I though Ken had posted a topic about :how was your summer" but it seems gone. So since the Labor Day weekend here is over and for most the summer has concluded, how was your summer?

We had many here just a few weeks/months ago that were doubting performances would return this summer, I had said and believed that this summer would return to performances in may markets, and that we would wee record numbers in bot audiences and bookings. I am just returning from several months on the road working my summer season and I must say it was fantastic! Record audiences and crowds, strong bookings, few COVID concerns or alterations at the shows, a couple of rain-outs, but a once of the strongest summers in over a decade for sure.

The same is also true for talent bookings through my agencies and production company (events).

So how was yours???

We have a little thread on Little Darlings about this, and 3 or 4 of us said we had the busiest summer in a long time. I'm concerned it may be slow after October because it will be too cold for outdoor stuff and a lot of clients, understandably, don't want to do indoor events, or just have small parties or Zoom parties. I don't think I did any company picnics or open houses this year, but there was plenty of other gigs so it didn't matter.

Thanks Dan. How is your holiday season/4th quarter at this time?

Not good! Usually I do pretty well in December with no real marketing other than a few websites, so this is not a good sign. I'm guessing people are waiting to see how Corona pans out closer to December, and it will be slower than usual. Of course concerts and events are happening now and people are tired of not going out. I haven't done Zoom shows in several months, I will do them but they are much harder in some ways so I'm not looking forward to it.

My summer was not good at all, but most of that was entirely on me because I just wasn't anxious enough to get back out there that soon. While I did play one festival date, I turned down a few other requests. Also, I purposely did not market my services whatsoever this year to get summer shows.

Right now I have a number of Sept-Oct festivals booked.

While my upcoming Christmas season was initially in doubt, that has now changed. So far, all but one of my former clients has re-booked for late November and December shows, some of which are indoors. I put a new clause in my contract for this year. If COVID gets out of hand, clients can cancel up to 72 hours before the show with no financial penalties. Normally I would NEVER do something like that. This year I felt that clause was needed. As for corporate holiday parties, my guess is many will not host events this coming year. From what I have been reading, firms are still being cautious and some groups are delaying going back to work until sometime in early 2022.

Several weeks ago I attended a big indoor rock concert featuring a top name group. It was a very decent crowd, but there were still many empty seats. I believe I had to show my COVID vaccination papers to get through the door. I know we were required to wear masks.

Gerry

The summer was fantastic! But the future is still a big question mark. Traditionally, because of the number of school assemblies I book, October is my biggest month. But I have zero assemblies booked. Just one tentative for an outdoor assembly which could easily be cancelled because of weather even if they do book.

On a personal note, we were very seriously considering a trip to Vegas in November, including going to see Copperfield. But once we found out they have a city wide mask mandate we decided against it.

I can't imagine doing business any other way these days!

This is interesting as companies are changing on almost a daily basis what they do to cope with this. For a while Spirit Airlines sort of had the attitude that you knew about the coronavirus when you bought your ticket! HA! Well they have evolved that policy many times and you have to check on the company almost daily to see what their actual position really is any more.

Here where I am at if you don't watch the news, you would never really even know there was a global problem. No joke.

I don't take a position either way. I will confess to having been vaccinated. (Hate me if you will.) I travel for work. I work in places like New York and LA. I deal with the public a LOT. So I simply decided to make my life easier and vaccinate. It was a financial decision more than a medical one.

My summer has gone well. I live in a town that has had the best season in decades. We are drive to and less than a days drive from half the country. The airlines will soon put in place a vaccination mandate to fly. This will BOOM our town here.

This summer was slower for me, as well. Much like last year. I did some shows, mostly outdoors.

- Donald

Summer was very busy. Many requests for quotes. Raised my rates significantly and still got bookings. Revenue is up from two years ago (before Covid). Many shows were outdoors, but also had about as many indoors. Concern about masking and distancing varied widely from one customer to the next. Really inconsistent. By now, however, I should be seeing a lot of October gigs and some December gigs, but this is not the case right now. I am usually very busy during the holidays, but it seems that customers are a bit slow this year for holiday bookings. If we can make it through the winter, next year should be awesome.

Thanks everyone for sharing their thoughts and outcomes here. I think this brings up a great point about the upcoming holiday season. I have referred before to the holiday season following 9/11. It was a turning point for all performers that remembered performing at the the large parties in hotel grand ballrooms of hundred to thousands of attendees (employees and spouses/significant others). It was a huge turning point that never recovered or the same again.

Sure eventually holiday events came back but were cut way back or down to more departmentalized events. So it is likely this holiday season could be affected and slower than the more recent norm.