Q&A: What is the state of play with summer music festivals?
Yesterday it was confirmed that the Longitude festival was the latest event to fall victim to the Covid-19 restrictions.
With fears that summer 2021 is beginning to look much like last year, we look ahead to what is planned, what organisers are saying and whether or not we will be able to attend an outdoor gig this year.
Well, like we said Longitude has officially been pulled from the roster of upcoming events.
Organisers say they are "devastated" that they won't be able to host the music festival, which was due to be headlined by Kendrick Lamar, Megan Thee Stallion, and Tyler, The Creator.
Forbidden Fruit, which was due to take place in Dublin's Royal Hospital in Kilmainham and celebrate its 10th anniversary, was postponed until the June Bank Holiday weekend in 2022.
A statement from the festival organisers said: "We all need and deserve a Forbidden Fruit Festival to look forward to and are so grateful for your continued trust and support which will help us create a memorable return for our 10th anniversary on the Bank Holiday Weekend June 4 & 5, 2022.
"We will dance together again! But in the meantime: take good care of yourself and those around you!"
Denis Desmond, director of MCD Productions, is hopeful that a number of events will be able to go ahead as restrictions begin to lift and with vaccine rollout well underway.
The promoter, as well as Melvin Benn, director of Festival Republic, are hopeful that Electric Picnic will be able to go ahead in Stradbally, Co Laois this year.
Mr Desmond is also hopeful outdoor events such as the National Ploughing Championship, marathons and other sporting events will go ahead at full capacity.
Both MCD and Festival Republic are optimistic that full capacity events will be able to go ahead from July onwards.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland, Mr Desmond said “we have to save at least part of our summer” and says outdoor events are the priority for the time being, with indoor events at a reduced capacity to follow.
When asked if Electric Picnic went ahead in September, would it be like the ones we’ve seen before, Mr Benn said he could “see no reason” why it wouldn’t be.
"I can see no reason why you know the Irish government wouldn't be saying, you know, you can be back to normal by, you know by August” He also said a number of test events throughout the summer would be valuable.
Culture Minister Catherine Martin met with events organisers recently to discuss plans for holding pilot gigs.
A working group is expected to submit their Covid-19 plans which would allow the reopening of the live entertainment sector in the not too distant future.
Westlife currently has two sold-out concerts planned for Páric Uí Chaoimh on Friday and Saturday, August 27 and 28.
MCD Productions have sold 70,000 tickets for the Leeside gigs, and director Denis Desmond said the plan is to push ahead with them.
He said: "That would be my target, I'd be very happy if we get that done.”
Meanwhile, Bon Jovi will perform a live-streamed concert for one night only, which will be screened at three Irish venues this summer, including Cork Racecourse in Mallow on May 22.
The never-before-seen show was recorded live for this one-off event.
Thousands of revellers without face coverings danced shoulder to shoulder to live music at Sefton Park in Liverpool on Sunday for the outdoor gig which included performances from Blossoms, The Lathums and Liverpool singer-songwriter Zuzu.
Everyone had to produce negative coronavirus tests to enter the event but did not have to wear face coverings or follow social distancing rules.
Festival Republic, which hosted the event, said that it was “incredible” to see the lucky 5,000 ticket holders arrive at the venue after showing their negative Covid test results.
Ticket holders were required to take a rapid lateral flow test before entry, and will also be asked to take a test after the event to gather further evidence on the safety of outdoor settings.
Mr Benn told Morning Ireland, "It felt incredibly safe it felt incredibly normal, you know, you were able to chat to people and you were able to hug them.
"It felt like you were in 2019, pre-Covid.”
He said he is now hopeful that the Irish Government will push ahead with test events similar to the Sefton Park gig in Liverpool and get the ball rolling.
The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan was asked about the possibility of seeing outdoor events return by the end of the summer, specifically if he thinks Electric Picnic will be able to go ahead.
In a vague, but optimistic reply, Dr Holohan told RTÉ's News at One: "We are getting ahead, let's say, to make an absolute prediction around that but I would like to think that if we found ourselves in a situation where we had really good progress in terms of the vaccine, where we did not run into any difficulties in terms of variants and so on, that some of the things which are not now possible including outdoor events... might be things we can think about.”
'Some of the things that are not now possible, which include outdoor events... might be things we can think about' - CMO Dr Tony Holohan is non-committal but says events like the Electric Picnic might be under consideration later in the year | Read more: https://t.co/aLAVNCQfaR pic.twitter.com/AsFSF3yA5G
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 10, 2021
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