Trick or Treat Award Show Time

We may have to call in Dave Chappelle, who might be brave enough to take on the subject of award shows post-Covid. Don’t think I feel free to say what I really think about the way ABC and the Country Music Association (CMA) are lining up this woke edition of the ratings-challenged award show.

It is supposed to be “Country’s Biggest Night,” but if you look at the preliminary list of performers released on October 21st, you might not be able to name everyone. Only three of the acts have regularly played to sold-out arenas. It’s a Country wish list, not Country’s biggest and best. The ratings will give the verdict the morning after the show. The jury of Nielsen will decide.

Travis Tritt and John Rich are getting loads of attention these days with their political opinions. Morgan Wallen is getting back on the road with two arena shows in North Little Rock in mid-November. The emails from the Music Row bosses must be going into the spam folder.

Then there was the announcement from Garth Brooks that he is playing Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for two nights in November, the same weekend Wallen is selling out Little Rock.

I saw Garth and paid the $250 in Las Vegas to see his one-man show. It was fantastic in a whole different way from the big band performance. The limited capacity Ryman shows will sell out, of course.

Then started reading social media reaction to Garth’s news. Yikes! Social media is so out there. Anti-vaxxers are mad at him for requiring proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative test for entry. Anti-Biden people are still holding a grudge that he performed at the inaugural. Then you finally get to the actual fans. Many wrote about Brooks canceling his stadium shows but continuing to tour. It’s a tough crowd out there.

Garth walked away from all those stadium millions for safety reasons, real or imagined. Yes, football games have happened since in the same venues to no apparent super spreader. But you can’t just restart a stadium tour. Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

The folks are restless and tired of Covid. They are also growing tired of woke engineering. Many of the fans are just tired! There’s inflation, gas prices highest in years, empty shelves at the stores, warnings about the flu, toy shortages and everything else. Plus questions about whether to get a Covid shot, the booster, the flu shot … the fans are in a weird mood.

Warning to all: road rage, crime, politics -- all that’s missing is war. Better focus on the mental health of the consumers/audience.

Selling them something they haven’t asked for might be a tough sell right now. Look what’s hot: “Squid Game!” These are strange times.

Do CMA and ABC really think you can do three hours of prime time and get a big number with artists that could come to your door and you would not recognize? Better hope NBC is in reruns that night!

It’s not too late. Bring in the real stars with the real hits and track records. Even then it will be tough.