Neil Young recently dropped out of performing at Farm Aid 2021 over concerns with pandemic safety. He's now penned a new op-ed on his Archives site titled "Concerts and Covid," pointing the finger at big concert promoters, and saying companies like Live Nation and AEG "should protect the people who are their livelihood."
"I know of tours that are out there and have to stop where they are and isolate in motels because one person among them tested positive," Young writes. "I ask myself, why are they out there?"
"Money and business," is Young's answer to the question. "Money that motivates the spreading. The big promoters are responsible for super spreaders."
"Garth Brooks and others like him have been responsible and pulled back from doing shows," Young also says. "That’s a good example. But it will take big promoters and managers/agents to make the difference. It’s all about the money, I think they should protect the people who are their livelihood."
"Folks see concerts advertised and think it must be OK to go and mingle," Young says at the end of his piece. "It's not. These are super-spreader events, irresponsible Freedom Fests. We need Freedom to be safe. Not a bad example. This could be just the beginning."
You can read Neil Young's whole Archives op-ed below.
CONCERTS AND COVID
Recently I pulled out of Farm Aid for fear that unprotected children may become infected with Covid by folks who went to the show, caught the virus, had no symptoms and returned home to hug their kids or someone else's kids. I felt that we didn't know what we were up against and we were endangering others, unprotected innocent children in particular. I know of tours that are out there and have to stop where they are and isolate in motels because one person among them tested positive. I ask myself, why are they out there?
Money and business. These two need each other. This has been the American way for years and years. Now it has turned on the country in a new way.
Garth Brooks and others like him have been responsible and pulled back from doing shows. That’s a good example. But it will take big promoters and managers/agents to make the difference. It’s all about the money, I think they should protect the people who are their livelihood.
The big promoters, if they had the awareness, could stop these shows. Without that, everyone just keeps going like everything is OK. It’s not. Live Nation, AEG and other big promoters could shut this down if they could just forget about making money for a while...They control much of the entertainment business. They hold the power to stop shows where thousands congregate and spread. It's the money that keeps it going. Money that motivates the spreading. The big promoters are responsible for super spreaders.
These giants of entertainment just renovated a lot of old venues and spent a lot of cash to do that. Now they can't stop selling tickets to pay for it. Money and business. That doesn't make this OK. It's a bad example. Folks see concerts advertised and think it must be OK to go and mingle. It's not. These are super-spreader events, irresponsible Freedom Fests. We need Freedom to be safe. Not a bad example. This could be just the beginning.
