We had the most awful blow here yesterday. Our biggest domestic music festival - Byron Bay Bluesfest ( yes the same one that Greensky was meant to play) was cancelled the day before it was due to open following a local case of community transmission. Massive disappointment given all the work that had gone into preparing a Covid safe event. Festival attracts about 20,000 a day and was sold out I understand. It’s a tough call and my heart breaks for all the staff, stall holders, organisers and performers.
Everyone understands that safety comes first but it’s a really big disappointment especially as it coincides with the end of our national Covid job support funding.
Another hard year ahead. Stay safe everyone, cannot wait to be home and dancing with everyone again
Sorry to hear about that AF, that’s too bad! I can only imagine it would’ve been a great outlet for all who might have otherwise attended.
I find it amazing to read the article you posted as far how this is being handled in Australia at this juncture in your nation’s journey amidst the threat of covid vs. where the US is at now and potentially be handling a similar situation if we ever got to the same low level of new cases seen in Australia? Put another way: if we ever get down to a similar per capita rate, will we also start to make a big deal about it in terms of cancelling events of this size in order to squash the outbreak, or will some states and jurisdictions be inclined to push through?
Stay safe as well and hope you’re dancing with everyone sooner than later! :flower
Thank you. Given that there is only one case of community transmission in Byron Bay I think a lot of people are questioning whether it should have been cancelled but we have adopted really strict public health principles the whole time and by and large people agree to adhere to the safety principle. We are very grateful to largely be Covid free. It’s horrible to lose the Bluesfest for the second year in a row though. Hoping there is still a live music industry when the world is past this crisis.
Be safe my good friends, cannot wait to dance again in the canyon
Not sure how vaccination distribution is playing out in Australia, but it’s very much apparent you all have adopted far more sound public health principles that respect the reality of how we’re all interconnected - whether some believe it or not. I’m with you about it being very rough losing out on things in life such as live music that make life fun and interesting. Yesterday was the second KOTO end of season street dance that was cancelled and the traditional end of season shows at the base of the ski area are not happening tomorrow either for the second go around. I had a chance to go to a private show yesterday, but I just don’t feel comfortable in a social gathering / setting at this stage of the game where we’re at now.
I think it might really help for Americans to see the stats of other nations such as Australia to see there’s a far better way to have approached this without seeing over half a million dead; while also being able to mostly live your lives in a normal way for a lot of the time.
Unfortunately, I see the dichotomy between the US and Australia as being illustrative of how we have no real “end game strategy” other than to plow our way through like a bull in a China shop and damn the torpedoes as a result of the way sovereignty in the US is structured in terms of affording individual states power adopt reckless public health policies that may protract the pandemic in the rest of the nation.
Stay safe was well & I’m sure one day we’ll all be able to dance again … hopefully, sooner than later!
It’s been such a hard fifteen months and more to go. Had my first Covid shot today and we just announced a “ travel bubble” with New Zealand. Life has continued to be fairly normal here. We did have a strict 112 day lockdown after we had cases that got out of control but otherwise the death rate has been relatively low by world standards and disruption minimal. We wear masks indoors and on public transport. We have had public health doctors leading our strategy. Feel lucky but also devastated the see the impact around the world. Looking like US is turning the corner. Cannot wait to be back in my favourite place & sending much love to everyone when it’s safe for all of us. Be safe everyone and the festival will be massive when we can all be together again, I’m praying I will be there in 2022
AF. 2022 is going to be a party for the centuries!! I’m saving my big festy return till then. Sticking to smaller local stuff till then. There’s been a few small indoor shows happening in our area, but we haven’t gone to any, even though we are vaccinated. Just seems too weird, and we aren’t comfortable doing that yet. Looking like a few other regional festivals will be doing some action this summer, hoping to catch a Salmon show somewhere. Glad everyone is safe, and it’s great hearing that folks are getting vaccinated. One day hopefully this year maybe we’ll get to no new infections world wide.
:cheers
Glad you had fun Cindy Lou! I wish I had been in a better spot to be out and about, but have been super cautious due to some health issues that have me short of breath as it is.
