What will the "new normal" look like for live music in South Carolina? This week on the show, we talked with arts and entertainment reporter Kalyn Oyer about how musicians, venues and fans have been coping during the pandemic. She also shared some memories from her last pre-pandemic concert and played us clips from three of her favorite albums recently released by South Carolina artists. Listen now for more.
For many music lovers, what may have felt like a normal night out catching a local band's set in early March turned out to be a kind of 2020 milestone: their last pre-coronavirus live concert.
For the first few months of the pandemic, live music largely disappeared as Americans started to shelter in their homes, and bars and concert venues were ordered to close.
Some bands found success staying connected with their fans through virtual shows, but the format hasn't offered them a viable way to make money.
Combine that with the fact that many South Carolina musicians rely on the now struggling food and beverage industry for income, and this hasn't been an easy time to be in the Palmetto State's music scene.
More recently, live performances have been making a tentative comeback, bringing new pandemic-era concert customs with them. At socially distant outdoor concerts, ticketholders listen to tunes from spaced-out assigned seating areas instead of crowding around a stage.
On this week's episode, we talked with arts and entertainment reporter Kalyn Oyer about what the "new normal" may look like for live music in South Carolina and how local musicians, music venues and fans are coping. She also shared some memories from her last pre-pandemic concert and played us clips from three of her favorite albums recently released by South Carolina artists. Here's a spoiler: Get ready for some cowbell.
Listen now for more.