Kevin Lyman, the founder of the alternative rock festival Warped Tour, has recently stated that he is uncertain of what the future holds for live music events. Just like many members in the music industry, he is waiting out the storm, hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon come to an end.
Lyman recently spoke to popular publication Variety about the frustrating situation. They spoke about how festivals are currently dealing with the crisis, the music industry, and the future of events. The Warped Tour Founder shared that many music festivals weren’t prepared for a pandemic. Most of the insurance coverage offered to these events excluded a “contagious disease” situation. Therefore, he states “none of us were ready for this.”
“None of us were ready for this.”
-Kevin Lyman
Currently, the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the concert industry immensely; live events around the country have either been cancelled or postponed. Popular music venues, such as San Francisco’s Slim’s, have closed and employees have been laid off. Promoters, ticketers, and more are expected to go months without any source of revenue due to this devastating issue. Only time will tell what exactly is next for the music industry.
