COVID-19 Festival Update (April 2020)

Music Will Not be Cancelled: Digital Music Festivals

Humans are not immune to the Corona Virus. Economies are not immune. Bars and clubs are not immune. Sports are not immune. Hair salons are not immune. Most local shops are not immune. For something so invisible, this virus presently has an immense amount of power over mankind. Luckily, we humans still have some untouchables to our name.

I’m sure you’ve seen at this point the To Write Love on Her Arms image floating around which reads, “Conversations will not be cancelled. Relationships will not be cancelled. Love will not be cancelled. Songs will not be cancelled. Reading will not be cancelled. Self-care will not be cancelled. Hope will not be cancelled. May we lean into all the good stuff that remains.” Let me repeat. Songs will not be cancelled. Music will not be cancelled. The internet will not be cancelled. Community will not be cancelled. Do you know what this means? You guessed it. VIRTUAL MUSIC FESTIVALS.

Music (and the artists behind it) are our saving grace now and forevermore. Artists and their gifts are untouchable, and thank God for that. It’s been such a treat to be able to tune into digital music festivals and artist’s live streams. For many of us, music (especially live music) is a lifeline, and we’re feeling ever so grateful that the power of music to fill us with light and to harness connection prevails.

The bonus lies in the giving nature of these festivals, with many being hosted as a means to collect donations for those significantly impacted by the virus. I tuned into the Room Service Music Festival this past weekend (April 24-26) and last I checked, they’d brought in nearly $40,000 working in partnership with Sweet Relief, a nonprofit for artists in need, and Feeding America, a nonprofit working to end national hunger. For a comprehensive list of upcoming festivals, check out Billboard’s website, and remember – as long as we have each other and our music, we’ve got this.