LIVE: Vax the Nation

A latecomer to Covid devastation, Australia is presently battling the wrath of the Delta variant. As the country fights to overcome the spread, vaccine hesitancy is concerning medical experts.

An industry hit hardest by the pandemic, the Australian music scene was dealt another blow on Saturday (4 September) when the chief exec of Live Performance Australia warned that live events will not return until 85% capacity was permitted by state governments.

With the knowledge that any commercial event, be it musical, theatre, concert or festival, can’t operate financially at less than 85%, the stars of the music industry have joined forces on a pro-vaccination ad campaign, launching today (6 September).

Including the likes of Tim Minchin, Jimmy Barnes, Amy Shark, Paul Kelly and the Hilltop Hoods, #Vaxthenation involves more than 200 acts alongside major record labels, ticketing agencies, tour promoters, and festival organizers.

The campaign was created by Live Industry Venues and Entertainment (LIVE) alliance. Recently established, it was devised to represent the music industry, after the pandemic left it in dire straits, with 79,000 lost jobs in the live performance industry by the end of 2020 and $23.6bn of economic output lost. The pro-vaccination push will roll out across TV ads and social media.