The National樂隊的巡演經理AJ·法博本應在3月中下旬與樂隊和團隊其他人員一起在日本和澳大利亞巡演。該巡演計劃持續數月,用于支持去年的“ I Am Easy to Find”活動。然而,隨著有關新冠疫情的新聞鋪天蓋地而來,樂隊取消了大部分即將開展的巡演,并于最后發起了一場籌資活動,以幫助受影響的團隊成員。
雖然34歲的法博加入The National剛剛一年多,卻承擔了不少職責,包括掌管旅行后勤、處理會計和財務業務,以及在巡演時面對各種媒體。
然而, 3月底在接受《財富》雜志采訪時,法博正在多倫多隔離。她曾在那里上學,而今打算在那里度過巡演間的空余時間。她在接受采訪時說,遠離居住在佛羅里達州的父母對她來說是一件“痛苦”的事情,因為在無需巡演旅行時,她都會盡量花時間陪伴父母。
法博與《財富》雜志談論了 The National巡演是如何撤銷的、疫情對音樂行業的影響實況,以及她認為該行業該如何度過這場前所未有的危機。
為方便理解,以下對話有所刪改。
《財富》:2020年巡演季最近才剛剛開始,是嗎?
法博:本應如此。他們去年在巡演開始時發布了最新的專輯,我們目前正處于專輯的推廣階段。然而整個行業都陷入了低迷,從12月中旬到3月初通常都是淡季。因此,行業的大多數人都會捂緊錢包,以便為沒有收入的這幾個月做好準備。
那時正是你們打算去日本的時候?
沒錯。我們第一次在東京的演出本應是兩場,分別是3月17和18號,但顯然,巡演都被取消了。而且在鉆石公主號郵輪出事后不久,我便開始感覺到:“嗯,東京的演出很可能要泡湯了。”
通常當事態開始發展到什么程度時,你會覺得大多數巡演都不大可能實現了?
我們有著非常好的樂隊和管理層,他們始終將成員的健康和安全放在第一位,而且他們都有自己的家人,也希望能夠確保照顧好自己,以不至于連累其家人。他們在很久之前就已經開始討論這件事了,因為我們的第一場演出就是在東京,但突然間,2月日本成了重災區。樂隊決定最好是改變行程,繞過日本,直接去澳大利亞,否則這一路上我們要轉很多次機。
我們最初討論的關注點還在于,“如果可以避開日本穿過亞洲的話,那么在澳大利亞順利開展巡演的概率就會高得多。”果真,10天過后,一切都發生了變化。
因此到目前為止,沒有一場巡演得以順利開展,而且一切都暫停了,所有人的生活亦是如此。
我們已經敲定了澳大利亞巡演的新日期……12月,而且那些已經購票的人可以繼續保留門票,屆時前來觀看演出。不得不說,此舉真的、真的對所有試圖改期表演的樂隊來說很有幫助——退票的人越少,對行業度過這一難關的幫助就越大。
是否有人擔心,鑒于眾多其他藝人都處于類似的情形之中,你們可能難以輕易地進行改期?
其實,一年中我們最隆重、最忙的季節莫過于夏季,不僅僅是場地可用性的問題,燈光公司是否依然健在,我們是否都能拿到所有燈光組件,是否都能獲得音頻組件,是否有我們所需的卡車?這些都是要考慮的問題。除了拿到合適的場地之外還有很多事情要做。
盡管我本不想這么說,但我覺得行業回暖可能要到2021年夏天,或等到一切都完全回歸正常之后。但如果說有行業能像《百戰天龍》(MacGyver)那樣掃清一切障礙并找到解決辦法的話,那么毫無疑問,也將是巡演行業。
樂隊成立的基金會當前是否已經在發揮作用?
我并不了解任何物品的推銷情況,我只知道這并非是他們第一次盡自己所能去幫助遇到困難的成員。無論我們籌集到了多少資金,對這些成員來說都是莫大的幫助。
某些職務,我自己和制作經理及制作協調人,大家都會做一些所謂的提前工作,這樣拿錢的速度會更快一些。并非團隊中所有的人都會在實際飛到演出目的地之前還要做一些其他工作,然而,我們的確是一刻都沒閑著。因此我在11月和12月便開始申請日本和澳大利亞簽證。這一點與團員中的某些職務不同,但對大多數人,甚至是大多數巡演經理和制作經理來說,你拿的并不一定是兩周一發的薪水。
很多人在巡演開始當周會拿到一筆預支費用。據我所知,我的很多朋友真的因此而遭遇了麻煩,而且因為演出取消無法獲得任何預付薪資。
你說過,相對于退票,人們保留門票會對你們更有幫助。說到幫助行業度過難關,還有其他什么事情可以做?
肯定是購買促銷產品,也就是假裝自己會去看演出。網上有幾家樂隊正在銷售套餐產品,這些產品對于樂隊成員尤為有幫助。粉絲俱樂部也非常不錯。如果你加入一個粉絲俱樂部,通常立即就會多收獲一點現金,這類舉措對他們十分有幫助。在Bandcamp購買歌曲亦是如此,尤其是對于那些小樂隊,他們會獲得更多的錢。
大量樂隊如今都在開展這類在線演出,而且通常都設有捐贈鏈接。有時候,他們會為非營利性機構籌集資金,然而……如果大家都能選出自己最喜愛的幾支樂隊,然后每個月支援5美元,那么真的會給他們帶來莫大的幫助。當然,現在失業的人已經有數百萬,如果連自己的財務狀況都出現了問題,那么就不要在這一方面用道德綁架他們,雖說,5美元一個月確實會給樂隊帶來莫大的幫助。(財富中文網)
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
The National樂隊的巡演經理AJ·法博本應在3月中下旬與樂隊和團隊其他人員一起在日本和澳大利亞巡演。該巡演計劃持續數月,用于支持去年的“ I Am Easy to Find”活動。然而,隨著有關新冠疫情的新聞鋪天蓋地而來,樂隊取消了大部分即將開展的巡演,并于最后發起了一場籌資活動,以幫助受影響的團隊成員。
雖然34歲的法博加入The National剛剛一年多,卻承擔了不少職責,包括掌管旅行后勤、處理會計和財務業務,以及在巡演時面對各種媒體。
然而, 3月底在接受《財富》雜志采訪時,法博正在多倫多隔離。她曾在那里上學,而今打算在那里度過巡演間的空余時間。她在接受采訪時說,遠離居住在佛羅里達州的父母對她來說是一件“痛苦”的事情,因為在無需巡演旅行時,她都會盡量花時間陪伴父母。
法博與《財富》雜志談論了 The National巡演是如何撤銷的、疫情對音樂行業的影響實況,以及她認為該行業該如何度過這場前所未有的危機。
為方便理解,以下對話有所刪改。
《財富》:2020年巡演季最近才剛剛開始,是嗎?
法博:本應如此。他們去年在巡演開始時發布了最新的專輯,我們目前正處于專輯的推廣階段。然而整個行業都陷入了低迷,從12月中旬到3月初通常都是淡季。因此,行業的大多數人都會捂緊錢包,以便為沒有收入的這幾個月做好準備。
那時正是你們打算去日本的時候?
沒錯。我們第一次在東京的演出本應是兩場,分別是3月17和18號,但顯然,巡演都被取消了。而且在鉆石公主號郵輪出事后不久,我便開始感覺到:“嗯,東京的演出很可能要泡湯了。”
通常當事態開始發展到什么程度時,你會覺得大多數巡演都不大可能實現了?
我們有著非常好的樂隊和管理層,他們始終將成員的健康和安全放在第一位,而且他們都有自己的家人,也希望能夠確保照顧好自己,以不至于連累其家人。他們在很久之前就已經開始討論這件事了,因為我們的第一場演出就是在東京,但突然間,2月日本成了重災區。樂隊決定最好是改變行程,繞過日本,直接去澳大利亞,否則這一路上我們要轉很多次機。
我們最初討論的關注點還在于,“如果可以避開日本穿過亞洲的話,那么在澳大利亞順利開展巡演的概率就會高得多。”果真,10天過后,一切都發生了變化。
因此到目前為止,沒有一場巡演得以順利開展,而且一切都暫停了,所有人的生活亦是如此。
我們已經敲定了澳大利亞巡演的新日期……12月,而且那些已經購票的人可以繼續保留門票,屆時前來觀看演出。不得不說,此舉真的、真的對所有試圖改期表演的樂隊來說很有幫助——退票的人越少,對行業度過這一難關的幫助就越大。
是否有人擔心,鑒于眾多其他藝人都處于類似的情形之中,你們可能難以輕易地進行改期?
其實,一年中我們最隆重、最忙的季節莫過于夏季,不僅僅是場地可用性的問題,燈光公司是否依然健在,我們是否都能拿到所有燈光組件,是否都能獲得音頻組件,是否有我們所需的卡車?這些都是要考慮的問題。除了拿到合適的場地之外還有很多事情要做。
盡管我本不想這么說,但我覺得行業回暖可能要到2021年夏天,或等到一切都完全回歸正常之后。但如果說有行業能像《百戰天龍》(MacGyver)那樣掃清一切障礙并找到解決辦法的話,那么毫無疑問,也將是巡演行業。
樂隊成立的基金會當前是否已經在發揮作用?
我并不了解任何物品的推銷情況,我只知道這并非是他們第一次盡自己所能去幫助遇到困難的成員。無論我們籌集到了多少資金,對這些成員來說都是莫大的幫助。
某些職務,我自己和制作經理及制作協調人,大家都會做一些所謂的提前工作,這樣拿錢的速度會更快一些。并非團隊中所有的人都會在實際飛到演出目的地之前還要做一些其他工作,然而,我們的確是一刻都沒閑著。因此我在11月和12月便開始申請日本和澳大利亞簽證。這一點與團員中的某些職務不同,但對大多數人,甚至是大多數巡演經理和制作經理來說,你拿的并不一定是兩周一發的薪水。
很多人在巡演開始當周會拿到一筆預支費用。據我所知,我的很多朋友真的因此而遭遇了麻煩,而且因為演出取消無法獲得任何預付薪資。
你說過,相對于退票,人們保留門票會對你們更有幫助。說到幫助行業度過難關,還有其他什么事情可以做?
肯定是購買促銷產品,也就是假裝自己會去看演出。網上有幾家樂隊正在銷售套餐產品,這些產品對于樂隊成員尤為有幫助。粉絲俱樂部也非常不錯。如果你加入一個粉絲俱樂部,通常立即就會多收獲一點現金,這類舉措對他們十分有幫助。在Bandcamp購買歌曲亦是如此,尤其是對于那些小樂隊,他們會獲得更多的錢。
大量樂隊如今都在開展這類在線演出,而且通常都設有捐贈鏈接。有時候,他們會為非營利性機構籌集資金,然而……如果大家都能選出自己最喜愛的幾支樂隊,然后每個月支援5美元,那么真的會給他們帶來莫大的幫助。當然,現在失業的人已經有數百萬,如果連自己的財務狀況都出現了問題,那么就不要在這一方面用道德綁架他們,雖說,5美元一個月確實會給樂隊帶來莫大的幫助。(財富中文網)
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
AJ Faber, tour manager for The National, was supposed to spend the second half of March traveling through Japan and Australia with the band and the rest of its crew, as part of a monthslong tour in support of last year’s I Am Easy to Find. However, as news surrounding the coronavirus intensified, the band called off the majority of their upcoming tour dates, eventually launching a fundraiser to help affected members of the crew.
Faber, 34, who has worked for The National a little more than a year, has numerous responsibilities including overseeing travel logistics, handling the accounting and finances, and dealing with press on the day of a show.
But she was social distancing in Toronto—where she went to school and tends to spend time between tours—when she spoke with Fortune at the end of March for The Coronavirus Economy, noting that it was “difficult” to be away from her parents in Florida considering how much she tries to spend time with them when she’s not traveling for work.
Faber chatted with Fortune about how The National’s tour began to fall apart, the overall impact on the live music industry, and how she thinks the sector will get through an unprecedented situation.
This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Fortune: The tour cycle for 2020 started fairly recently, right?
Faber: Well, it was supposed to. Their latest record was released last year when we started—and we’re kind of in the middle of that album cycle. The whole industry has kind of a lull; from mid-December until beginning of March is normal downtime. And so most people in the industry are used to padding their wallets to prepare for those few months of not having an income.
And that was around the time you guys were going to Japan?
Exactly. Our first shows back were supposed to be two shows in Tokyo on March 17 and 18, so obviously that didn’t happen. And as soon as the [Diamond] Princess cruise thing was going down, that’s when I started being like, “Well, there’s a good chance Tokyo won’t happen.”
How did the situation generally begin to devolve to the point where you realized most of this tour just wasn’t going to happen?
Well, the band and management, they’re incredible guys who always seem to put crews’ health and safety first—and they of course all have families themselves and want to make sure they’re taking care of themselves and not putting their families’ health at risk either. Talks were starting a lot earlier, because our first show was in Tokyo and all of a sudden, Japan became that hotbed back in February. The band decided that it was better to reroute and go directly to Australia and just bypass it because we also had so many connecting flights on the way in.
The initial discussions were “If we could just avoid going through Asia, then we have a much better chance of all things being smooth for Australia.” But sure enough, 10 days go by and everything changed.
So as of now, none of the dates have been seen through and everything’s on pause, much like it is for everyone else.
Yeah, so we do have new dates confirmed for the Australia shows… for December. And anyone that had tickets already can retain their tickets to come to those shows, which is by the way always really really really helpful to all the bands trying to reschedule—the less that people ask for refunds, the more that’s really going to help the industry get through this.
Is there any concern though, given the fact that so many other artists are in the exact same boat, that you may not be able to reschedule other shows as easily?
Essentially, our biggest busiest time of year is the summer. So it’s definitely interesting, not just with venue availability. Are lighting companies all going to stay afloat, are we all going to be able to get lighting packages, are we all going to be able to get audio packages, are we all going to be able to get the trucks we need? There are so many things beyond just trying to get the right venue.
I think it’s going to be probably, I hate to say, as late as Summer 2021 probably before everything feels completely normal again. But if there’s any industry that can MacGyver their way through and figure it out, it is definitely the touring industry.
Is the fundraiser set up by the band helping right now?
I don’t know what the sales on anything are. I just know that this isn’t the first time that they’ve gone out of their way to help crew in a hard time. Whatever it is that we get is going to help enormously.
There are a couple of positions where myself and the production manager [and production coordinator], we do what’s called advance work [which pays sooner]. Not everyone else in the crew does work before we actually fly to the shows, whereas we do work all the time. So I was doing Japan and Australia visa applications back in November, December. It’s slightly different for certain positions on the crew, but for the majority of people and for the majority of even tour managers and production managers, you’re not necessarily on a two-week salary.
A lot of other people, they’re paid an advance fee kind of the same week the show happens. All I know is a lot of my other friends were really left in the lurch and have not been paid any advance pay because the show didn’t happen.
You were mentioning it would be helpful for people to retain tickets instead of getting refunds. What are some other things people can do to help people in the industry?
Buy merch for sure—just pretend you went to the show, go online, there’s a couple of bands are doing merch items that will in particular help crew as well. Fan clubs are great. If you join a fan club, they generally get to pocket a little more of the cash immediately, so that can help. Same with buying songs on Bandcamp, especially for smaller bands; they get to keep more money.
And a lot of bands are doing these live shows online and generally have a link to help out. Sometimes they’re raising money for a nonprofit, but… if everyone could pick a few of their favorite bands that they could throw five bucks a month to, that could go a really long way. Of course, there’s millions of people out of work, so not trying to guilt anybody into supporting someone if they’re not in a position, but even five bucks a month will go a long way.