"I felt like I was in that cartoon 'Cars'... Playing to all these headlights and everything" - country singer Keith Urban told BBC how it felt like playing at a drive-in. In general, he says, it felt like a "tailgate party". Is it the future? Urban suggests it's too expensive.
“The only real challenge for me was [the absence of] the energy from a mosh pit. But the car horns, the flashing headlights - that was crazy cool” - Keith Urban said about his concert last week for about 200 people in 125 cars or trucks at the Stardust Drive-In Theatre in Tennessee. Variety reports Live Nation plans to take the concept nationwide in the USA this summer, and produce concerts at its 40 amphitheaters - in the parking lots. There are still some issues to think about: radio sound or loudspeakers; carload or individual pricing; allowing lawn chairs or trying to keep customers inside their cars; parking lots or drive-ins.
MLB team the Texas Rangers have announced the largest-scale U.S. drive-in concert series yet, Concert In Your Car. The concerts will take place in the parking lot of Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Not the biggest music stars, but that's not the point right now: Eli Young Band are about to play on 6/4, Whiskey Mykers on 6/5, Pat Green on 6/6, and Josh Abbott Band & Kevin Fowler on 6/7. Strict social distancing rules will be applied. Some trouble with week’s Travis McCready concert scheduled to take place this Friday, May 15, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, KFSM 5News reports. Governor Asa Hutchinson issued cease & desist order, because McCready is to soon - Hutchinson has given the okay for live events to return on the following Monday, the 18th.
"Denmark has already begun putting on drive-in gigs. In Spain, they hope to introduce seated outdoor shows of up to 200 and 30-capacity indoor shows. Arena bands are considering 10-day residencies at club venues, playing multiple shows throughout the afternoon and evening to revolving maximum quarantine capacity crowds. There’s even talk of running limited capacity festivals in the not-too-distant future... Coronavirus gigs sound like ‘VIP experience’... Every gig will be one big golden circle, with added table service. So bring on music’s new normal – I’m ready for the best of times in the worst of times" - NME's Mark, My Words is looking forward to the new live music normal.
Live Nation’s CEO Michael Rapino said the company would test crowdless broadcasted shows along with drive-in concerts and reduced capacity festival shows over the summer - “we’re going to dabble in fanless concerts with broadcasts, we’re going to go and do reduced capacity shows because we can make the math work”. Rapino explained to Rolling Stone - “There are a lot of great artists that can sell out an arena, but they’ll do 10 higher end smaller theaters or clubs. We’re seeing lots of artists chomping to get back out once it’s safe”. And fans? - Live Nation says that 90% of ticket buyers are choosing to keep their tickets and wait for a new show rather than get their money back.
Danish singer-songwriter Mads Langer performed at a drive-in concert last week at a stage that was erected on the outskirts of Aarhus, Denmark. As Forbes reports, Langer played to an audience of cars, with his performance being transmitted via FM radio to those in attendance. It’s apparently the first of a series of live events planned for the space.
