No matter how you look at it, 2020 was one for the record books. Aside from the hand sanitizer, PPE mask or toilet paper industries, most of us will be glad to look back at the past year, but only in our collective rear-view mirrors, as we gaze ahead to 2021 and brighter days ahead.
I don’t want to be the eternal optimist, but right now a half-dozen or more companies are sprinting towards the finish line in terms of safe and workable Covid-19 vaccines. This is certainly a good sign in the return to normalcy for both our industry and the entire country. Meanwhile, the excruciatingly slow moving wheels of Congress with bipartisan support are inching toward the possibility of a second round of stimulus money, hopefully before year’s end. It’s not the answer, of course, but anything helps at this point.
As a preview of better days, our cover feature on page 10 looks at the packed arena tour of Kiwi indie-pop sensation Benee in New Zealand. There, just over a month ago, that country could celebrate its triumph over the global pandemic. Indoor performances remain sheltered for most of the rest of us, yet socially distanced, open-air gatherings remain a reality. On page 14, David Kennedy taps experts for advice on ground-stacked solutions to improving outdoor sound systems for events such as winter sports, tree-lighting events, concerts and religious services — particularly in warmer locales like Florida, Arizona and Southern California.
We’re far from the “everybody’s booked solid for New Year’s Eve” economy, but positive signs are pointing toward hearing choruses of “Happy Days are Here Again” — hopefully in the months to come. In the meantime, stay safe and have a cool yule!
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