ABSTRACT
In March 2020, live music venues were shuttered because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To gauge the mood and opinions of persons involved in aspects of live performance, a questionnaire was developed. Responses from 19 individuals representing many aspects of the live music portion of the industry were analyzed. These versatile professionals have been resilient during the pandemic. Time not spent traveling on the tour circuit gave some the chance to pursue non-musical interests, foster aspects of music that could be done from home, provided time for reflection and songwriting, and allowed some to complete albums. All of the musicians expressed sympathy for the tribulations experienced by ancillary personnel vital to the operation of live venues and touring. They also expressed sympathy for new musical acts that depended on live performance for audience exposure. The pandemic spawned new musical innovations to pique the interest of the music-consuming public such as subscriptions to view live streaming of performances, and musicians reaching out directly to fans using online services. Such innovations have partially offset some of the revenue lost from being unable to tour and may continue when the pandemic is finally over. Three innovative musical performances during the COVID-19 period are highlighted. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
ABSTRACT
Newspaper comic strip artists in the "funny pages” have approached the subject of the COVID-19 pandemic in a number of ways. There was a delayed reaction to the pandemic because of the significant lead times preceding when the strip appeared in the paper. Some artists chose never to address the pandemic;other strips are "classic” in that they had appeared previously before the pandemic (e.g., Classic Peanuts, For Better or Worse) or were firmly grounded in a different time period (e.g., Prince Valiant) and would not be expected to broach the subject. A variety of aspects of the pandemic were fodder for the strips and panels such as: shortages and rationing, quarantine behavior, hand washing and mask wearing, escapism, family togetherness and its opposite, loneliness, social distancing, virtual meetings and telecommuting. Some of these subjects are exaggerated in an attempt to highlight their humorous, even ludicrous, aspects. Others are especially poignant and pay tribute to health care workers, delivery persons, grocery store employees, teachers, and other unsung heroes helping people get through the worst of the pandemic. Special attention is paid to the themes discussed in the following three comics: Dr. Rex Morgan, MD, Frank and Ernest, and Pearls Before Swine. Thirty-seven comic strips and panels appearing in the daily and Sunday editions of two different Kentucky newspapers to which the author subscribes;they form the basis for the study. These nationally syndicated strips were analyzed from the time of the first stay at home order in mid-March 2020 until the end of February 2021. This examination is exploratory in nature. Trends in the number of cartoons addressing aspects of COVID-19 are analyzed, but more importantly an attempt is made to interpret the themes of the comic strips or panels. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
ABSTRACT
The appearance and subsequent diffusion of COVID-19 forced many bars and restaurants across the United States to close their doors and discontinue normal business practices. This included over 8000 craft breweries. As a result of COVID-19 directives, craft breweries were restricted to curbside pick-up and home delivery of the beer they produced, forcing them to rethink and redesign an important part of their business model. The primary purpose of this chapter is to assess how craft breweries responded to the restrictions placed upon them. A historical review of how the 1918-19 influenza pandemic impacted the brewing industry in the United States is also provided. Similarities between how COVID-19 and the 1918-19 influenza pandemics impacted their period's respective brewing industries are identified. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.