Live Nation’s “Live from the Drive-In” concert series, a multi-city live music tailgating experience that kicked off July 10, 11 and 12 with three shows each in Nashville, St. Louis and Indianapolis, returned last month with a run of shows from Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 22-26 in the Atlanta area.
The Nashville shows, staged in the parking lot of Nissan Stadium, home to the NFL Titans, drew crowds July 10-12 with Jon Pardi, Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker, respectively. The other shows were staged in lots outside Live Nation-owned amphitheaters — Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN (which featuring Yacht Rock Revue along with Paisley and Pardi) and Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, MO (with Paisley, Pink Floyd tribute band El Monstero and Nelly).
The October shows were staged outside another Live Nation venue, the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, GA. The performing lineup included Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit (Oct. 16), Blackberry Smoke (Oct. 17), Smith & Meyers (Oct. 22), Indigo Girls (Oct. 23), Yacht Rock Revue (Oct. 24), Music of David Bowie with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Oct. 25) and Old Crow Medicine Show (Oct. 26).
A Careful Balance
The “ Live from the Drive-In” format, lauded by artists and fans alike, were made possible after Live Nation thoroughly studied the viability of staging events in cities that were registering reduced Covid case numbers, and local governments were willing to allow reduced-capacity shows, as long as strict safety protocols were followed and met.
“The health and safety of our employees, fans and artists remains our top priority,” says Live Nation spokesman Larry Wethers. “We work with local officials to follow the guidelines that they’ve laid out, and the unique set-up of our series parking lot plan allows for a great amount of social distancing between each patron dedicated to tailgating.”
The July shows were deemed an artistic and operational success, notes Live Nation production manager Chris Weathers. Although Live Nation’s carefully thought-out strategies worked, everyone knew going into it that the chances of making a big profit were slim to none. “The intent was more about bringing live music back in some form,” Weathers says. “Up until that time, nobody was doing anything.”
Keeping it Local
As the company was developing this new format for live music production, one of the early decisions was to hire local vendors near each event rather than rely on one national company for all the series around the country. The benefits included giving the local economy and labor a boost while keeping crew travel — and infection risks — to a minimum.
In July and August, the Live Nation team was carefully considering vetting other cities for which to stage the next series. “We did not want to step on any toes by getting ahead of ourselves, the CDC, and society as a whole,” says Weathers.
Live Music Returns
The Atlanta market proved a good fit with all of the above, and with the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre being a company-owned property, Live Nation could implement backstage and dressing area safeguards against the virus. When Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit took the stage on Oct. 16 and opened the series by saying, “Man, it’s great to be in front of you guys again, playing live,” the sold out crowd let him know they were happy too. “I want to thank Live Nation and all the people that made this happen.”
The series provided a huge boost to those backstage as well. “I believe we all agree emphatically with Jason’s sentiment,” says Sarah Jaffee, LD for Isbell. “It is incredible to be back incorporating visual elements. Since the pandemic hit, many artists have livestreamed from home, but these performances often lack production. Nothing beats watching a band play while surrounded by light and shadow, all carefully crafted to enhance the performance.
“It is a genuine pleasure for all of us to safely bring live music back to live crowds,” Jaffee adds. “Tonight, the energy was palpable. Some people sang and danced outside of their vehicles, but the ones who remained inside were no less present. They honked and flashed theirs lights for an encore; a chorus of car horns to welcome the end to a night many thought they might not experience this year.”
A Flexible Rig
Music Matters (MM), based in Atlanta is providing lighting and sound for the series. Aaron Soriero is the owner and production designer for the company. He views the series of drive-in concerts as similar, in many ways, to how he would approach a festival, with a wide range of music being performed, with artists ranging from rock bands to the Atlanta Symphony.
“The artist we are seeing nowadays are not carrying production,” says Soriero, “so we look for the most utility and versatility gear we can provide.” Brian Hatten, the in house LD with Music Matters, adds, “This design and the floor lighting is based around Isbell’s lighting plot, with extra fills for what I know would cover the other acts we have coming on stage over the next three weekends.”
Navigating this new normal however, “has to make good business sense to the promoter and has be worthwhile for the vendor, and ultimately the production value has to be good enough for the fans to enjoy their experience, sit in their car to see a show,” adds Soriero. “Everyone just has to come up with an equation that makes sense and stay healthy in the process.”
The New Normal
Chris Hathaway, lighting director for Blackberry Smoke, offered his perspective of the new normal. “Live Nation had everything fully organized for us in advance,” Hathaway notes. “The dressing room setup was a luxury since this was a hometown show so… no bus. Doing shows this way is like a cross between doing an infield show at a NASCAR race and a tailgate party. I definitely felt the energy from the crowd.
“Brian and the guys at Music Matters were very helpful and their gear is great,” Hathaway adds. Blackberry Smoke carries their own floor package, which Hathaway runs on an Avo Titan Mobile. He pulled a Rick Wakeman out at FOH, with one hand on the grandMA and the other on the Avo.
Weathers does have one bittersweet note to add about doing these Live Drives around the country. “While you celebrate hearing the beep of a forklift, you celebrate seeing a truck at a dock, you celebrate seeing stagehands — albeit in masks and gloves, your stomach still churns a little bit about the amount of people that you know are out of work in our industry.”
“Really,” agrees David Helberg, of Live Nation locally. “It’s all hands on deck now. Whether you’re a GM or a director overseeing 25 buildings around the country — it does not matter. We are all here to support the guy with the radio.”
Live from the Drive-In/Atlanta
Ameris Bank Amphitheatre Parking Lot, Alpharetta, GA, Oct. 2020
Crew
- Ameris Amphitheater Manager: Trevor Ralph
- Production Management: Live Nation/Chris Weathers
- Set and Stage Design: Chris Weathers
- Stage Provider: Forestay Services/Bill Hanawalt
- Power: CES/Steve Jackson
- Delay Screens: ANC/Brad Merriman
- Lighting and Sound: Music Matters/David Lowell
- Video Direction: Custom Media On-Line/Marc Shroyer
- Streaming: Live Nation Studios
- Music Matters Crew: David Lowell (Sales Manager), Aaron Levitt (Project Manager), Tom Smith, Grant Robinson, David Bath, Sean Henry (Sound), Brian Hatten, Tom Nguyen (Lighting)
Gear
- 1 grandMA2 Full console
- 1 Avolites Titan Mobile console
- 12 Martin MAC Axioms
- 12 Martin MAC Aura XB’s
- 8 Martin MAC Quantum Washes
- 4 Martin Atomic LED fixtures
- 12 Elation DTW Blinder 350’s
- 18 Sunstrips
- 2 Haze Base hazers with fans
- 8 IP65 Cyc Washes (for the upstage tree line)
- 24 ADJ Hex IP LED pars (for pathway lighting)
Related Links: www.livenation.com, www.musicmattersproductions.com
