Many self-employed musicians in Cardiff have financially struggled during the Covid year
MUSICIANS who have been financially hit by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic say they “can’t wait for things to go back to normal”.
Self-employed singer/songwriter Mike James said that when the pandemic came, “everything fell apart”.
Mr James, 39, said: “We couldn’t play live, we couldn’t rehearse, we couldn’t get together to do any live music.
“I’m not sure how much the government really appreciate the arts and musicians.”
According to the Musicians’ Union, a trade union representing musicians working in the UK across all sectors of the music industry, 47% of their members have been forced to look for work outside the music business, while 36% do not have any work at all.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has said live music venues will not reopen until July at the earliest, despite the return of cinemas and other indoor hospitality on May 17.
