Manitoba music industry derailed once again by Omicron-inspired cancellations, postponements

After a brief return to near-normal concerts this summer, the Manitoba music industry is suffering another blow as concerts are being cancelled due to the contagious Omicron coronavirus variant.

Six shows at the Burton Cummings theatre have been postponed and two shows at Canada Life Centre were cancelled due to the latest wave of the pandemic, says a spokesperson from True North Sports and Entertainment. 

It's even worse at The Park Theatre in south Osborne. Talent buyer Cory Thomas says all of the venue's January bookings are cancelled and February doesn't look good. 

"It's still a big feeling of uncertainty, it feels like a big psych-out every time," he said. "It's so frustrating." 

Thomas says he doesn't blame bands for staying away. International acts have to get their work visas in advance, hire road crews and buy airfare — costs that can't necessarily be recouped if public health orders change. 

Now there's a growing backlog of postponed shows with no guarantee they'll be be rescheduled. Thomas says after 26 years in the music industry, he's at a loss. 

"Everyone is so beaten down mentally, and I just don't know where it's going to go," he said. "But I have to remain positive." 

Touring hardest hit

Ever-changing restrictions and case numbers aren't just keeping international artists out — they're also preventing local musicians from hitting the road. 

"It definitely has not made life in the music world easy," said Anthony "Tony4QR" Carvalho, the DJ for hip hop outfit 3PEAT.

Carvalho says pre-pandemic, the band played over 30 gigs a year and had started touring in Europe. Things were looking up before this latest pandemic wave.

Manitoba roots group the Small Glories was set to tour B.C. this month. Bandleader Cara Luft said before the pandemic, 95 per cent of the duo's work came from live performances and touring. 

But on Tuesday, the band's west coast dates were postponed. Luft says her bandmate JD Edwards is quarantining. His children are too young to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the youngest tested positive for the virus. 

This setback comes after the band's fall tour was also postponed. 

"We're feeling it financially, we're also feeling it really emotionally," she said. "We also want to do our job, and that means getting in front of people." 

In early 2020, the Small Glories had garnered accolades, including a Juno nomination, and had booked two years worth of work.

Many local musicians have seen hard-won career progress derailed, says Sean McManus, the executive director of Manitoba Music. 

McManus says artists need engaged audiences to stream their music, but those audiences are hard to build without connecting through live performances. 

"We have, over the past two years, figured out how to put more energy into the virtual side," he said. "But the need to be back in person in front of people is really significant." 

Luft agrees that though virtual shows are a good interim solution, they're not the same.

Government supports 'a lifesaver'

In Manitoba, the arts and culture sector is a $1.6 billion industry and employs more than 20,000 people, according to Statistics Canada. 

But within the first four months of the pandemic, arts workers in the province reported a 48 per cent loss of income, a survey from the Manitoba Arts Council found. 

Other industries have been able to reopen and operate at some capacity over the past 22 months, but it's been one step forward, two steps back for arts and entertainment. The lack of live music means less work for everyone in the industry – from bands, to promoters, photographers, bartenders and technical staff. 

Thomas says he's confident music fans will return to The Park Theatre when it's safe, but he's worried about what the industry will lose as workers find more reliable work. He does his talent booking at night and has found a day job so he can support his family.

While government support during the pandemic has been a lifeline keeping artists and venues afloat, McManus says it's not as robust as it used to be. 

Ottawa has expanded eligibility for the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) to make it accessible for arts workers, a spokesperson from the office of Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said. The benefit pays $300 a week to employed and self-employed people who cannot work due to a lockdown.

But McManus says the eligibility criteria still leaves people out, and the sector desperately needs a plan for long-term recovery. 

"It's not like we can just turn it on," he said. "We know that there's still a long recovery ahead of us."

That big picture recovery was on the agenda for a national summit to be hosted by Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez later this month. But on Jan. 10, the minister announced that due to Omicron, it would be postponed until meeting live and in-person is safe.

In the meantime, the minister's office says the government is devoting $60 million to fund new and expand existing industry-led initiatives, though there's no timeline yet on when the funds will be rolled out. 

McManus says Manitoba Music was looking forward to tackling arts recovery, so the delay is disappointing. But he understands the sentiment. 

"Certainly in terms of music, you know, there's certain things that just don't have the same impact remotely," he said. "I guess he felt the same about the summit." 

Manitoba music industry derailed once again by Omicron

3 years ago

Duration 2:32

After a brief return to near-normal concerts this summer, the Manitoba music industry is suffering another blow as concerts are being cancelled due to the contagious Omicron coronavirus variant.