Busses Ready to Rev Up For Concerts

Want to know what it looks like when live music goes from zero to 100?  Ask the bus guy. 

“Our fleet is in the mid-50s and last year they were all sitting,” said Doug Oliver, general manager of Pioneer Coach, a Nashville-based tour bus provider, “and this late summer they’re gonna all be out.” 

The Tennessean reports engines revving on more than 50 buses represent dozens of Nashville musicians ready to roll down roads in a return to stages after crippling COVID-19 cancelations cost live music $30 billion in 2020, according to Pollstar, leaving crew members unemployed and club floors empty. 

But — as with most entertainment gatekeepers aiming to return to “normal” in cities where COVID-19 remains a threat — there may be bumps in the road. Arguably never before have more major artists and venues attempted to simultaneously transition from virtually no shows to bursting at the seams with live, in-person opportunities.  

Behind the scenes, venue owners, promoters and agents juggle varying COVID-19 restrictions with overflowing concert hall schedules, crisscross tour routing and ticketbuyers who, while eager to return to events, may need to make tough decisions on where to spend concert money. 

“... We're seeing more and more markets open up, and by the end of summer we'll see coast-to-coast tours and mostly full capacity buildings,” said Ray Waddell, president of media and conferences for Oak View Group, parent company of music trade publication Pollstar. “Next year, full go.”

States with relaxed COVID-19 guidelines, such as Texas, Florida and Tennessee, could see major concerts earlier in touring schedules than those with slower rollbacks, such as Illinois, California or New York. 

Some artists may push for outdoor gigs in amphitheaters or at festivals before committing to indoor performances. Country artist Brad Paisley confirmed his return to the road earlier this week, with largely outdoor shows booked in the South and Midwest before heading West.