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巡演被叫停,音乐人如何度过疫情期

巡演被叫停,音乐人如何度过疫情期

RADHIKA MARYA 2020-04-20
一支乐队的巡演经理谈论了疫情对实况音乐行业的影响,以及她认为该行业将如何度过这个前所未有的危机。

The National乐队的巡演经理AJ·法博本应在3月中下旬与乐队和团队其他人员一起在日本和澳大利亚巡演。该巡演计划持续数月,用于支持去年的“ I Am Easy to Find”活动。然而,随着有关新冠疫情的新闻铺天盖地而来,乐队取消了大部分即将开展的巡演,并于最后发起了一场筹资活动,以帮助受影响的团队成员。

虽然34岁的法博加入The National刚刚一年多,却承担了不少职责,包括掌管旅行后勤、处理会计和财务业务,以及在巡演时面对各种媒体。

然而, 3月底在接受《财富》杂志采访时,法博正在多伦多隔离。她曾在那里上学,而今打算在那里度过巡演间的空余时间。她在接受采访时说,远离居住在佛罗里达州的父母对她来说是一件“痛苦”的事情,因为在无需巡演旅行时,她都会尽量花时间陪伴父母。

法博与《财富》杂志谈论了 The National巡演是如何撤销的、疫情对音乐行业的影响实况,以及她认为该行业该如何度过这场前所未有的危机。

为方便理解,以下对话有所删改。

The National的巡演经理AJ·法博(中间戴灰色帽子的女士)与乐队和团队成员在2019年结束巡演后的合影。图片来源:KRISTIAN DREIER

《财富》:2020年巡演季最近才刚刚开始,是吗?

法博:本应如此。他们去年在巡演开始时发布了最新的专辑,我们目前正处于专辑的推广阶段。然而整个行业都陷入了低迷,从12月中旬到3月初通常都是淡季。因此,行业的大多数人都会捂紧钱包,以便为没有收入的这几个月做好准备。

那时正是你们打算去日本的时候?

没错。我们第一次在东京的演出本应是两场,分别是3月17和18号,但显然,巡演都被取消了。而且在钻石公主号邮轮出事后不久,我便开始感觉到:“嗯,东京的演出很可能要泡汤了。”

通常当事态开始发展到什么程度时,你会觉得大多数巡演都不大可能实现了?

我们有着非常好的乐队和管理层,他们始终将成员的健康和安全放在第一位,而且他们都有自己的家人,也希望能够确保照顾好自己,以不至于连累其家人。他们在很久之前就已经开始讨论这件事了,因为我们的第一场演出就是在东京,但突然间,2月日本成了重灾区。乐队决定最好是改变行程,绕过日本,直接去澳大利亚,否则这一路上我们要转很多次机。

我们最初讨论的关注点还在于,“如果可以避开日本穿过亚洲的话,那么在澳大利亚顺利开展巡演的概率就会高得多。”果真,10天过后,一切都发生了变化。

The National的迈特·勃林格在乐队在2019年12月的最后一次演出。图片来源:AJ FABER

因此到目前为止,没有一场巡演得以顺利开展,而且一切都暂停了,所有人的生活亦是如此。

我们已经敲定了澳大利亚巡演的新日期……12月,而且那些已经购票的人可以继续保留门票,届时前来观看演出。不得不说,此举真的、真的对所有试图改期表演的乐队来说很有帮助——退票的人越少,对行业度过这一难关的帮助就越大。

是否有人担心,鉴于众多其他艺人都处于类似的情形之中,你们可能难以轻易地进行改期?

其实,一年中我们最隆重、最忙的季节莫过于夏季,不仅仅是场地可用性的问题,灯光公司是否依然健在,我们是否都能拿到所有灯光组件,是否都能获得音频组件,是否有我们所需的卡车?这些都是要考虑的问题。除了拿到合适的场地之外还有很多事情要做。

尽管我本不想这么说,但我觉得行业回暖可能要到2021年夏天,或等到一切都完全回归正常之后。但如果说有行业能像《百战天龙》(MacGyver)那样扫清一切障碍并找到解决办法的话,那么毫无疑问,也将是巡演行业。

乐队成立的基金会当前是否已经在发挥作用?

我并不了解任何物品的推销情况,我只知道这并非是他们第一次尽自己所能去帮助遇到困难的成员。无论我们筹集到了多少资金,对这些成员来说都是莫大的帮助。

某些职务,我自己和制作经理及制作协调人,大家都会做一些所谓的提前工作,这样拿钱的速度会更快一些。并非团队中所有的人都会在实际飞到演出目的地之前还要做一些其他工作,然而,我们的确是一刻都没闲着。因此我在11月和12月便开始申请日本和澳大利亚签证。这一点与团员中的某些职务不同,但对大多数人,甚至是大多数巡演经理和制作经理来说,你拿的并不一定是两周一发的薪水。

很多人在巡演开始当周会拿到一笔预支费用。据我所知,我的很多朋友真的因此而遭遇了麻烦,而且因为演出取消无法获得任何预付薪资。

The National 2019年12月演出现场。图片来源:AJ FABER

你说过,相对于退票,人们保留门票会对你们更有帮助。说到帮助行业度过难关,还有其他什么事情可以做?

肯定是购买促销产品,也就是假装自己会去看演出。网上有几家乐队正在销售套餐产品,这些产品对于乐队成员尤为有帮助。粉丝俱乐部也非常不错。如果你加入一个粉丝俱乐部,通常立即就会多收获一点现金,这类举措对他们十分有帮助。在Bandcamp购买歌曲亦是如此,尤其是对于那些小乐队,他们会获得更多的钱。

大量乐队如今都在开展这类在线演出,而且通常都设有捐赠链接。有时候,他们会为非营利性机构筹集资金,然而……如果大家都能选出自己最喜爱的几支乐队,然后每个月支援5美元,那么真的会给他们带来莫大的帮助。当然,现在失业的人已经有数百万,如果连自己的财务状况都出现了问题,那么就不要在这一方面用道德绑架他们,虽说,5美元一个月确实会给乐队带来莫大的帮助。(财富中文网)

译者:冯丰

审校:夏林

The National乐队的巡演经理AJ·法博本应在3月中下旬与乐队和团队其他人员一起在日本和澳大利亚巡演。该巡演计划持续数月,用于支持去年的“ I Am Easy to Find”活动。然而,随着有关新冠疫情的新闻铺天盖地而来,乐队取消了大部分即将开展的巡演,并于最后发起了一场筹资活动,以帮助受影响的团队成员。

虽然34岁的法博加入The National刚刚一年多,却承担了不少职责,包括掌管旅行后勤、处理会计和财务业务,以及在巡演时面对各种媒体。

然而, 3月底在接受《财富》杂志采访时,法博正在多伦多隔离。她曾在那里上学,而今打算在那里度过巡演间的空余时间。她在接受采访时说,远离居住在佛罗里达州的父母对她来说是一件“痛苦”的事情,因为在无需巡演旅行时,她都会尽量花时间陪伴父母。

法博与《财富》杂志谈论了 The National巡演是如何撤销的、疫情对音乐行业的影响实况,以及她认为该行业该如何度过这场前所未有的危机。

为方便理解,以下对话有所删改。

《财富》:2020年巡演季最近才刚刚开始,是吗?

法博:本应如此。他们去年在巡演开始时发布了最新的专辑,我们目前正处于专辑的推广阶段。然而整个行业都陷入了低迷,从12月中旬到3月初通常都是淡季。因此,行业的大多数人都会捂紧钱包,以便为没有收入的这几个月做好准备。

那时正是你们打算去日本的时候?

没错。我们第一次在东京的演出本应是两场,分别是3月17和18号,但显然,巡演都被取消了。而且在钻石公主号邮轮出事后不久,我便开始感觉到:“嗯,东京的演出很可能要泡汤了。”

通常当事态开始发展到什么程度时,你会觉得大多数巡演都不大可能实现了?

我们有着非常好的乐队和管理层,他们始终将成员的健康和安全放在第一位,而且他们都有自己的家人,也希望能够确保照顾好自己,以不至于连累其家人。他们在很久之前就已经开始讨论这件事了,因为我们的第一场演出就是在东京,但突然间,2月日本成了重灾区。乐队决定最好是改变行程,绕过日本,直接去澳大利亚,否则这一路上我们要转很多次机。

我们最初讨论的关注点还在于,“如果可以避开日本穿过亚洲的话,那么在澳大利亚顺利开展巡演的概率就会高得多。”果真,10天过后,一切都发生了变化。

因此到目前为止,没有一场巡演得以顺利开展,而且一切都暂停了,所有人的生活亦是如此。

我们已经敲定了澳大利亚巡演的新日期……12月,而且那些已经购票的人可以继续保留门票,届时前来观看演出。不得不说,此举真的、真的对所有试图改期表演的乐队来说很有帮助——退票的人越少,对行业度过这一难关的帮助就越大。

是否有人担心,鉴于众多其他艺人都处于类似的情形之中,你们可能难以轻易地进行改期?

其实,一年中我们最隆重、最忙的季节莫过于夏季,不仅仅是场地可用性的问题,灯光公司是否依然健在,我们是否都能拿到所有灯光组件,是否都能获得音频组件,是否有我们所需的卡车?这些都是要考虑的问题。除了拿到合适的场地之外还有很多事情要做。

尽管我本不想这么说,但我觉得行业回暖可能要到2021年夏天,或等到一切都完全回归正常之后。但如果说有行业能像《百战天龙》(MacGyver)那样扫清一切障碍并找到解决办法的话,那么毫无疑问,也将是巡演行业。

乐队成立的基金会当前是否已经在发挥作用?

我并不了解任何物品的推销情况,我只知道这并非是他们第一次尽自己所能去帮助遇到困难的成员。无论我们筹集到了多少资金,对这些成员来说都是莫大的帮助。

某些职务,我自己和制作经理及制作协调人,大家都会做一些所谓的提前工作,这样拿钱的速度会更快一些。并非团队中所有的人都会在实际飞到演出目的地之前还要做一些其他工作,然而,我们的确是一刻都没闲着。因此我在11月和12月便开始申请日本和澳大利亚签证。这一点与团员中的某些职务不同,但对大多数人,甚至是大多数巡演经理和制作经理来说,你拿的并不一定是两周一发的薪水。

很多人在巡演开始当周会拿到一笔预支费用。据我所知,我的很多朋友真的因此而遭遇了麻烦,而且因为演出取消无法获得任何预付薪资。

你说过,相对于退票,人们保留门票会对你们更有帮助。说到帮助行业度过难关,还有其他什么事情可以做?

肯定是购买促销产品,也就是假装自己会去看演出。网上有几家乐队正在销售套餐产品,这些产品对于乐队成员尤为有帮助。粉丝俱乐部也非常不错。如果你加入一个粉丝俱乐部,通常立即就会多收获一点现金,这类举措对他们十分有帮助。在Bandcamp购买歌曲亦是如此,尤其是对于那些小乐队,他们会获得更多的钱。

大量乐队如今都在开展这类在线演出,而且通常都设有捐赠链接。有时候,他们会为非营利性机构筹集资金,然而……如果大家都能选出自己最喜爱的几支乐队,然后每个月支援5美元,那么真的会给他们带来莫大的帮助。当然,现在失业的人已经有数百万,如果连自己的财务状况都出现了问题,那么就不要在这一方面用道德绑架他们,虽说,5美元一个月确实会给乐队带来莫大的帮助。(财富中文网)

译者:冯丰

审校:夏林

AJ Faber, tour manager for The National, was supposed to spend the second half of March traveling through Japan and Australia with the band and the rest of its crew, as part of a monthslong tour in support of last year’s I Am Easy to Find. However, as news surrounding the coronavirus intensified, the band called off the majority of their upcoming tour dates, eventually launching a fundraiser to help affected members of the crew.

Faber, 34, who has worked for The National a little more than a year, has numerous responsibilities including overseeing travel logistics, handling the accounting and finances, and dealing with press on the day of a show.

But she was social distancing in Toronto—where she went to school and tends to spend time between tours—when she spoke with Fortune at the end of March for The Coronavirus Economy, noting that it was “difficult” to be away from her parents in Florida considering how much she tries to spend time with them when she’s not traveling for work.

Faber chatted with Fortune about how The National’s tour began to fall apart, the overall impact on the live music industry, and how she thinks the sector will get through an unprecedented situation.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Fortune: The tour cycle for 2020 started fairly recently, right?

Faber: Well, it was supposed to. Their latest record was released last year when we started—and we’re kind of in the middle of that album cycle. The whole industry has kind of a lull; from mid-December until beginning of March is normal downtime. And so most people in the industry are used to padding their wallets to prepare for those few months of not having an income.

And that was around the time you guys were going to Japan?

Exactly. Our first shows back were supposed to be two shows in Tokyo on March 17 and 18, so obviously that didn’t happen. And as soon as the [Diamond] Princess cruise thing was going down, that’s when I started being like, “Well, there’s a good chance Tokyo won’t happen.”

How did the situation generally begin to devolve to the point where you realized most of this tour just wasn’t going to happen?

Well, the band and management, they’re incredible guys who always seem to put crews’ health and safety first—and they of course all have families themselves and want to make sure they’re taking care of themselves and not putting their families’ health at risk either. Talks were starting a lot earlier, because our first show was in Tokyo and all of a sudden, Japan became that hotbed back in February. The band decided that it was better to reroute and go directly to Australia and just bypass it because we also had so many connecting flights on the way in.

The initial discussions were “If we could just avoid going through Asia, then we have a much better chance of all things being smooth for Australia.” But sure enough, 10 days go by and everything changed.

So as of now, none of the dates have been seen through and everything’s on pause, much like it is for everyone else.

Yeah, so we do have new dates confirmed for the Australia shows… for December. And anyone that had tickets already can retain their tickets to come to those shows, which is by the way always really really really helpful to all the bands trying to reschedule—the less that people ask for refunds, the more that’s really going to help the industry get through this.

Is there any concern though, given the fact that so many other artists are in the exact same boat, that you may not be able to reschedule other shows as easily?

Essentially, our biggest busiest time of year is the summer. So it’s definitely interesting, not just with venue availability. Are lighting companies all going to stay afloat, are we all going to be able to get lighting packages, are we all going to be able to get audio packages, are we all going to be able to get the trucks we need? There are so many things beyond just trying to get the right venue.

I think it’s going to be probably, I hate to say, as late as Summer 2021 probably before everything feels completely normal again. But if there’s any industry that can MacGyver their way through and figure it out, it is definitely the touring industry.

Is the fundraiser set up by the band helping right now?

I don’t know what the sales on anything are. I just know that this isn’t the first time that they’ve gone out of their way to help crew in a hard time. Whatever it is that we get is going to help enormously.

There are a couple of positions where myself and the production manager [and production coordinator], we do what’s called advance work [which pays sooner]. Not everyone else in the crew does work before we actually fly to the shows, whereas we do work all the time. So I was doing Japan and Australia visa applications back in November, December. It’s slightly different for certain positions on the crew, but for the majority of people and for the majority of even tour managers and production managers, you’re not necessarily on a two-week salary.

A lot of other people, they’re paid an advance fee kind of the same week the show happens. All I know is a lot of my other friends were really left in the lurch and have not been paid any advance pay because the show didn’t happen.

You were mentioning it would be helpful for people to retain tickets instead of getting refunds. What are some other things people can do to help people in the industry?

Buy merch for sure—just pretend you went to the show, go online, there’s a couple of bands are doing merch items that will in particular help crew as well. Fan clubs are great. If you join a fan club, they generally get to pocket a little more of the cash immediately, so that can help. Same with buying songs on Bandcamp, especially for smaller bands; they get to keep more money.

And a lot of bands are doing these live shows online and generally have a link to help out. Sometimes they’re raising money for a nonprofit, but… if everyone could pick a few of their favorite bands that they could throw five bucks a month to, that could go a really long way. Of course, there’s millions of people out of work, so not trying to guilt anybody into supporting someone if they’re not in a position, but even five bucks a month will go a long way.

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