Only five per cent of Australians attended live music in 2020 over an average three month period, according to new research by Roy Morgan.
The figure is half of 2019’s 10 per cent, which the consumer behaviour analyst puts down to national and state lockdowns, border closures, capacity restrictions and other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report also shows under-25s attended live entertainment the most despite the pandemic, with 17 per cent going to a show over an average three month period, followed by Millenials at 15 per cent. Both age groups recorded a 15% decrease in attendance.
The most dramatic plunges in attendance of live entertainment came from Generation X and Baby Boomers, both dipping by 19 per cent over an average three month period in 2020.
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said the older generation’s shunning of live entertainment even as shows reopened demonstrated a need to vaccinate the population.
“Prior to the pandemic activities such as live theatre, ballet, opera and jazz, classical and blues performances were all more likely to be attended by Australians in Generation X, Baby Boomers or Pre-Boomers – those aged 40+, rather than younger Millennials or Generation Z,” she said.
“The Roy Morgan data illustrates how vaccinating older Australians is vital to returning audiences at live entertainment activities to their pre-pandemic levels of well over 6 million people. Older Australians are far more hesitant about attending events which involve coming into contact with hundreds, or even thousands, of strangers than their younger counterparts.”
Yesterday, the Victorian Parliament heard music industry figures‘ suggestions on how to stimulate the recovering local live music economy.
Evelyn Richardson, head of Live Performance Australia, and the Australia Festival Association’s Julia Robinson told the Legislative Council for Economy and Infrastructure Committee (LCEIC) inquiry into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and events sectors, a business interruption fund should be the “first priority” for the Victorian state government to assist the sector’s recovery.