Days of Rona: Behrang Alavi, Andreas Voland & Stephan Voland of Samavayo
The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.
Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.
Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan
Days of Rona: Behrang Alavi, Andreas Voland & Stephan Voland of Samavayo (Berlin, Germany)
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How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?
Luckily everyone is healthy in our band and crew. Basically, we are continuing to write songs for our new album, which is planned to be released in 2021.
We had to cancel some shows in May, which is sad, but we were lucky again, that we had no tour planned in early 2020. We are still working on plans for autumn 2020, but no one knows what will happen in the next months.
What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?
In Germany we have to stay home but can go out for a walk or for running some errands. We are allowed to meet family members (living in the same household) or to meet up with one person (not living in the same household). We are also allowed to go out to work… that means for us we can meet for rehearsals.
How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?
People are acting very differently. Basically everybody accepts the situation and the rules. Some people are drifting into conspiracies, which is very annoying, because they spread this shit in social medias, etc. We have a lot of contacts with friends and we keep us informed and encourage each other.
Some bands are starting to play online concerts. And well it is fun. I don’t know if that would be something for Samavayo, maybe later in May, as a substitute for the canceled shows.
Of course we have a lot of friends working in the music business and they are heavily affected at the moment. They are struggling really hard to make ends meet. We hope they will overcome this period: bookers, promoters, drivers, tour managers, club owners, festival managers, etc.
What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?
We hope people are seeing the whole situation as a chance. That people are finding back to the important things in life. The system of constant growing, the philosophy of capitalism and growing markets are not everything that counts. More important is a good working friendship, family, social life in general, to help and encourage each other and to value a good working government and social system.
Our thoughts are with our friends around the globe fighting to survive in places being in a much more difficult situation than Germany like USA, Italy, Iran, Spain and many more. We hope to meet each other soon on one of those festivals!
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