OPINION: Music gigs back with a twist

Casting our minds back to when music gigs and festivals were packing out venues throughout the State, no one could have imagined that one year later live music would be tentatively recovering from a total shutdown.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way our world works. Whether it be our jobs, travel or hygiene regimes, many curve balls have been thrown our way.

Last week, I went along to The Rubens concert at Albany Entertainment Centre — the first stop on the band’s WA leg of their 0202 album tour.

Hosted in the main theatre of the AEC, it was a seated gig.

This got me thinking, is this the new reality for a music concert for the foreseeable future?

Sitting in the cosy cushioned seat of the Princess Royal Theatre with a drink in hand, it felt oddly similar to waiting for a theatre performance or stage musical to emerge from behind the red curtain.

I was in fact waiting for an Aussie alternative rock band that would have normally filled a more gig-friendly space with eager fans standing shoulder to shoulder.

There was still a big buzz among the crowd as Albany musician Kris Nelson got the action under way.

If people were disappointed at not being able to experience The Rubens gig at its full potential, they certainly didn’t make it known.

Like many other experiences in our lives right now, we have had to adapt.

These restrictions won’t last forever, and they remind us to appreciate things that we might have taken for granted.

Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, we should seize the chance to enjoy live performance whenever and however we can.