The idea of live streamed shows is an intriguing one, and one which shows promise, especially moving forward for artists who cannot yet muster a crowd of superfans in a single geographic location. The technology thus plays into the increasingly global scale of niche fandom only made possible by the digital era.
As we look to move into further lockdowns, cautious consumers are unlikely to crowd back into festival fields anytime soon. Streaming looks to be the bridge back into the live world, and will find its place in the marketing and selling of artists in the digital era – but first it requires greater investment and innovation around streaming and tech capacities to truly make it live up to its potential.