'How Long Can We Survive?' Tour Cancellations Impacting Major Aussie Venue

With tours and shows around the country continuing to be cancelled or postponed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, major live music venues are feeling the full brunt. 

John "JC" Collins, owner of The Triffid and co-owner of Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, has revealed that because no shows are taking place right now, there is currently no revenue coming in at all. 

The Powderfinger bassist discussed the damage COVID-19 is having on his venues on a special episode of The Green Room podcast this week. 

"Last week was telling for us when last Wednesday The National cancelled and then Thursday morning when we had the Pixies truck underneath the Fortitude and they cancelled. That seemed to open the floodgates," Collins told host Neil Griffiths. 

"I can't tell you how much of an impact it's had. There's no revenue. We're not making any money. We've still got to pay rent, we still have to pay people's full time wages, we still have to pay for PAs and all these costs are still there."

As well as The National and Pixies, the Fortitude was scheduled to host shows from the likes of City & Colour, Tim Minchin, Deftones and Dermot Kennedy in the coming weeks prior to Government's ban on mass gatherings of over 500 people.

"We've got no shows so therefore our Production Manager won't be working, our Lighting Director won't be working, our staff who pour beer and most of our casual staff now will not be working," Collins continued.

"It's a huge effect. We've got no revenue. We're now into how long can we survive? That's where we are at the moment."

Listen to the full The Green Room special on Spotify, Apple Podcasts (below) or your favourite platform to listen to podcasts.

For more information about how COVID-19 is impacting the music industry, follow the link here.