Coronavirus
Congress Introduces Another Bill to Save Independent Music Venues
The ENCORES Act would provide relief in the form of tax credits on ticket refunds. A new bill in the House Representatives aims to keep struggling independent music venues afloat during the ongoing pandemic. Introduced Thursday by Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Mike Kelly (R-PA), the Entertainments New Credit Opportunity for Relief & Economic Sustainability (ENCORES) Act would allow venues to recoup some of the losses they have experienced from issuing ticket refunds for canceled events by providing a tax credit for 50% of the value of those refunded tickets. To qualify under the proposed legislation, venues must be in the business of promoting, producing or managing live concerts, comedy shows, sporting events and live theatrical productions and have 500 or fewer employees. They must ...
Why Summer Blockbusters Won’t Ever Go Straight to VOD
Blockbuster Month is celebrating the true titans of the genre. All month long, you’ll read through a variety of features digging deep into the greatest hits of Hollywood, from popcorn classics to underrated gems. Today, Josh Spiegel debates whether the blockbuster will ever eschew the theater experience and go straight to our living rooms. Back at the end of March — remember March? Like, even the concept of the month of March? — my wife informed me that our sister-in-law was being proactive. She was starting an online petition regarding an issue about which she felt passionate. Was it related to the dearth of Covid-19 testing throughout the country? Staggered school re-openings in her state or others in the Union? No, she had begun a petition to exhort the Walt Disney Company to release Mu...
Coronavirus may reach peak in Lagos by August – commissioner
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said on Thursday that the state may experience the peak of coronavirus by August. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Abayomi said that the COVID-19 prediction model of the state holds that the pandemic will soon reach its peak, followed by the flattening of the curve and a gradual decline in the number of cases. “We believe that in the next week or two, we are going to see an increase in both the private sector testing and public laboratory testing. “We are still seeing a gentle increase in the number of cases overtime cumulatively. Lagos will theoretically peak in the month of August, it will flatten out and over some time, we will see a decline,” Abayomi said. The commissioner earlier said the state will record between 90,000 ...
Smash Mouth, Trapt, and Buckcherry Are Playing the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Next Month
While the vast majority of large-scale gatherings have been canceled due to COVID, the annual Sturgis Buffalo Chip motorcycle rally and concert series is moving forward as planned. In year’s past, the Sturgis Buffalo Chip has drawn upwards of 700,000 people to Sturgis, South Dakota for its multi-day festival. In 2020, because of the pandemic, organizers are anticipating a smaller crowd than usual. But even at a reduced capacity, the Buffalo Chip is shaping up to me the largest public gathering to take place since COVID began. For its part, event organizers are encouraging attendees to follow CDC guidelines. There will be signage with recommended safety practices posted throughout the park, and hand sanitizer will be readily available. The capacity of the amphitheater itself will also ...
MIT Engineers Create Reusable Face Cover As Effective As N95 Mask
Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology / Massachusetts Institute of Technology As COVID-19 continues to re-surge the world is taking action to ensure safety. One institution is saying they have created PPE that is built for multiple uses. Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology / Massachusetts Institute of Technology CNBC is reporting that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has announced that they have taken a major step in slowing down the spread of Coronavirus. According to the feature engineers and researchers at the school have made a mask that users can reuse without sacrificing the quality of protection. Generally N95 masks, which block airborne molecules and fluids that may contain the COVID-19 virus, are now hard to come by. MIT’s design is entirely made from si...
German Scientists Are Throwing a Concert “Experiment” to Test How COVID-19 Spreads
The coronavirus pandemic has essentially frozen the live music industry until a vaccine becomes widely available. It’s easy to understand why considering science has proven that the virus spreads faster in indoor environments and shows have long been a breeding ground for excessive spit, snot, and germs. Now, some German scientists have decided to throw a concert “experiment” to test just how rapidly COVID-19 spreads in a live music environment… and you could be their lucky volunteer! The project is called Restart-19 and it’s currently scheduled for August 22nd at the Leipzig Concert Hall, a seated venue that’s previously hosted shows by Bob Dylan and Britney Spears. The “experiment” will see 4,200 healthy people attend a live concert by Tim Bendzko, a popular German singer, reports Brookl...
Neumos in Seattle, in a Pandemic: ‘We Employ a Lot of People … I Paid 10,000 People Last Year’
Steven Severin, co-owner of Neumos in Seattle, says indie clubs contribute $35 billion to the music industry and that needs to be recognized with government funding during the crisis. As co-owner of Seattle’s popular independent venue Neumos in Capitol Hill, Steven Severin has been a staple in the Seattle music industry for more than 20 years. Roughly 10 years ago, he helped create the Seattle Nightlife and Music Association to bring together the area’s live event insiders, and for the past 16 years has helped run Neumos with its sister club Barboza and the accompanying Runaway bar. As part of Billboard’s efforts to best cover the coronavirus pandemic and its impacts on the music industry, we will be speaking with Severin every two weeks to chronicle his experience throughou...
Senators Introduce “Save Our Stages” Legislation to Help Music Venues During Pandemic
There may be hope for music venues struggling to get by during the coronavirus pandemic after all. Earlier today, Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota introduced a new piece of legislation called the “Save Our Stages Act”. It’s a relief bill that aims to provide financial support to music and entertainment venues across the country, particularly those that are in danger of shutting down permanently, reports Rolling Stone. According to a press release, the “Save Our Stages Act” will offer six months of financial support to “keep venues afloat, pay employees, and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across America.” The legislation is geared towards operators, promoters, and talent reps at primarily small, independent venues. The specific grant amounts ...
Senators Introduce Bill to Aid Indie Music Venues During Pandemic
Two U.S. Senators, Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Republican John Cornyn of Texas, introduced a new bill designed to aid independent music and entertainment venues impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Save Our Stages Act,” rolled out Wednesday, would offer six months of financial support to help “keep venues afloat, pay employees, and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across America,” according to a press release. The coronavirus has derailed the live music business, with any indie venues temporarily closed given the higher probability of transmission in small, crowded indoor areas. As the bill notes, and as previously reported, 90% of owners, promoters and bookers are at risk of permanently closing within a few months without financial assistance. “Minnesota’...
Q-Tip Rolls Out A Tribe Called Quest Coronavirus Kit
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty Capitalizing on the global reality of COVID-19, A Tribe Called Quest frontman Q-Tip will be rolling out a product under his band’s banner. The Queens Hip-Hop legend has introduced A Tribe Called Quest-themed coronavirus kit to the masses. On Monday (Jul 20), the Abstract Poetic, real name Kamaal Fareed, shared a photo of the ATCQ coronavirus package that is fashioned after the band’s sixth and final album We Got Tt From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service album artwork. In the tweet, Q-Tip shared photos of what appears to be two face masks, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, a small bottle of sanitizer fluid in a box set which features the final album cover art throughout. In the caption of the tweet, Tip wrote “Be safe. Soon come.” While the world waits on an offic...
Dave Grohl Defends Teachers, Slams Trump’s “Foolish” School Reopening Plan
Despite a spike in COVID-19 cases around the country, Donald Trump and his administration are keen on reopening schools. The dangerous move will undoubtedly put teachers and children at risk — especially students of color, according to one former CDC director. Teachers have responded with concern, anger, and even lawsuits aimed at the government. Now, Dave Grohl, former student and the son of a teacher, has been moved to speak up in defense of educators. The Foo Fighters frontman argued on behalf of teachers in a new audio version of his True Stories Instagram series, as well as in a lengthy essay written for The Atlantic. Together with helpful insight from his mother and a former teacher, Virginia, Grohl outlined the importance of “essential worker” teachers and emphasizes the hazar...
Global shipping at ‘critical point’ as routes threatened by sailor shortage
The international shipping community is facing a major labour crisis, with sailors stranded on ships or at home because of visa and flight restrictions, maritime groups said. With crew changes down by 75 per cent, a humanitarian crisis is also developing, with sailors suffering mental health problems, fatigue and accidents from being trapped for months at a time on ships. With more than 200,000 sailors unable to leave their vessels and a similar number trying to get out to them, international shipping bodies believe the world economy is weeks from another disaster. Last week, only 13 countries including the UAE, Britain and the United States, signed up to an agreement to designate sailors as key workers, allowing them to fly home without quarantine or visa issues. But other major seafaring...
