Live Shows In the Age of COVID-19

Look, we all want to get back to seeing shows like we used to in the before-times. I miss the sweat and spilled beer as much as anyone, but with a global pandemic raging and roll-out of the very positive looking vaccines still being months away for most of us, we’re going to have to get creative if we want to rock out.

Here are 5 of the best socially-distant, covid-secure strategies that bands and venues around the world have tried out.

1. Giant Hamster Balls

The Flaming Lips might call them “space bubbles” but let’s face it- they’re human hamster balls.

Bubbles have been a signature part of the Flaming Lips’ stage show for a while now, but over the summer they trialled making them a more fundamental part of the concert experience. The band invited a bunch of fans along to help them film the video for their track Assassins Of Youth and stuck them all in their own bubbles.

As you can see from the video- people seemed to get really into dancing in their own spherical space. Zorbing over the crowd also seems like it’d be even more fun than crowd surfing.

In an interview with frontman Wayne Coyne in Rolling Stone, he detailed the crazy amount of thought that went into the safety of putting on a show in the age of COVID-19. After a couple of successful test runs through the summer, the band are putting on a public show this December in Oklahoma City.

A fan answered all your questions (including the one that we all had about what the bathroom arrangements were like) while talking to Vice.

2. Concerts To Go

If you can’t go to the show, why not have the show come to you?

That’s exactly what Space in Evanston in Chicago did over the summer. Fans could arrange for local musicians to rock up and rock out in their front yards- keeping things safe and socially distant in the process. Check out their promo-video below for a taste of what that looks like.

Now, of course not everyone has the same idea of what the “sound of the suburbs” is, but with a range of musicians signed up and covering a bewildering range of genres, you’re bound to be able to find something that you and your neighbours won’t end up in court over.

One problem with the To Go yard parties- it’s getting cold out there. Rock’n’roll loses some of its power when you’ve got to layer up.

3. Drive in Concerts

Drive in concerts have been popping up all over the world through the summer and more are being planned all the time. Think about it- all you need is a big carpark, a stage and some speakers and you can put on a show. Plus, it has that retro charm of drive in movies.

Tickets can be expensive, but they’re charged by the car. If you’re lucky enough to live in a location which has embraced the concept of social bubbles (different bubble, Flaming Lips fans) then you and however many people you can fit in your bubble/car can split the cost.

If you’re of a certain age, you might be excited about the fact you’re not allowed to get out of the vehicle- imagine, a gig without someone stepping on your shoes or knocking your pint out of your hand. We can probably all appreciate the idea of a show where you can still talk to your mates without having to resort to smiling, laughing and hoping for the best.

The only problem is that I don’t think I’d be able to get this scene out of my head:

Who am I kidding- re-enacting that scene is the best part.

4. Socially Distanced Raving

There’s been a few attempts at keeping the party scene alive this summer. Let’s just say, it’s been hit and miss.

Some, like this party in a Nottinghamshire forest have been conducted responsibly and with the approval of the authorities. Care and attention were put in to keeping everyone safe and happy. It took a little bit of deception kept the powers that be on side- technically it was filming for a documentary.

Although only 40 people out of the 750 who applied for tickets were allowed to attend, an “enforcer” in a hi-vis vest and wielding a megaphone ensured people stayed in their socially distanced areas and the traditional visit from the police did happen- everyone seems to have had a good time. The police even said “have fun” as they left the party.

Others; not so much. Things got out of hand at a few less responsible raves on the night that England formally announced a second lockdown- police met violence and slashed tires as they tried to break up multiple illegal parties. While we all want to get back to it, is it really worth a record and the threat of spreading the virus?

Still, as the Nitty party proves- it is possible to have fun with glowsticks, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

5. Livestreaming

We’ve been at this for 8 months now, so you know the drill. Everything has moved online from work to bedtime stories for the kids. Why would live music be any different?

The advantages of online parties are pretty straightforward- no overpriced drinks (unless you want them), no queues for the bathroom and you can party in your pants if you want.

There’s also something to be said for the opportunity to check out bands from around the world without having to travel to see them. If you’re not coming out of the pandemic with an encyclopaedic knowledge of at least three other towns music scenes, you’ve been doing it wrong. If you want to check out what’s going on in 70 cities across the US and even more locations further afield, Hearby.com have you covered (they’ve also got you covered for the places that have opened up again too, if you can make the journey).

The downsides are that the price of equipment has meant that what could have been a great lifeline for so many venues has priced them out, and even for those who have managed to jump on and surf the digital wave, income has dropped significantly.

So, there we have it- live music hasn’t died, despite what the doom-mongers have claimed. It’s always been a creative industry, so a little thing like a global pandemic was never going to stand in the way for too long.