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Satellite image of Burning Man 2012

Satellite image of Burning Man 2012

Photo: DigitalGlobe via Getty Images

News
Burning Man 2020 Canceled Due To Coronavirus burning-man-2020-canceled-due-coronavirus-pandemic-announces-virtual-festival

Burning Man 2020 Canceled Due To Coronavirus Pandemic, Announces Virtual Festival

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The cancelation marks the first time the festival, which was to celebrate its 34th installment this year, will not be held onsite
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Apr 11, 2020 - 11:22 am

Burning Man, the annual weeklong arts, culture, music and community gathering held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada, has canceled its 2020 edition due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. Organizers for the event, originally scheduled to take place August 30-September 7, officially announced the festival's cancelation in a post shared on the official Burning Man website Friday (April 10), citing "the painful reality of COVID-19."

The cancelation marks the firs time the festival, which was to celebrate its 34th installment this year, will not be held onsite, according to The New York Times. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-0m1RkBsKo

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A post shared by Burning Man Project (@burningman)

"After much listening, discussion, and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision not to build Black Rock City in 2020," the statement read, referring to the "temporary city" built in the Black Rock Desert that hosts Burning Man each year. "Given the painful reality of COVID-19, one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, we believe this is the right thing to do. Yes, we are heartbroken. We know you are too. In 2020 we need human connection and Immediacy more than ever. But public health and the well-being of our participants, staff, and neighbors in Nevada are our highest priorities."

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

In place of a physical event this year, the festival will instead launch Virtual Black Rock City 2020, a "virtual metropolis" serving as an online version of Burning Man to be hosted in what organizers are calling "the Multiverse," which is the festival's theme this year; an interactive form for the virtual festival is currently live and collecting information and suggestions from attendees interested in the online event.

"We look forward to welcoming you to Virtual Black Rock City 2020," the statement read. "We're not sure how it's going to come out; it will likely be messy and awkward with mistakes. It will also likely be engaging, connective, and fun."

In addition to the statement, Marian Goodell, CEO of the Burning Man Project, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization overseeing the event, shared a video message explaining the event's cancelation.

"I am not here to tell you we are canceling Burning Man," she said in the video. "No. Burning Man is a culture, it's a movement. We are not defined by one aspect of Burning Man. We are defined by what we bring to Burning Man … I am here to tell that we will not be collaborating on Black Rock City in the desert this summer."

Festival organizers are working on providing refunds to those who purchased tickets. However, they are also encouraging current ticket-holders to donate all or a portion of the ticket price to the Burning Man Project, the event's parent nonprofit organization. As well, the organization noted it will "require substantial staff layoffs, pay reductions, and other belt-tightening measures" to ensure it "stays operational into next year's event season."  

"We're committed to providing refunds to those who need them, but we're also committed to keeping Burning Man culture alive and thriving, and to ensuring our organization stays operational into next year's event season — which will require substantial staff layoffs, pay reductions, and other belt-tightening measures," the statement reads. "Burning Man Project's survival is going to depend on ingenuity and generosity. Luckily, our community is rich in both.

Whether you have already purchased a ticket, have been waiting for the Main Sale, or are simply supportive of our vision and mission — if you have the means, it is our sincerest hope that you will consider donating all or a portion of your ticket value, and/or making a tax-deductible donation to Burning Man Project. This is going to be a tough year for us, as we know it will be for you, but we will get through it together."

Read: Pickathon's 60 Concerts in 60 Days: Margo Price, Drive-By Truckers, Tank And The Bangas, Ex Hex & More

After selling a first round of tickets in March, Burning Man postponed registration and the on-sale date for its main ticket sale last month (March 30), according to Billboard. In a post announcing the sale postponement, festival organizers addressed the possibility of canceling the 2020 event due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

"We are exploring every possible option for offering refunds if the 2020 event is canceled," the statement read. "Our terms and conditions state that tickets are non-refundable 'for any reason,' but we recognize how unusual this situation is, and are sensitive to the financial insecurity many in our community are facing. At the same time, building a city in the desert requires year-round planning and preparation; we have dozens of permanent employees who work full-time creating Black Rock City. We also facilitate year-round nonprofit programming including Burners Without Borders, the Regional Network, and Fly Ranch. Issuing refunds would be challenging for our nonprofit, but we are examining all possible scenarios that would enable all of us to weather this storm." 

Last month, festival organizers shared multiple coronavirus-related updates, including posts on March 18 and March 20 that indicated the 2020 event would proceed as planned. "We believe the responsible course is to proceed with caution and not make a premature decision one way or the other. For now, we are going to continue to thoughtfully and mindfully prepare for Black Rock City 2020," one of the posts read.

Burning Man is the latest event to be canceled or postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since March, Peter Gabriel's WOMAD festival, Governors Ball, Glastonbury, Isle Of Wight, Download, All Points East, Lovebox and Parklife, Bonnaroo, New Orleans Jazz Fest, BottleRock Napa Valley, the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Coachella and Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival, SXSW, Lollapalooza Argentina, Something In The Water, Treefort Music Fest, Afro Nation Puerto Rico, Brussels' Listen! Festival, Record Store Day and several other major events and festivals around the world were called off or rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund Surpasses $10M Raised To Help Music People Severely Impacted By Coronavirus Crisis

Crowd shot at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2019

Crowd shot at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2019

Photo: Xavi Torrent/WireImage

News
Primavera Sound Barcelona 2021 Lineup Announced primavera-sound-barcelona-2021-bad-bunny-charli-xcx-tyler-creator-strokes-fka-twigs-and

Primavera Sound Barcelona 2021: Bad Bunny, Charli XCX, Tyler, The Creator, The Strokes, FKA twigs And More Confirmed

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Following a recent postponement, the celebrated Spanish festival has announced the first 100 artists for its 20th anniversary next June
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
May 27, 2020 - 1:24 pm

After its 2020 edition was postponed to next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Primavera Sound Barcelona has today (May 27) announced the first 100 artists confirmed for its 2021 installment. The initial lineup features "a majority of artists who reconfirm their presence at the festival," according to a blog post shared on the event's official website announcing the 2021 artist roster, including Bad Bunny, Tyler, The Creator, The Strokes, Pavement, Bikini Kill and several other previously announced artists. Newly added artists include Charli XCX, Tame Impala, Gorillaz, FKA twigs, Jamie xx and Jorja Smith, among many others.

The five-day festival, now taking place June 2-6, 2021, in Barcelona, Spain, was originally scheduled to celebrate its 20-year anniversary next month (June 3-7). In late March, the festival was postponed to August due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month (May 11), Primavera Sound Barcelona 2020 was ultimately postponed to next year, with the festival citing force majeure. The festival will now celebrate its 20th anniversary during the newly rescheduled dates in June 2021. 

More artists, including acts confirmed for the original 2020 lineup and new additions, will be announced over the next few months, according to the Primavera Sound Barcelona website. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAsCS1YIzmo

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A post shared by Primavera Sound (@primavera_sound)

In the blog post, festival organizers addressed the impact the coronavirus pandemic has made on Primavera Sound Barcelona and the "hard times" it has caused for everyone involved.

"The entire Primavera Sound Barcelona team would like to acknowledge that we really appreciate all the messages of support, for the understanding and encouragement that we have received over the past few weeks," the post reads. "These are hard times for everyone and to feel that so many people are looking forward to collective events like our festival pushes us to work with more passion than ever …

"Whoever said that the second chances are never good did not imagine that we would experience something like what is happening this 2020. With the whole world on pause due to the evolution of the global pandemic and with the live music sector holding its breath facing a summer without festivals, we can only look forward: towards 2021, specifically, the year in which we are going to recover everything that will be pending from 2020."

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

The 2021 installment of Primavera Sound Barcelona will debut Brunch -On The Beach, a brand-new closing party on the beach. The inaugural event, which was originally announced for the 2020 iteration of the festival this past February, will now take place Sunday, June 6, 2021, and will feature DJ sets from Disclosure, Nina Kraviz, Amelie Lens and Black Coffee. 

Tickets for Primavera Sound Barcelona 2021 will go on sale June 3 at 6 a.m. EST/noon CEST. All tickets purchased for the 2020 festival are valid for the 2021 edition. That same day, the festival will begin to offer exchanges and refunds for those who purchased tickets for the 2020 festival. 

To view the full lineup and to purchase tickets for Primavera Sound Barcelona 2021, visit the festival's official website. 

All Points East Festival Launches "Ten Days Of All Points East" Content Hub

Taboo (L) and Will.I.Am (R) of The Black Eyed Peas perform in 2019

Taboo (L) and Will.I.Am (R) of The Black Eyed Peas perform in 2019

Photo: Sam Tabone/WireImage

News
Supersonic 2020: Black Eyed Peas, Steve Aoki, More japans-supersonic-2020-black-eyed-peas-steve-aoki-clean-bandit-asian-kung-fu-generation

Japan's Supersonic 2020: Black Eyed Peas, Steve Aoki, Clean Bandit, Asian Kung-Fu Generation And More Confirmed

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The festival announced the lineup additions during the coronavirus pandemic, noting, "Under these difficult circumstances, the entire Supersonic staff is working to welcome the audience in the best form possible this fall"
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
May 20, 2020 - 9:43 am

Supersonic, the new multi-day, multi-city Japanese music festival, has unveiled its second artist lineup announcement for its first-ever edition this fall. The three-day event, taking place Sept. 19-21 in Tokyo and Osaka, has confirmed additional artists Black Eyed Peas, Steve Aoki, Clean Bandit and others. The festival has also added local Japanese artists including Asian Kung-Fu Generation, one of Japan's leading rock bands, Nulbarich, BiSH, chelmico and several others. 

They join headliners and other confirmed acts like Post Malone, The 1975, Skrillex, Wu-Tang Clan, Liam Gallagher, Fatboy Slim and Kygo, who were previously announced in early April.

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A post shared by SUMMER SONIC / SUPERSONIC 2020 (@summersonic_official)

The lineup news comes as the coronavirus pandemic has decimated the festival and live music industry since mid-March, essentially shutting down the global concert business. At the time of this writing, Japan has more than 17,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 778 coronavirus-related deaths, according to The New York Times. In early April, the country declared a state of emergency and this week fell into a recession for the first time since 2015, The New York Times reports.

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

In a blog post shared on the festival's website announcing the lineup additions, organizers addressed the "difficult circumstances" the COVID-19 pandemic has caused.

"Under these difficult circumstances, the entire Supersonic staff is working to welcome the audience in the best form possible this fall while exploring a new form for the festival from now on," the post reads. "We thank you for your understanding and cooperation."

Supersonic is produced by the team behind Summer Sonic, one of Japan's biggest music festivals that's held annually over the summer in Tokyo and Osaka. Festival organizers postponed this year's installment of Summer Sonic to 2021 due to the 2020 Summer Olympics and Summer Paralympics, which were originally scheduled to take place in Tokyo this summer before the global sporting event itself was also postponed to next year, and instead introduced Supersonic for this year only, Japan Web Magazine reports.

Last August, Summer Sonic celebrated its 20-year anniversary with a lineup that featured Red Hot Chili Peppers, BLACKPINK, The Chainsmokers, Weezer and more. Attracting 135,000 visitors over three days, Summer Sonic become Japan's biggest outdoor music festival last year, IQ reports.

How Will Coronavirus Shift Electronic Music? Maceo Plex, Paul Van Dyk, Luttrell, Mikey Lion & DJ Manager Max Leader Weigh In

Crowd shot at WOMAD Festival 2017

Crowd shot at WOMAD Festival 2017

Photo: C Brandon/Redferns

News
WOMAD 2020 Canceled Due To Coronavirus Pandemic peter-gabriels-womad-festival-2020-canceled-due-coronavirus-pandemic

Peter Gabriel's WOMAD Festival 2020 Canceled Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

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In a statement, Gabriel said many of the artists originally confirmed for this year's festival "have already offered, or agreed," to return for 2021
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Apr 8, 2020 - 9:35 am

WOMAD (World Of Music, Arts And Dance) festival, the international music and arts festival from Genesis founding member Peter Gabriel and others, has canceled its 2020 edition in the U.K. due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. Originally scheduled to take place July 23-26 at Charlton Park in Wiltshire, England, the festival, which featured headliners The Flaming Lips, Angélique Kidjo, Kate Tempest and Fatoumata Diawara, among many others, is confirmed to return next year (July 22-25), according to the updated dates on the event's official website. 

https://twitter.com/WOMADfestival/status/1247843177505132545

WOMAD Festival 2020 update. https://t.co/UCISGS4G5x pic.twitter.com/FpZ1X2klGT

— WOMAD UK (@WOMADfestival) April 8, 2020

Festival organizers announced the event's cancellation via statements from Gabriel and the WOMAD team, both shared on the festival's official website and social media accounts today (April 8). In his statement, Gabriel said many of the artists originally confirmed for this year's festival "have already offered, or agreed," to return for 2021.

"Like many others, we have been hoping, waiting and watching the Coronavirus situation," Gabriel wrote. "Finally, we have been told that we will not be allowed to hold WOMAD this year at Charlton Park.

"Safety for all of our festivalgoers, artists and our own staff surpasses everything.

All of us involved with WOMAD have already been really touched by the help and generous offers of many of those we depend on to make the festival come to life. Many of the artists have already offered, or agreed, to play for us next year and we will now put our energies into making a great WOMAD 2021."

"We hope to see you all at Charlton Park next year for a big celebration, when we've put this meanie back in the bottle," he continued, alluding to the festival's return in 2021. "Your love and support for the dream that is WOMAD, has always meant a lot to us, but especially now."

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

"Following a meeting with the Licensing authority, the combined emergency services and taking fully into account the government advice on halting the spread of the virus, it is clear, that in order to meet our goal of protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of the whole community there is no way we can go ahead with WOMAD 2020," a statement from the wider WOMAD team read. "We are devastated but confident that this is the right and responsible decision and that we have to play our part in helping the country stay safe and to recover."

For ticket holders for its canceled 2020 U.K. edition, WOMAD is offering a transfer of tickets for the 2021 edition or full refunds. For those who paid for their tickets in installments, the festival is allowing a temporary pause on payments to be picked up again next year for WOMAD 2021 or refunds for the face value of the tickets. More information about ticket transfers and refunds is available on the festival website.

The festival, which originally announced its initial lineup this past February, posted an update about the event's U.K. edition last month (March 19). "At WOMAD we are examining the advice of the government, other authorities and of course the healthcare professionals before making a final decision on what actions we should be taking to lead by example and help to keep everyone in the WOMAD community safe and well," the statement read. 

In February, WOMAD postponed what was to be its first-ever edition in Mexico, originally scheduled for March 27–29, "due to events outside of our control," according to a post shared on the festival's website. While no new dates have been announced, WOMAD Mexico will return "later in the year," the post reads. 

WOMAD has already completed three international festivals in 2020, including installments in Chile in February and in Australia and New Zealand in March. 

WOMAD is the latest festival to be canceled or postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since March, Governors Ball, Glastonbury, Isle Of Wight, Download, All Points East, Lovebox and Parklife, Bonnaroo, New Orleans Jazz Fest, BottleRock Napa Valley, the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Coachella and Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival, SXSW, Lollapalooza Argentina, Something In The Water, Treefort Music Fest, Afro Nation Puerto Rico, Brussels' Listen! Festival, Record Store Day and several other major events and festivals around the world were called off or rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MusiCares COVID-19 Fund: MCR's Frank Iero, Rita Wilson & Naughty By Nature, Ellie & Drew Holcomb & More Support With Livestreams & Beyond

CupcakKe performs at POP Montreal 2019

CupcakKe performs at POP Montreal 2019

 

Photo: Stacy Lee

News
POP Montreal 2020 Full Lineup Announced pop-montreal-2020-lineup-backxwash-flore-laurentienne-plants-animals

POP Montreal Announces Full Artist Lineup For 2020 Hybrid Virtual And Live Festival Format: Backxwash, Flore Laurentienne, Plants & Animals And More Confirmed

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Canada's long-running eclectic music festival will include a combination of livestreamed concerts as well as live shows, which will feature safety measures including required face masks, social distancing and on-site attendee registration
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Sep 9, 2020 - 4:16 pm

POP Montreal, Canada's long-running eclectic music festival, has announced the full musical lineup for its 2020 edition, which will take place as a hybrid virtual and live festival format this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

The five-day event, running September 23-27, will feature a combination of live concerts in several venues across the Rialto Theatre complex, the ornate venue in Montreal hosting part of the festival, as well as local venues Le Ministère and URSA. The festival will also create a virtual 2D rendition of the main venue, which will give attendees access to wander the online festival grounds and attend livestreamed concerts, panels, performances and more. 

The POP Montreal 2020 lineup includes virtual and live performances from Lido Pimienta, Backxwash, Flore Laurentienne, Plants & Animals and many more. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE7GP3hhZoG

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A post shared by POP Montréal (@popmontreal)

According to a press release announcing the full artist lineup, the festival's live portion will feature concerts with "very limited capacity, with advance ticket sales and seating room only" as well as "secret pop-up shows." The live concerts will be limited to 30 minutes maximum.

In-person live events will require face masks, social distancing and on-site attendee registration as part of the festival's safety measures, according to the event's website. Fans will also be required to sanitize/wash their hands before entering the live events and to remain seated during the show. 

According to The New York Times, there have been more than 133,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 9,000 coronavirus-related deaths in Canada, at the time of this writing.

To purchase tickets and to view the full festival lineup and schedule of live and online events for POP Montreal 2020, visit the festival's official website.

Capturing Los Angeles' COVID-Closed Venues

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.