Canada

Musicians say alcohol and the industry are intrinsically linked, but some want to change that

The ECMA launched a "Dry January" initiative for the first time this year because artists are increasingly talking about alcohol being so intrinsically linked to their industry.

East Coast Music Association launched a Dry January for its artists

Kayla Hounsell · CBC News(Eric Woolliscroft/CBC)

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When Nicole Ariana stepped up to the mic in front of a packed crowd at a downtown Halifax club, she hadn't had anything to drink. That, she admits, was a relatively new experience, though she's been performing for a decade.  

"I have, over the years, needed a few drinks at first to do a show," she said in an interview before her set at Halifax's Marquee Ballroom. 

She had signed up for the East Coast Music Association (ECMA)'s "Dry January" initiative — no drinking alcohol for the entire month.

The ECMA launched the "Pledge to Pause" initiative for the first time this year as artists are increasingly talking about alcohol being so intrinsically linked to their industry. Musicians perform in bars, green rooms are stocked with beer on ice, they sometimes get drink tickets in lieu of payment, and fans also buy drinks and put them directly on the stage in front of them. 

Last year, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction released new guidelines stipulating no amount of alcohol is safe and recommending no more than two drinks a week for men and women  — a far cry from the organization's previous guidance, which recommended no more than 15 drinks a week for men and 10 for women to reduce long-term health risks. 

Errin Williams, a clinical social worker who leads wellness programs for the ECMA, says artists largely supported the idea of a dry January,but only 35 of the association's 1,000 members across the four Atlantic provinces actually signed up to stop drinking for a month.

WATCH | How Dry January affects your brain: 

Your brain on alcohol: Why going dry could actually make you happier

1 year agoDuration 4:34A growing body of research suggests alcohol can be detrimental to your brain, and your mental health. Some people who’ve cut it out altogether say their well-being has improved as a result.

Williams said some artists said they couldn't participate because they had too many gigs in January, they were travelling or had other things going on. 

She said that suggests even more conversation is needed if musicians feel they can't participate in certain events without alcohol. 

"It's helping artists feel comfortable saying 'no,' helping them know how to have conversation with audience members and maybe negotiate with venues to be able to not have alcohol be part of their compensation," she said.