The pandemic has taken away or greatly changed the livelihoods of many; and musicians may be among the hardest hit.

With no end in sight on restrictions on large gatherings, many musicians are longing for the feeling of playing in front of a live audience 害羞草研究所� something that has been basically impossible since March 2020.

Even prior to the pandemic, finding spaces to play shows in Penticton has always been a challenge, according to Stephanie Lines the lead singer of Penticton-based band Yarrows.

The diminishing number of venues in the city has long been a concern for artists in the local music scene, Lines said.

害羞草研究所淧enticton has had an ongoing venue challenge to be honest and it害羞草研究所檚 getting frighteningly worse because the small businesses are finding it so hard and shutting down,害羞草研究所� Lines said.

害羞草研究所淔or us as well, we tend to play music that is a bit more punk-rock or experimental and so having venues that will actually appreciate having us is very challenging害羞草研究所� but it continues to get worse with the housing crisis and now with COVID.

害羞草研究所淔or me, it害羞草研究所檚 pretty scary to look at the future of shows.害羞草研究所�

Despite a trying year, lines and her band managed to release the bands害羞草研究所� debut album Stardust Motor Inn this summer.

The three-piece band害羞草研究所檚 debut album 害羞草研究所� named after a now defunct Penticton motel 害羞草研究所� aims to convey Penticton害羞草研究所檚 unique dichotomy of natural beauty and 害羞草研究所渓anguid slowness害羞草研究所� through their blend of psychedelic country and existential dream rock.

In a normal year, the album害羞草研究所檚 release would have been met with a handful of local shows and likely a tour, but due to COVID-19 that wasn害羞草研究所檛 possible.

The band was able to perform a small, outdoor, socially distanced show for their album release party in August, but that was the extent of the album害羞草研究所檚 live promotion to date.

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Rob McLaren, one half of Kelowna duo , has been organizing and performing concerts in Penticton for over 15 years.

While he害羞草研究所檚 been frustrated with not being able to play shows, he understand the severity of the pandemic and the importance of the public health orders. 害羞草研究所淭he last thing I personally want to do is minimize a crisis because I害羞草研究所檓 inconvenienced,害羞草研究所� McLaren said.

McLaren also said COVID-19 has brought new opportunities for creativity.

害羞草研究所淚 think as musicians we have to kind of live like this (COVID) isn害羞草研究所檛 going way害羞草研究所� I think we have to think creatively. Working in Penticton as a musician, you害羞草研究所檙e already running the gauntlet with how to be creative with like-minded people.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e played on-top of a parkade because that害羞草研究所檚 what somebody thought up, you have to continually evolve in this town because there害羞草研究所檚 no way you害羞草研究所檙e going to be able to present (your music) and COVID is just a new hurdle to jump over.害羞草研究所�

Many live-streamed virtual performances have taken place during the pandemic, offering at least some way for musicians to play live for their fans. But for obvious reasons the experience just isn害羞草研究所檛 the same for both fans and artists. For some musicians, virtual performances aren害羞草研究所檛 even worth the time.

McLaren himself has struggled to adapt to live-streaming performances.

害羞草研究所淭he little imperfections that make a live performance beautiful live are the same things that kill it on a stream,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲hen somebody害羞草研究所檚 consuming music through a phone or a computer you害羞草研究所檙e kind of in a space where 害羞草研究所� for better or worse 害羞草研究所� you害羞草研究所檙e conditioned for perfection.害羞草研究所�

While live-streamed performances may not be the permanent answer, they do at least offer some form of interaction with bands.

In Penticton, music fans will soon have another way of catching live performances from a distance. The local community radio station, Peach City Community Radio Society 92.9 CFUZ-FM, was recently awarded a grant that will help launch a new series showcasing live, on-air performances by local musicians.

Video and audio content from the performance will then be created from the performances and shared online.

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Lines is hopeful that her band Yarrows will be able to book a slot for a live, on-air performance with CFUZ in the near future.

Having just launched an album, Lines said the pandemic has made promoting her band害羞草研究所檚 first release very challenging. 害羞草研究所淭ouring and playing shows is really when you害羞草研究所檙e able to connect with other musicians and music lovers害羞草研究所� without that we害羞草研究所檙e a little lost,害羞草研究所� she said.

Despite this, she said the local community has received the album very well and has been very supportive.

The pandemic has also been very tough financially for bands who rely on touring and merchandise sales for most of their revenue.

On top of being able to promote themselves and gain new followers at shows, many artists also generate the majority of their revenue by playing shows. Streaming services such a Spotify and Apple Music are hardly profitable for smaller artists. Spotify currently pays artists $0.004 per stream, meaning an artist would need to log 1000 streams to earn $4. Apple Music pays $0.00783 per stream.

Lines said 害羞草研究所渂uying music害羞草研究所� is the best way to support local musicians during the pandemic. is the ideal platform to purchase music through, as artists get paid directly through the website, Lines said.

Locally, she said buying records from local shops like the Grooveyard record store is a great way to get started supporting local musicians.

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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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