Can streaming replace cancelled gigs?

With big festivals and tours being mostly cancelled, the bands are looking at live streaming as a way to make money. For now, it was mostly for free, but there's a growing need and an opportunity to find a model of income in music streaming. The Guardian writes about Left Bank, a Brooklyn-based magazine that's hosting a virtual music festival via YouTube, running 12 hours a day until 22 March with artists from around the world broadcasting from their bedrooms (like Vaeda Black, pictured above). There is no charge, listeners are encouraged to tip the musicians they enjoy using Venmo. Electronic musician Hana, best known for her collaborations with Grimes, has spent hundreds of hours on Twitch – a live streaming platform favoured by gamers and owned by Amazon – to create an intimate connection with her fans, who donate cash to show their appreciation. A big difference, also an opportunity, is live streaming's intimacy, every fan, and it could be millions of them, feels like they're in the front row.