BY BRIANA EDWARDS
The live music industry continues to adapt to pandemic-related challenges. How are artists still squeezing in shows while reducing travel risks?
Artists like BTS and Harry Styles are opting for residencies over tours. In doing so, the artists are selling out multiple shows in a single location as their fans now travel to attend a show.
After canceling their 2020 ‘Map of the Soul’ tour, BTS delighted fans with ‘Permission to Dance on Stage,' bringing a total of 12 shows to Los Angeles, Seoul, and Las Vegas, drawing more than four million audience members.
With the release of his new album, Harry's House, Styles is bringing his ‘Love On Tour’ back to North America with residencies scheduled in five cities.
Despite stopping in only five cities, Styles will perform 32 shows within 80 days. In comparison, the singer completed 42 stops within 85 days during his 2021 tour. Given the similar duration to complete a tour, why did the artist opt for a residency?
Though there's no official answer, one advantage for artists and their teams is reduced travel, which helps minimize COVID-19 exposure and lessens the risk of cancellations, all while still drawing in comparable ticket sales.
Another benefit could include wider profit margins. In comparison to a traditional tour, crew working on residencies will log less hours as they build and deconstruct the stage fewer times. In addition to a cheaper labor bill, residencies also slash travel costs.
Coldplay is making headlines for their environmental initiatives on tour. With more artists striving for sustainability on the road, can we expect to see concert residencies become the new norm due to its economical benefits?