Outdoor gig restrictions

Cols

My band’s booked to play a village festival in July; after the delay in lockdown lifting was announced yesterday, the organisers aren’t sure whether or not a band is permitted - gathers a crowd, singing and dancing, etc.

From my perspective it’s permissible, but the organisers need measures in place to ensure social distancing (sufficient acreage in front of the stage, instruction to maintain distance from other groups, consider seating, etc).  Anyone else already encountered this issue?

paulmapp8306

Depends really.

We've had an outdoor had to cancell/postpone and our singers other band had the same.

There are 2 main problems.  1st singing isn't aloud under restrictions (though distanced dancing is outdoors) which is hard to police.

Secondly, under the restrictions drinks/food it table service only.  No bar.  That almost certainly means througgput and consequently profits go down, usually to a point where its no longer profitable.

Both the outdoor functions I've mentioned cancelled due to the latter.   Not so much that's its not possible, more that its not profitable for such a function with the restrictions.

p90fool

I'd be very careful, people have had equipment confiscated for breaking unclear covid "guidelines".

We've pretty well written off gigs and are handing deposits back now, it's looking very unlikely that we'll be able to play paid gigs in Wales until summer 2022 after Drakeford's latest announcement.

monkey42

I’d be interested to know the rules for England as of now. We have a Marquee wedding gig on 24th July. The gig is through a large reputable agency and both the venue and bride/groom are insistent that everything is still okay for this to proceed. 

markslade07

We played an outdoor gig last week (in an open sided barn) for a 10th wedding anniversary party. At the time, they had to be restricted to 30 guests, which was a shame, but it was perfectly legal to go ahead. I think they have now/ are about to relax the number of guests they are allowed at weddings/ parties

Cols

Thanks guys.  The organisers checked with the local authority and there doesn’t seem to be any specific reason we can’t go ahead with live music, with controls in place to discourage crowd singing, dancing and mixing between groups.  Fun!

p90fool

markslade07 said:

We played an outdoor gig last week (in an open sided barn) for a 10th wedding anniversary party. At the time, they had to be restricted to 30 guests, which was a shame, but it was perfectly legal to go ahead. I think they have now/ are about to relax the number of guests they are allowed at weddings/ parties

They have relaxed attendance numbers here, that is it's no longer 30 people, it's dependant on the size of the venue. 

But the no dancing, singing or chanting rule still applies, the bride and groom are only allowed to remove their masks for the vows and the first (and only) dance plus a photograph, and the dancefloor must be put to another use or otherwise put out of action. 

The guests have to remain at their table of six and there's strictly no mingling with other tables, so you're allowed to wave at relatives you may not have seen for years, but talking to them or even shouting to them from a distance is illegal. 

So anyone who thinks wedding gigs are back on is taking a big risk with the possibility of having all your gear confiscated and a potential ten grand fine. 

One of our bookings is in a large marquee with one open side, which the organisers think circumvents all these rules, but knowing how Dyfed-Powys police have reacted to lone hillwalkers and cyclists who stray six miles from home I'm not prepared to chance them trashing all my gear then maybe apologising six months later. 

maltingsaudio

I have no idea what’s going on, however quick word about police trashing gear. It’s very simple be nice and unconfrontational when/if they appear do what they say at once and nothing will happen to your gear. Being an arse or I know my rights is only going to result in damage

zedhex

I played a couple of gigs over the last few weeks - all in marquees out of doors. The main restrictions seem to be to keep people from standing and mixing too much, so everybody has to sit down at tables. It's okay I guess, but it does kind of ruin the atmosphere.

Stratavarious

A few bands/venues are loosely ticketing music and some hospitality venues are just using the allowance for live incidental music. We are playing and gigging again.  ENGLAND and not in a new variant hot zone.

Notes here...

https://musiciansunion.org.uk/working-performing/coronavirus-guidance/overview-of-covid-19-restrictions-for-musicians

Bar type places..

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery#takeaways-4-5

Venues, audiences... bands.. all in same boat.  Just comply, entertain.. and don’t be an arsehole and we will be through it in weeks. 

Some large planned private parties / events have deferred with recent unlock date change but seems the light is at the end of the tunnel for most things.

darius

We’ve got a pub beer festival gig this week, outdoors marquee. All punters must remain seated, no singing blah. It’s up to the pub to enforce all that, def not us the band. 

And then also a big outdoor fest in a field this week got formal permission from council/police to still go ahead but they postponed to avoid massive headache, criticism, abuse. Which was the right thing to do. 

p90fool

Stratavarious said:

A few bands/venues are loosely ticketing music and some hospitality venues are just using the allowance for live incidental music. We are playing and gigging again.  ENGLAND and not in a new variant hot zone.

Notes here...

https://musiciansunion.org.uk/working-performing/coronavirus-guidance/overview-of-covid-19-restrictions-for-musicians

Bar type places..

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery#takeaways-4-5

Venues, audiences... bands.. all in same boat.  Just comply, entertain.. and don’t be an arsehole and we will be through it in weeks. 

Some large planned private parties / events have deferred with recent unlock date change but seems the light is at the end of the tunnel for most things.

I guess our problem is that we mainly play weddings and private parties, and bands are still not allowed at those events and won't be "for the foreseeable future" according to Drakeford. 

The consensus here among gigging musicians is that we'll be out of sustainable work until at least May 2022. Goldie Looking Chain are about to start campaigning about it I believe, but 2m distancing and masks are here to stay by the look of it, so nobody can make a living, realistically.

We may get the odd badly paid or free outdoor pub or festival gig in the meantime.

Snags

@Legionreturns may have some useful input, having recently been stitched up by his local authority on a planned event.