We’re now post-post-COVID

This year should be the first where artists are fully back to a regular album release cycle and touring schedule. Pent-up demand from the pandemic created a flurry of bookings in 2024. Normally we book smaller bands about three months in advance, but we were seeing them reach out as much as 12 months in advance to book space. This year, I’d expect things to look more like 2019.

Richmond’s new amphitheater will bring more options

The Allianz Amphitheater will ultimately provide more choice and more artists to the Richmond market. Live Nation, which manages the amphitheater, has a number of artists that it exclusively manages tours for, so it will open up the Richmond market to those artists. 

Of course, that type of venue won’t be right for everybody, and there will still be options for artists who want to play Brown’s Island or a botanical garden or a sit-down indoor theater. So the artists win and the consumers win, because there are more options.

Country music is in right now

Country is as hot as it’s ever been in all of its forms, from indie-folk artists like Noah Kahan to straight-up country. I also think the pop resurgence of 2024 will travel into 2025. With Taylor Swift off the road, you’ll see the market open up for everybody else as fans can potentially spread their spending across multiple shows.

Cost continues to be an issue

Everything is expensive right now, across the board. So for us, it’s about how we can manage rising costs. Because we know it’s expensive for the consumer too, and entertainment spending is often the first to be cut, before things like gas and rent.

It’s more expensive now to tour than it’s ever been, so artists need more money per show. On our end, our contracted labor costs went up 20-30% last year, and equipment rental costs went up. People go to a new stadium and ask, “Why is the beer $20?” Well, it costs a lot of money to build these places.

Richmond’s music scene remains strong

If you want to see the future of Richmond’s music scene, the Camel is a great place to be. There are just so many local artists that play there. It’s hard to name any one artist, but if I had to pick one that’s starting to break through, it would be Jack Wharff and his band, Tobacco Flatts. He now has nationwide representation and is going to start making some moves in 2025.