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
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned across Ontario.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.