As the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the live music industry, entering artists and venues around the country are being forced to think outside the box when it comes to playing for an audience. The most recent innovative solution? Drive-in concerts, which have started springing up as an alternative to standing in a packed crowd to see your favorite musician.
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From an underground show in Los Angeles to Keith Urban becoming the first major star to hop on the trend, Billboard has rounded up a list of drive-in concerts across the country since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. We’ll update this list as more drive-in shows are announced.
Nov 20-21: Bush is celebrating the deluxe edition release of The Kingdom with two live drive-in shows in California. The band plays Del Mar Nov. 20, and Ventura the next night. Tickets start at $99 per car.
Nov 13-14: 311 is playing Phoenix on the 13th, and Ventura, Calif., on the 14th, with two shows each night at 5:30 and 8:30 pm Tickets start at $99 per car.
october 23-25: The Beach Boys are playing three shows as part of the Concerts in Your Car series. They’ll be playing Ventura the 23rd, Del Mar the 24th, and Phoenix the 25th. Visit ConcertsInYourCar.com for tickets.
october 17: Sublime with Rome will take the stage at the Rubidoux Drive in Theater in Riverside, California, for two back-to-back performances starting at 7 pm and then 10 pm See info here.
october 16-17 and 23-24: Live Nation’s Live From the Drive-In series returns in October with four shows. Jason Isabell and the 400 Unit headline Oct. 16, Blackberry Smoke the 17th, Indigo Girls the 23rd, and Yacht Rock Revue the 24th. All shows will be held at the Ameris Bank Ampitheater in Alpharetta, Ga. Tickets go on sale at 10 am local time Sept. 11 on Live Nation’s website; each ticket permits a maximum of four people per car.
october 16-17: Third Eye Blind are playing two shows for the Concerts in Your Car series. The Del Mar Fairgrounds show is at 8 pm on the 16th; and the Arizona State Fairgrounds show is at 8:3 pm0 on the 17th.
october 10: Rockers GWAR will play a live show at the Diamond Drive-In in Richmond, Va., while following social distancing guidelines. “Americans do everything in their cars, and now that will include watching the greatest rock and roll horror show on this or any other planet!” said Blothar the Berserker in a statement. “Truly, what is October without a global pandemic and the chance to watch GWAR from the comfort of your s—ty old hoopty?!” Tickets go on sale at 10 am ET Friday (Sept. 11) and start at $139.95 per vehicle, with a maximum of four people per car allowed.
october 2 & 4: Snoop Dogg is spinning two sets as DJ Snoopadelic as part of the Concerts in Your Car series. He’ll be playing the Ventura County Fairgrounds on Oct. 2 at 8:45 pm, and the Del Mar Fairgrounds Oct. 4 at 8 p.m
october 2: Yachtley Crew and Metalachi are performing two shows at shows at the Rubidoux Drive in Theater in Riverside, California, with Yachtley Crew performing earlier at 6 pm and Metalachi at 10 pm See info here.
october 1 – Nov 1: Aaron Lewis of Staind and Sully Erna of Godsmack are taking to the road together on the American Drive-In Tour from Danny Wimmer Presents. The rockers will be performing unplugged sets side by side for a month at various drive-in venues around the country. Tickets go on sale starting Sept. 15 at noon, local time, at aaronandsully.com, which also has all dates and venues are listed.
Sept 26: Kane Brown’s previously recorded, never-before-seen show will air at drive-in and outdoor theaters across North America as part of the Encore Drive-In Nights series. Tickets go on sale at noon local time via Ticketmaster; visit Ticketmaster for show locations.
Cypress Hill will be playing two back to back shows at the Rubidoux Drive in Theater in Riverside, California at 7 pm and 10 pm See info here.
Aug 29: The Avett Brothers play their first live show in six months with a drive-in concert at North Carolina’s Charlotte Motor Speedway. They’ll be celebrating the release of their new album, The Third Gleam, which drops the day before. Ticket presale for the Avett Guild begins July 16, and public sale begins July 17. Visit TheAvettBrothers.com for more show and ticket information.
Aug 27: SiriusXM and Pandora will preview the upcoming “Encore Drive-In Nights Series” concert movie featuring Metallica for SiriusXM subscribers at Warwick Drive-In Theater in Warwick, NY. Prior to the private concert preview, Metallica will virtually join in the event for a fan Q&A and interview, hosted by Liquid Metal’s Jose Mangin. SiriusXM’s Exclusive Metallica “Encore Drive-In Night” Interview with Jose Mangin will air Friday, August 28 on SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal at 5 pm ET; 8pm ET and 11pm ET. See details here.
July 25: Blake Shelton is the latest artist to headline the Encore Drive-In Nights series. The show will feature special guests Gwen Stefani and Trace Atkins. “This is such a great way to enjoy music with your family and friends and stay safe. I’m excited we’re getting the chance to perform a concert for fans,” Shelton said in the press release. “So fill up those popcorn tubs and get ready for some country music!” The drive-ins hosting the filmed concert will adhere to CDC safety guidelines and local mandates. Tickets are $114.99 per vehicle, maximum six people per car; they go on sale July 14 at noon local time via Ticketmaster.
The Chainsmokers are playing at Nova’s Ark Project in The Hamptons for charity. DJ D-Sol wants to open. Tickets range from $1,250 to $25,000, and will benefit No Kid Hungry, Children’s Medical Fund of New York, and Southampton Fresh Air Fund.
July 16: The Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman and Mac Powell 10-city tour begins at the Stardust Drive-in Theater in Watertown, Tenn. Additional information and tickets are now available at DriveInTheaterTour.com.
July 10-12: Brad Paisley headlines Live Nation’s “Live From the Drive-In” series of nine shows to be held in Nashville; Maryland Heights, Mo.; and Noblesville, Ind. Darius Rucker and Jon Pardi will also perform at the Nashville show, while Nelly will join the Maryland Heights concert. Tickets are available at LiveNation.com; Prices start at $125 per vehicle, with a maximum of four people per vehicle allowed.
July 10-11: Andrew McMahon will be performing the Jack’s Mannequin album Everything in Transit as well as music from his other projects at the City National Grove of Anaheim in California. Tickets are $350 per vehicle for the front row, and $200 for general admission; they go on sale June 18 at AXS.com.
July 4: Los Lobos open the So Cal Drive In series at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, Calif. Mariachi El Bronx is the opening act. Tickets start at $150 per car, and $25 for socially distanced seating (bring your own chair); Tickets are on sale at TicketWeb.com.
June 27: Garth Brooks is hosting a concert at 300 drive-in theaters around the country. Tickets cost $100 per car/SUV, and go on sale June 19 at Ticketmaster. “This drive-in concert allows us all to get back to playing live music without the uncertainty of what would be the result to us as a community,” the country star said in a statement. “This is old school, new school, and perfect for the time we are in.”
June 25: Remi Wolf is performing a benefit show celebrating the release of her EP I’m Allergic to Dogs! The drive-in concert will be held at a to-be-determined location in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, with doors opening at 6:30 pm PST. Tickets start at $30, and go on sale June 17 on Dice.fm. All proceeds will go toward Summaeverythang in LA, and the Plus 1 for Black Lives Fund.
June 22: TobyMac kicks off his 12-city tour of drive-in theaters at the Highway 21 Drive-in in Beaufort, SC Gotee Records’ Cochren & Co. are slated to open. Additional information and tickets are available at Eventbrite.com.
June 13: The Davisson Brothers Band is playing outdoors at the Sunset Drive-In Theater in Meadowbrook, WV Tickets are $80 per car.
June 9: Electronic musician Marc Rebillet will embark on an eight-city Drive-In Tour, starting with back-to-back nights at a yet-to-be-announced venue in Baltimore, Md. From there, he’ll run through tour stops in Charlotte, NC (June 11); Indianapolis, Ind. (June 16); Kansas City, Miss. (June 18); Tulsa, Okla. (June 20) and Fort Collins, Colo. (June 22 & 23), before finishing off with shows in Fort Worth (June 26 & 27) and Houston, Tex. (June 28).
June 5: Alan Jackson kicks off his pair of Small Town Drive-In concerts at York Farms in Cullman, Ala. The following night, he plays the Oak Hollow Farm in Fairhope, Ala. Tickets are on sale now at AlanJacksonDriveIn.com.
June 4: Black Jacket Symphony will perform the first show of their Concerts From the Car series, and will focus on The Beatles’ Abbey Road. The event will take place at the Hoover Met Complex in Hoover, Ala., beginning at 8 pm local time. The band’s upcoming concerts will feature the music of Queen on June 11, Journey on June 18, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on June 25.
Eli Young Band will kick off the Concert in Your Car series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex. The country act will be followed on subsequent nights by Whiskey Myers (June 5), Pat Green (June 6) and Josh Abbott Band & Kevin Fowler (June 7). Each artist will play two sets — at 5 pm and 9 pm The entire concert series sold out within a matter of hours.
May 23: Kasim Sulton will perform two Saturday shows at the Tupelo Drive-In Music Hall in Derry, NH, one at noon and another at 3 pm. More info here.
May 16: New Hampshire music venue Tupelo Music Hall got creative on by reinventing itself as a drive-in concert experience. Rather than offer seating in the venue’s 700-seat theater, owner Scott Hayward built an outdoor stage for local artist Tim Theriault to play two sets of cover songs by everyone from Stevie Wonder and Aerosmith to the Allman Brothers Band and Chicago. Practicing the state’s socially distancing guidelines, attendees tuned in to a local FM radio station to listen to the 90-minute concert.
Duo Ross Snow and Justin Betz put together an acoustic drive-in show on for patrons at The Wooden Match, a local restaurant in West Bethlehem, Penn. Around 40 people reportedly showed up to the socially distanced concert and ordered takeout from their cars, though some left their vehicles to stand in the parking lot, causing debate over whether such events were safe without more stringent guidelines in place.
DJ D-Nice performed for first responders, who enjoyed the show from their cars, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
May 15: Keith Urban surprised fans in Tennessee on Friday (May 15) with an unannounced drive-in show at Watertown’s Stardust Drive-In. The country star played the special concert as a thank you to roughly 200 front-line medical workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, all of whom pulled up to the show in their cars.
NOW SHOWING – URBAN UNDERGROUND 🎬
A huge THANK YOU to all @VUMChealth frontline workers who attended tonight’s special show at the drive in! @VUMChealth @VUMCchildren @LiveNation @stardustdrivein #frontline pic.twitter.com/E7BfOQL7dQ
— Keith Urban (@KeithUrban) May 15, 2020
May 7: Singer-songwriter Ben Ballinger played a drive-in show for a crowd of just 25 cars in an open field in Austin, Tex. The folk artist performed his entire set, which sold out in a matter of hours, via radio broadcast atop his SUV.
March 26: Local musicians in Los Angeles teamed up with nonprofit radio station Dublab for an underground, drive-in concert at Echo Park on March 26. Around 50 cars and 900 people totally socially distanced at the show to hear indie artists Jeremiah Chiu, Celia Hollander, Ben Babbit and others perform from the safety of their vehicles.
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