Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, musicians from all over British Columbia were able to perform live shows; host/attend events, and, of course, meet with their fans face-to-face. Throughout life on the road and this sort of lifestyle, artists begin to shape new identities. With every fan, interaction comes more knowledge and delight, and through every performance comes more experience and wisdom. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, however, artists begin to lose touch with their previous lifestyle as it seems to all get further and further away make for new habits and shifting identities. Vancouver indie-folk singer-songwriter Frazey Ford says that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many musicians to ask themselves, “who are they now” as the different lifestyle has seamlessly changed their identities.

Frazey Ford was forced to cancel multiple shows worldwide in Europe, the USA, and Australia. She says, in reference to performing live, “we need to have those communal experiences in order to feel alive.” Like Ford, musicians all over the world are sure of the future of concerts and performing live. Even if governments give the OK for shows to go on, will people be willing to go to the shows? And what if re-opening concerts to the public leads to yet another faze of the pandemic?

There is hope for musicians like Frazey; Ragers Arena has several significant artists scheduled to perform throughout the summer and fall, such as Tame Impala and The Weeknd. In addition, we have seen certain states in the US allow life to go back to normal and have seen packed stadiums since. With the NBA and NHL playoffs currently going on in the US, bigger and bigger crowds are attending every night. With vaccinations being rolled out rapidly and people’s overall just wanting to “go back to normal,” the end of the pandemic as week knows it is on the horizon; it’s just up to us, the people, to make it a reality.