There is still not too much positive news coming from the German concert industry.

A key message of the first nationwide club study, published at the end of May, stands out: in the wake of the pandemic, apparently only a few operators of small venues where the potential stars of tomorrow are taking their first steps have so far given up.

Benjamin Fischer

Editor in business.

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    "The various programs have basically helped clubs immensely," says Axel Ballreich, Chairman of the Association of Music Venues in Germany (LiveKomm), which organizes more than 650 music clubs with a capacity of less than 2000 spectators as well as various smaller festivals.

    Of course, bureaucratic hurdles and sometimes sluggish payments have led to frustration.

    The study shows once again how hard the widely ramified branch of the economy with all its many service providers was hit by the pandemic and continues to be.

    According to the study, the turnover of the arcades fell by 90 percent in 2020.

    Only a few are likely to have had significant reserves.

    "Subdued optimism is currently the order of the day"

    The various small Corona-compliant events last summer were not a particularly worthwhile business for operators, organizers and employees, but at least one and the opportunity to offer some culture. This is what many do this year too, provided that they have an outdoor space available and the local authorities allow concerts there. Axel Ballreich himself is currently planning 45 small shows in a beer garden setting in front of his Nuremberg club "Hirsch".

    Everything in the now known form: Separate seats for the individual groups, distance requirement and mask requirement away from the square. In addition, depending on the incidence, the “3-G rule” should be added. Guests must be fully vaccinated or have recovered. Alternatively, a current rapid test must be presented. Ballreich also acts as the local organizer of the Strandkorb Open Air series in Nuremberg, which, like the "picnic blanket concerts" initiated by the Landstreicher agency, is planned in significantly more cities than in 2020.

    A wide variety of open-air concerts and smaller festivals are to take place across Germany under the well-known Corona rules - often funded, for example with funds from the “Neustart Kultur” program.

    Because for organizers, the bill with artificially reduced capacity due to the distance rules hardly works.

    Even in the normal case, their margin is usually only 7 to 8 percent, if at all.

    In essence, everything is reminiscent of summer 2020.

    Call for more planning security

    "Many events are currently planned with a capacity of around 1000 spectators and some keep the option to increase to 2000 or a little more," says Stephan Thanscheidt, head of the concert and festival organizer FKP Scorpio. Larger festivals are hardly planned for this summer. The company, which belongs to CTS Eventim, canceled its festivals, which usually take place at the end of June or mid-July, such as Southside, Hurricane or Deichbrand, in mid-March. At the same time, the falling corona numbers and the progress in vaccination are also raising hope in the industry.