As the international pandemic of Covid-19 continues to linger on and on, it’s becoming clear that many people are learning to live with the disease. Whether that means getting vaccinated, wearing masks, doing both and trying to have some semblance of normalcy, or ignoring all the scientific facts altogether and still moving on. Whether or not anyone chooses to do any of those things, the question still remains: is it worth purchasing concert tickets in an era of Covid-19?
There are many reasons to argue yes or no. On one hand, purchasing tickets helps the economy. It supports the artists you love. And it brings musical communities together. We all know that even before the digital download age, bands made most of their money on the road. It’s how they make a living. For many it’s about much more than just money too. If it wasn’t, bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden wouldn’t still be releasing new material and going out on the road. Along with countless others. But they are, they’re taking risks for the fans and themselves. And you’ve got to admire that. If you’re the performer, you can’t rely on everyone in the massive audience being vaccinated. You’re relying entirely on the vaccine, if you’re vaccinated of course. And many of these bands aren’t spring chickens. Most are in their mid 40’s to early 70’s. Many are high risk. But flying the hard rock and metal flag is important. Not just for the genre, but for a general way of life.
On the other hand, you never know what’s going to happen. Even if you are masked and vaccinated, there’s still a chance of a breakthrough case. And a risk of spreading it throughout your family. Also, bands’ tour schedules are extremely fickle right now. Many groups are cancelling, or keep postponing tours. Either your patience may run out, or a show you have tickets to is cancelled. In any event, it can be quite challenging to get a refund. The vast majority of situations are an easy, get your money back type deal. But if you’ve gotten tickets through third parties, you could be faced with a financial loss. It’s rare, but it happens. If anything, it’ll still be a pain in the ass to get your money back.
Overall, as the public health situation unfolds, you have to weigh the pros and cons. Risk and reward are key factors of life that need to be measured in our current cultural climate. On one hand, you could purchase tickets to a killer show, have it go through, have a terrific time and get out of it unscathed. On the other hand, you may get seriously ill if you’re not vaccinated. You may spread Covid to loved ones. Or you may never get your money back from cancelled or postponed shows. For many, the risk is worth it. And overall, shows are starting to continue on as we work our way out of this pandemic. But be weary, stay vigilant and hopefully we can get out of this health crisis sooner rather than later.
