Touring music artists expected to return in 2022 but industry remains uneasy

While Edmonton musicians and live music venue operators are optimistic for touring in the new year, they are less certain about the next three or four months.

In the past 20 months, Lauren Gillis, who goes by the stage name Lucette, has only performed 20 to 30 times. She's played in backyards and parks, on live streams and behind plastic barriers at indoor venues.

Just over two weeks ago Gillis, whose music is described as country-infused dream-pop, played at the King Eddy in Calgary, the closest thing she's played to a normal show in awhile.

"I think it is coming back," Gillis said. "There is this glimmer of hope, and yeah, it's been two years, so it's not the end of the world. I think we'll come back stronger and more appreciative of live music." 

Concert listings point to international artists, from Celine Dion to Dierks Bentley, returning to Edmonton in 2022. Smaller venues like The Starlite Room and Union Hall have booked shows in the new year with the majority of the artists Canadian.

Tyson Boyd, owner and operator of The Starlite Room, says the venue is currently hosting only two shows a week, with many of the artists from the city or elsewhere in Alberta.

Even though the Canadian border opened to international visitors, and the province adopted a restriction exemption program in the fall, many acts have not resumed touring.

Boyd says he's expecting some touring artists will hit the road in the second quarter of 2022, stopping in Edmonton along the way.

But he worries about the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, highway closures in British Columbia and inconsistencies between provinces on restrictions around general admission indoor events.

"With these provincial issues and everyone being on different pages, it really affects the very broad picture of what touring across Canada looks like," Boyd said. "We're optimistic that we can still continue to do shows, but we're definitely not out of the woods yet."

Union Hall owners are banking on a slow couple of months as they close for renovations, relocating the stage and adapting the building from a night club to a music venue. It's expected to reopen before artists begin rolling through in the spring.

"This is the most ideal time to shut it down for a little bit, take advantage of that time and make the renovations that we need to move forward to put us above the edge of most of the venues in the city," said Greg Bechard, owner, operator and talent buyer.

Dates in March are already filling up, with concerts booked through to June. Bechard is expecting a good year for live music, and cites the restriction exemption program as one of the reasons why the industry is bouncing back.

"Things are picking up as long as vaccinations keep rising and people get used to the idea of going back in big crowds. I have faith in our industry," he said. 

Local artists see positive side

The pandemic hasn't affected all music artists and venues equally. 

Local DJs have had success in filling spots at local venues wary of crowded stages.

Joses Martin, general manager of the Grindstone Theatre and a DJ/promoter, held outdoor DJ shows over the summer before hosting weekly dance parties at the venue with multiple DJs on the bill.

It offered local independent DJs an opportunity to headline those shows instead of opening for international artist.

"We've really been able to actually support local in that way and celebrate some of the great talent that we have around here by putting on shows and dance parties," Martin said.

He's looking forward to hosting DJs from New York and Los Angeles, and lining up headliners for the upcoming Disco In The Park festival in the summer.

Some artists have used the pandemic as a much-needed break from touring and the busy lifestyle of a musician.

"I've written more songs in the last two years than I have, probably in the last 10," Gillis said. "So there is something to take away from it, just being able to take advantage of the downtime."

The pandemic has also given her more time to experience other local artists in the city as there's fewer competing shows in the same night.

"It's just reminded me that we have such a rich and vibrant arts community, and it's a really good place to live."