Live Nation CEO Says Concerts Could "Start in Mid-Summer"

Live Nation's CEO Michael Rapino is optimistic that concerts are close to returning.

During a recent conversation about when large-scale concerts resuming in the U.S., Live Nation CEO said, “Every day we seem to have a new state or country talking about when they’ll open up, so we’re feeling more optimistic than we were a month ago."

He continued, “Lots of artists are calling, looking at how we start up in July, August, September. So for right now, we still believe we’ll have enough open in the U.K., Australia, Canada and the U.S. to keep what we have on the books in amphitheaters booked for now. We might have certain states that might not be ready, but we have enough states and enough artists willing to play the open slots if we get to that level in the right markets.” He added, “So as long as these states open up to the right capacities.

Rapino then added: “[We] think we’re better off waiting for a high bar capacity moment in most of the states to ramp up and talk to the artists about getting paid properly,” he explained. He also said he believes a 75 percent reopening capacity in the U.S. is “within sight.”

What do you think, are music concerts and festivals making a comeback later this year?

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella