ELLSWORTH, Maine — As musicians, concert venue staffers, and promoters think about how to recover from nearly a year of lost profits, some have pivoted to try new, safe ways of connecting with fans, while others are looking to the future of what concerts will look like in a post-pandemic world.
Kyle Lamont has spent the better part of 2020 speaking with some of the major players not only here in Maine, but in different parts of the world, to learn more about some of the changes: things like virtual reality music festivals and better HVAC systems in venues. She's doing so through a podcast called Concert Cast. What she's learned offers some hope for the future of music.
"It's been really focused. Focused to understand what to expect when live music comes back online," Lamont said about season 2. "It's talking with people in the industry who shed light from their point of view ... What's going on in Phoenix? What's going on in New York right now? What's going on in Portland? I'm here in Ellsworth, so I only have a small glimpse on the ground from our live music scene perspective, but talking to people in California ... what's going on there?"
"I've segmented the concert industry by roles, so venue owner, promoter, musician, talking with someone in virtual reality," Lamont explained. She said her conversation about virtual reality was one of the more interesting ones -- learning that there could be an element of virtual even when live, in-person concerts return. Right now, both creators and musicians are learning how to use technology to keep the connection with music fans.
DJ Celeste Inaverse Arena concert performance in Sansar; Footage Courtesy: PrismDJs, LiveStream Suite, Inaverse, Sansar
"I don't think the music is going to change so much. It's the way we experience it. I think we'll see a lot more drive-ins this summer, a lot more outdoor shows so that artists have this opportunity to perform," said Lamont, who is currently planning a concert and conversation with The Mallett Brothers Band. The show, sponsored by New Belgium Brewing Company, will livestream on February 4, 2021. You can watch on The Mallett Brothers Band's Instagram page, starting at 5 PM.
Follow Kyle Lamont on Instagram.
Learn more about the podcast, Concert Cast, here.
To follow the podcast through Apple, click here.