Music venues say vaccine passport makes attracting customers a challenge
After being closed for months, Montreal music venues are working to get back on their feet. But now, local industry insiders are saying the vaccine passport has made it challenging to draw customers indoors.
“Our venues are the ones that are going to get fined if ever there’s a slip-up” with vaccine passports, said Jon Weisz, founder of Les scenes de music alternatives du Quebec.
“They’re already not making a lot of money, and the prospect of a $6,000 fine […] might be enough for venues to just say, ‘you know what, we’re just going to stay closed.'"
Performers say the new passport rules give an advantage to artists who perform outside. Vincent Stephen-Ong, a musician with the Urban Sciences Brass Band, says he’s been booked solid.
“There’s a high demand for bands that can play outdoors,” he said. “I swear to God, this is not part of my ‘great conspiracy plot’ [...] [but] we’ve had the busiest summer that we’ve ever had.”
“It’s been non-stop. We’re lucky and happy to be busy.”
The passports have pushed some to shift how they’ll present their work for live audiences. Bonsound, a Montreal-based music management company, is hosting shows on the water, with attendants floating on foam paddle boards during the performance.
The ‘Contre Courant’ series is ongoing at Jean-Doré beach in Parc Jean-Drapeau.
“It’s a new setting for us,” said artist Magi Merlin, adding that playing a show for an audience afloat brings new meaning to the words “crowd surfing.”
Still, despite being outdoors, show-goers will need to present proof of vaccination, causing issues for some.
“We did have a couple of people asking for refunds, I want to say about 10 to 15 per cent in the last week,” said Bonsound spokesperson Chloé El-Sayegh.
Still, “most people are just grateful to be able to come out and see live music,” she said. “We’re happy to comply with any government measures as long as we’re allowed to still put on shows.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.