main protection of being vaccinated is to lower the severity of the effects on yourself. You have fallen into the propaganda trap for the utter failings of a little improved health service over the last 18 months (or even 18 years).
@Anne C.:
@Anne C.: 95% vaxed… What does it take 100%….
@Alan Wright: 100%.we are in the dsame position as every winter now with beds under pressure. The gov curtailing our freedom…. Just think if this was pulled before in 2017 2018 or ,19. For those saying it’s not the same you are deluded. They have a licence to pull this now. Business’s destroyed livelihoods and the wool pulled over younger generation
@Anne C.: that’s bshite this is around for ever there has never been a higher uptake of a vaccine but we still don’t open everything
@Anne C.: nonsense, with over 92% vaccinated, time to open up properly, if we “can’t“ now, we may as well all accept we never will!
@Alan Wright: Well said Alan, just wish a few more would actually listen. It’s like people just don’t want to open their eyes.
@Anne C.: Here is a very good example of the delusion.
@Alan Wright: the health service can’t be improved in 18 months. God, seriously. What is wrong that you can’t understand that simple thing ? As Anne said go fo something productive aside from winging.
@Anne C.: Well said, 99% of social media is the minority of anti-vaxxers who care for nothing but their own privilege shouting and screaming their heads off about some new weekly form of oppression, the rest of us have put our heads down low and let them at it, not wanting to be caught in their sometimes violent cross-hairs, but we’re at a critical point now where pandering to them is no longer an option, we need to push back.
@Homes: Yet other countries were able to build purpose build hospitals to deal with covid. I see you also conveniently didn’t respond to the “18 years” either. You’re a sîck apølogist for FF & FG successive failings in health.
It’s utter n0nsense
@Fergal McDonagh: Agreed. Its a complete shît show of an announcement. And the contradiction of what’s allowed in a pub, club or gig makes no sense whatsoever.
And these are the people we trust to run our Country to the best of their ability… For gods sake…Del Boy and Trigger would do a better job
@Paul Dolan: Trigger would probably do a better job.
Would someone explain to me , how 50,000 or whatever the Aviva capacity is, will be allowed to attend the Portugal game, but Shane isn’t allowed to organise an outdoor concert in let’s say a 50 acre field with 10,000 in attendance? Or am I reading today’s announcement all wrong?
@Sean Walsh: the Aviva game is a few hours and the Aviva has facilities etc A gig in Shane’s field is 3/4 days with camping facilities, I think there’s a difference.
@Sean Walsh: almost forgot SEATS!!
Pub owners, just call yourself a nighclub. Simples!
I really feel for the author and the whole industry. This industry is needed more then ever for all of our mental health. A break from the day to day, a creative outlet and a social setting that cannot be matched. Shame on this government they make me sick.
@Laura Ni Nuanain: if you need pubs and clubs for better mental health, maybe this is something to discuss with a doctor?
I have depression myself, but pubs etc are not something I need to improve it. They’re nice on occasion, but nowhere near as vital as you seem to believe they are.
@Mirabelle Stonegate: Article refers to concerts. I am also referring to them. Enjoying music with others would help your depression I’m sure.
@Laura Ni Nuanain: considering how expensive concerts are, they’re rarely worth it imo. It’s probably at least 5 years since I was last at a concert. There are very very few acts I would pay that sort of money for, and none have played in Ireland in a decade or more. Likely never will again.
These things are also involve large amounts of booze.. which I have never understood the need for. Is it a case of not being able to enjoy these events without it? Because if that’s that’s case.. thats kinda sad. I’ve never needed alcohol, or drugs, to enjoy gigs.
A bag a cans ur only man !!
Cases increasing we,all be in lockdown again for Christmas.
Lobby groups putting their profits over people are the very worst of capitalism.
Sorry to hear about that Shane. I hope the surgery was a success and wish you a speedy recovery
I strongly suspect that Covid certs, however strictly enforced, simply do not work in controlling transmission of the virus. Vaccinated people can and do transmit the virus. What the Covid cert does is give people a false sense of security. Antigen testing, imperfect as it is, would probably do more good than Covid certs in limiting transmission.
It would be great to see an interview (for balance) with a music promoter who works in one of Ireland’s many small, yet famous venues, rather than an employee of Live Nation-MCD.
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