Musicians, promoters look to better days ahead for live entertainment in southern Alberta
The live music industry in Canada, like so many others, has taken a huge hit over the past two years due to postponed and cancelled concerts.
"It's been a tough go for the last two years," said Ron Sakamoto, President and owner of Gold & Gold Productions Ltd.
Sakamoto is a Lethbridge-based, award winning music promoter and has faced his share of speedbumps due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With live concerts being cancelled or rescheduled, he says it's taken a financial toll on the industry.
"The music industry, the musicians, the buildings, they're never going to make this money back and it's multi millions, if not billions," Sakamoto told CTV News.
Fortunately, he says they can see a light at the end of the tunnel, with country music star Johnny Reid, set to start touring in March.
It will be Sakamoto's first scheduled tour since 2020, but they've already had to postpone a portion of it.
"We had to postpone all the Ontario dates that were going to start next month because Ontario is still closed, and we put them into September," he said.
The Lethbridge Symphony also recently announced it will be postponing an upcoming concert due to COVID concerns.
However, some smaller venues, like the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, have been hosting smaller shows since last fall.
"We had a couple concerts before Christmas," said John Wort Hannam, program director for the Empress.
"They were really well attended and what we heard was that people were really excited to come back and be around other humans, carefully and safely and enjoy the shows."
Peter & the Wolves will hit the empress stage in February, marking the first concert of the year at the venue and Hannam says he can't wait to have them play the iconic theatre.
"They play old style, sort of vintage rock and roll," he said.
"They're young kids though and I always think that it's the perfect place to have them, in an old vintage theatre like the Empress Theatre is."
Flyer for a Peter & the Wolves show in Lethbridge.
Peter Cormier, front man for Peter & The Wolves, says he's excited to hit the stage.
"This particular show has actually been postponed at least twice now, as I recall," said Cormier.
"So we've been looking forward to it being possible to put on again."
However, the pandemic has also taken its toll on artists according to Meg Thompson, who plays saxophone and back-up vocals for the band, but she thinks it's important to keep spirits high.
"What I've taken away from this year is to be grateful for when you are busy and not to be mad at it," she told CTV News.
"So here we are in January and we're all right, we're all correct."
Cormier went on to say that despite postponements, they're still out there booking as many gigs as they can get.
"I still consider part of the job just booking shows, whether or not they'll happen or not because they'll happen eventually," he said.
"So I think it's important to just keep on booking them."
In the long term, with the return of live music, there's still one thing everyone agrees on.
"We just want to make sure that everybody is really, really safe," said Sakamoto.
"That's the key to us, that everybody is safe."
The Empress Theatre is following the provincial Restriction Exemption Program and masking and proof a vaccination are required to attend any concerts or events at the venue.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.