Out of all the buzzwords to emerge in the Covid-19 pandemic, the phrase 'new normal' is the most fascinating and the deeper you ponder its meaning the more your mind wonders to what the effect will be on attending live sporting, music and cultural events in the future. The antithesis of attending live sport is the concept of 'behind closed doors', which is the only available roadmap for elite sport to make an immediate post-lockdown return. On the other hand, some aspect of culture has been able to continue in a stripped down form using a digital platform, although some may say that virtual interaction is the antithesis of attending a live event, albeit the artist is still practising the art of generating spontaneous content.
It is fairly certain that virtual artistic performance and 'behind closed doors' sport are likely to be at the forefront of what is going to dealt in the foreseeable future, or at least until the summer months of 2020 subside into a seasonal change. Who knows what role these two concepts are going to play in the 'new normal', but it is going to be intriguing finding out. On the arts side, virtual performance kicked into gear from day one, mainly from a position that it did exist as an alternative mode of accessing entertainment, be it in a limited capacity. 'Behind closed doors' sport is playing catch up from day one and is mainly driven from the commercial pressure of maintaining multi-billion pound industries in a media funded world. The latter is untested in the UK with the only guiding point being Germany's ability to get their Bundesliga football underway.
From the perspective of an active live entertainment junkie, response to these two developments has been pondered over the last two months. Accessing live online music had never been entertained pre-lockdown, mainly on the premise that there was so much of the real thing on offer. This carried over during the first six weeks of lockdown until the gig and festival cancellations mounted up alongside the reality that this could well be a long term thing. So a change of attitude emerged to the extent that I am ready to resume the music side of 2020CMS with reflections of what the experience is like digging deeper into the world of online live music. Maybe it won't be as highly structured as the intended scope laid out at the outset of this blog, but then again we are in unchartered waters and likely to be sailing to a 'new normal'.
The sports content is a little hazy at the moment because in effect you are just duplicating watching a game on the TV. Also the prime driver for the football content was watching my team - West Bromwich Albion - and it is far from clear whether they will even return in a 'behind closed doors' capacity to complete the 2019-20 season. However, as stated in music, the world is changing and the whole concept of watching televised sport in lieu of being prohibited from attending live may be one worthy of reflection. So I fully anticipate some football and cricket content in this 'new normal'.
Of course the year may end on a totally different note and many promoters and venues have either re-scheduled shows or booked new ones for the latter months of the year. There is probably a greater chance of attending a live music gig in the presence of 20 other people than being in a crowd of 20,000 at a football match. The overriding factor in any public event being held is the reaction to regulation and both the practicality and viability of anything taking place. So it may well be the case that the landscape of 2020 will remain either virtual or 'behind closed doors''
Ultimately, and rightly so, sport and culture must be put in perspective as the world deals with a pandemic that has cost so many lives, caused great economic destruction and is likely to need major re-shaping in the the future. The reality is life does go on and both have the resilience to bounce back. The key question is: what form and what will be the 'new normal'. Some may wish the 'new nomal' to be exactly like the 'old normal'. I think that may be optimistic and the remaining months of 2020 will at least provide some pointers to what the future will be like.
So far from the mothballed expectations of darkest lockdown, 2020CMS is set to continue with a different scope. Here's to a new chapter.
From the perspective of an active live entertainment junkie, response to these two developments has been pondered over the last two months. Accessing live online music had never been entertained pre-lockdown, mainly on the premise that there was so much of the real thing on offer. This carried over during the first six weeks of lockdown until the gig and festival cancellations mounted up alongside the reality that this could well be a long term thing. So a change of attitude emerged to the extent that I am ready to resume the music side of 2020CMS with reflections of what the experience is like digging deeper into the world of online live music. Maybe it won't be as highly structured as the intended scope laid out at the outset of this blog, but then again we are in unchartered waters and likely to be sailing to a 'new normal'.
The sports content is a little hazy at the moment because in effect you are just duplicating watching a game on the TV. Also the prime driver for the football content was watching my team - West Bromwich Albion - and it is far from clear whether they will even return in a 'behind closed doors' capacity to complete the 2019-20 season. However, as stated in music, the world is changing and the whole concept of watching televised sport in lieu of being prohibited from attending live may be one worthy of reflection. So I fully anticipate some football and cricket content in this 'new normal'.
Of course the year may end on a totally different note and many promoters and venues have either re-scheduled shows or booked new ones for the latter months of the year. There is probably a greater chance of attending a live music gig in the presence of 20 other people than being in a crowd of 20,000 at a football match. The overriding factor in any public event being held is the reaction to regulation and both the practicality and viability of anything taking place. So it may well be the case that the landscape of 2020 will remain either virtual or 'behind closed doors''
Ultimately, and rightly so, sport and culture must be put in perspective as the world deals with a pandemic that has cost so many lives, caused great economic destruction and is likely to need major re-shaping in the the future. The reality is life does go on and both have the resilience to bounce back. The key question is: what form and what will be the 'new normal'. Some may wish the 'new nomal' to be exactly like the 'old normal'. I think that may be optimistic and the remaining months of 2020 will at least provide some pointers to what the future will be like.
So far from the mothballed expectations of darkest lockdown, 2020CMS is set to continue with a different scope. Here's to a new chapter.
