Paperjam.lu

Delano and Paperjam are featuring the voices of 18 professionals who work with the music venue den Atelier. These include Luke Bell, a freelance tour manager who lives in the UK, seen here with his wife Penny. The “What’s that sound” series appears Saturdays on the Delano website. Image credit: Maison Moderne 

Question 6: Will your business go back to normal or will there be a “new normal”? When? Do you see a positive aspect of the crisis?

Steffen Rabe, a booker with FKP Scorpio, who lives in Germany and has worked with Amanda Palmer, Pond and Gov’t Mule: “That depends on everything around covid-19 and the pandemic. Right now there are many intense discussions about hygiene and safety at shows. I hope we will all get with vaccines very soon.”

Rémi Bruggmann, a booker and artistic coordinator with the Montreux Jazz Festival, who lives in Switzerland: “I don’t think we’ll go back to normal and I’m not sure what the new normal will be. But I can only see this as an opportunity to reset the bad habits and to restart with new healthy habits. And definitely hope the camaraderie we’ve all experienced lately will remain.”

Zöé Caldwell, an agent who lives in Australia and has worked with the Blue Man Group and Cirque Du Soleil: “I’m sure there will be a ‘new normal’ as I believe we will be changed from our experiences from the pandemic. My hope is that people will collaborate more effectively, truly embrace a new way of flexible working--abandon the 9-to-5 structure--and see each other more clearly so we can be in the present together (as well as plan for the future!).”

Natasha Gregory, an agent with Mother Artists, who lives in the UK and has represented Amy Macdonald, IDLES, RY X, Tom Misch and Foster the People: “I personally think it will take a long time to recover. Starting with domestic recovery, country by country. I think the good people in the industry will be even closer moving forward. I think technology that has advanced incredibly will be an addition to live touring, to compliment what we have done previously. With regards to companies, I hope that empathy continues in how staff work, not having to be in the office 5 days a week, listening to the employees needs and working around that. It’s an incredible opportunity to build a truly diverse industry of people by focusing on smart ways to work.”

Clotaire Buche, an agent with Junzi, who lives in France and has worked with Woodkid, Aaron and Chassol: “I hope so, somewhere in 2022. We now know how lucky we are and I believe the audience is hungry for live entertainment and communion.”

Dany Hassenstein, a booker with the Paléo Festival Nyon, who lives in Switzerland: “It will come back to how it was before, we owe this to the future generations!”

Josh Javor, an agent with X-ray Touring, who lives in the UK and has worked with Queens of the Stone Age, Coldplay, Snow Patrol and Eagles of Death Metal: “Who knows.... no!”

Rahel Feidler, a production manager with Showtime Entertainment Services, who lives in Belgium and has worked with Rock Werchter, Rock-A-Field, Rammstein (Lux), Tomorrowland and Jean Michel Jarre: “I hope we will soon be back to normal for arena shows and festivals. Some promising test events have been held around Europe, let’s hope [politicians] will consider those results when making decisions on what is allowed and what not. I reckon there will be restrictions in the beginning, with mouth covers, restricted numbers of participants and litres of alcogel. But everything is better than what we are living now. In our industry we are used to following strict health and safety regulations, so no need to shut us down. My guess: spring of 2022 will be the earliest for going back to normal for the touring music industry due to the whole international travel aspect. Smaller concerts with local talent will probably be possible from September 2021, if the vaccinations go well and there are no other virus variants coming up. A positive aspect of the crisis is that in the beginning we got the chance to slow down and spent some time at home without having bad conscience. I also hope that due to this crisis our industry will finally gather together and build a strong confederation who can lobby for our specific needs in politics, something that until now does not really exist is Belgium.”

Björn Harder, a tour and stage manager with Try Harder Productions, who lives in Germany and has worked with Rammstein and Apocalyptica: “There will be no business, as it was in the past.”

Dick Meredith, a freelance tour manager, who lives in the UK and has worked with Bastille: “There will be a new normal, especially for those in the UK who will also have to contend with the challenges of Brexit when this is all over. We will overcome, but it’ll just take a lot more effort!”

Jan Smeets, an agent and booker for Live Nation Belgium and Rock Werchter, and has also worked with Passenger, who lives in Belgium: “We will go back to business when the majority of our population is vaccinated. Belgium is ready to get the job done quickly provided the biotech companies keep their word. The positive effect of this crisis is that we learned to meet up virtually and that the last stigmas around teleworking disappeared. This will make us more efficient in the future.”

Luke Bell, a freelance tour manager, who lives in the UK: “I very much hope it will go back to some kind of normal--perhaps a new normal where more health and safety measures are in place. To be honest, as a Brit crew guy, I am equally as concerned about the implications of Brexit on our ability to easily tour Europe. This needs to be resolved just as much as the current pandemic situation IMHO. Again, another failure on the part of the UK government to consider the arts. As for positives, maybe people will think more about health and safety aspects at work now [and] be more careful and considerate?”

Silvio König, a tour manager and production manager with Thirteen Fourteen Productions, who lives in Germany and has worked with Paul Kalkbrenner and Kraftwerk: “It will be a new normal for sure! Not so many people in one place. Bit more distance to each other. More disinfection! The only positive thing of the crisis is that all of us got a long break! Came down, had look to left and right and met some friends, what I couldn’t do before.”

Ton Maessen, a freelance tour manager, who lives in Portugal and has worked with Nick Cave and dEUS: “I don’t believe in a new normal.”

Alex Bruford, an agent with ATC Live, who lives in the UK and has worked with Nick Cave, The Lumineers, Metronomy and Fink: “This crisis has already changed the live industry forever. My hope is that the industry pos- pandemic will be more respectful as a whole, of each other, artists and their art, and of our responsibility to use the platform live music provides to further positive change in our industry and society as a whole.”

Silke Westera, a booker with FKP Scorpio, who lives in Germany and has worked with Tom Odell and Tom Walker: “I think there might be a new normal when it comes to adapted hygiene precautions in a long term. Short term it is all very vague still. Most likely there will be a period where we aren’t allowed to play full [capacities]. I do hope we will be supported by the government during [this time], to be able to make shows financially work. But with the German current inefficient vaccinating strategy, I am not too optimistic anything will happening this year.”

Dirk “Bats” Dillen, an electrician with Powershop, who lives in Belgium and has worked with Rock Werchter, Rock-A-Field and Rammstein (Lux): “Let’s just say, we might have to adjust a little bit, but we’re going to keep thinking positively.”

Danny Simons, an agent with Grand Hotel van Cleef Musik, who lives in Germany and has worked with Thees Uhlmann and Kettcar: “I hope so. The positive aspect is that you see on which partners you can rely, who is still creative in the industry, and also to meet new people and to see new places. There is a kind of movement in the music scene that is not only led by the usual forces of the market, there is also a bit more room for something new.”

Edited by Aaron Grunwald and Nicolas Léonard