Joed hopeful for return of concerts

Despite the evident challenges faced by several concert producers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, one local concert producer

is keeping his hopes high that things will go back to normal before the year ends.

With prohibition of mass gatherings in Metro Manila due to the enhanced community quarantine, it’s impossible to stage any shows at the moment — a big problem for the live music scene since physical presence is needed in these kinds of shows.

Having mounted a number of successful local and foreign shows in the past, including the concerts of Celine Dion, Jonas Brothers, Josh Groban, Joed admitted that the pandemic has become a huge challenge for him not just to make a living, but also for people to enjoy the live performances of their favorite artists.

He said, “We all need to be careful. This 2020 is not the year to earn money. All of us need to stay safe and alive. You’re the luckiest person if you surpass this pandemic.”

Joed, a former That’s Entertainment actor who has transitioned into producing shows, was slated to bring in several big names in the international scene this year. Having entered the world of producing films, he said he was supposed to make movies this year.

“The Jacksons, Alanis Morissette and Swing Out Sisters with Ovation Productions and more concerts lined up and movies (supposedly) for 2020 but due to this COVID-19, all will be rescheduled and postponed,” he said.

But he acknowledged there are other important people crucial to staging these shows that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis — the people behind-the-scenes such as crew and staff.

However, he remains optimistic that a solution will be available this year as several other concert producers, including those he is currently working with, are hoping to push through with their postponed shows either the end of the year or early next year.

Meanwhile, Joed encouraged everyone to cooperate with the guidelines set by health experts amid the COVID-19 pandemic to help curb the spread of the coronavirus for things to go back to normal.

“Definitely, all of us will miss concerts, movies and other big events. Babalik ito lahat in God’s perfect time. Our participation is to cooperate, to stay safe and change our usual doings into new normal ika nga. Hope and pray then we will all be okay,” he said.