Paris (AFP)

"We have a feeling of abandonment": the current music industry is still depressed, while the ban on standing concerts still greatly paralyzes its activity in the current health context.

"Annoyance, desolation, fed up, that's what we feel: we are the only sector that has not recovered, while fairs and trade shows will be able to do so from September 1," said sorry to AFP Aurélie Hannedouche, of the Syndicate of current music (Sma).

The latest messages sent by the Ministry of Culture concerning the large gauges have further darkened the horizon. On August 4, the institution of the rue de Valois indicated that cultural gatherings of more than 5,000 people could be authorized, as of August 15, by the prefects while respecting "certain sanitary conditions". But two days later, the ministry issued a "corrective": "The rule prohibiting gatherings of more than 5,000 people, unless authorized by the prefect, will be reviewed very soon, with regard to the evolution of the epidemic ".

"We have the impression that we will be given a positive or negative signal only two or three days before September 1, but as we have repeated since the cessation of our activities due to the pandemic, this is not done in a snap, it takes rehearsals, promotion, etc. ", continues the representative of Sma.

- "No visibility" -

And the press release of August 4 was not in itself good news since it insisted on maintaining, among other things, the separation of a seat between two people or groups of people. However, music professionals - organizers, technicians, artists, etc. - recalled their "desire" for "a 100% recovery of the public capacities of places from September 1, 2020" in an open letter to the government of July 23 .

Because organizing concerts with degraded gauges, as industry players say, i.e. with reduced reception capacities - and with spectators seated and not standing - is not economically viable in most cases. , whatever the size of the rooms which have pits.

Aware that the date of September 1 "is more and more difficult to envisage for questions inherent in the programming and the organization of tours in particular", the signatories of this letter demanded "clear and coherent perspectives of scenarios and deadlines from the next defense council ".

They are still unanswered. "We still have no visibility, said Aurélie Hannedouche. The ticket offices for September are open, should we close them, cancel them? We would need for that, in the face of insurance, a decree, a decree".

- SOS help plan -

Singer Matt Pokora does not say anything else on his social networks: "It would be easier for everyone to ban gatherings. It is not for us to cancel". "We are 1.3 million people in events (technicians, catering, drivers, hostesses, security, cleaning, performance halls, equipment rental, refreshments etc ...)", details the star, who denounces measures "impossible to apply (this famous gap seat) when all the tickets have already been sold for months". Matt Pokora had planned to resume his "Pyramid Tour" on September 15 at Bercy, renamed Accor Arena.

Pascal Nègre, figure of show business, ex-president of Universal Music France and ex-vice president of Universal Music International, also believes on Twitter that "it is time for the Ministry of Culture to stop playing with words and therefore the artists and the public! ". "You have to have the courage to say that there will be no concert this year and put a real aid plan in place for the affected sector!", He concludes. A tweet approved and relayed by the singer Slimane, rewarded for his duet with Vitaa at the last Victoires de la Musique.

© 2020 AFP