Tim Peacock
Brits could be going to concerts as soon as this summer, but it’s still the worst of times for continental promoters facing pandemic restrictions.
LONDON In February, when the United Kingdom suffered its third national lockdown, Prime Minister
Boris Johnson told the beleaguered live sector that concerts could resume after June 21 without restrictions if certain virus-related health conditions are met. Within days, two of the United Kingdom’s biggest festivals the 185,000-capacity dual-site Reading and Leeds festivals headlined by Liam Gallagher, Stormzy and Post Malone, and the 70,000-capacity Creamfields sold out their late-August dates. Since then, nearly two-thirds of British adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, and U.K. shows scheduled for July and beyond are reporting strong ticket sales, fueling optimism that Europe’s largest touring market will at least partially reopen by mid-summer.