Bishop Gunn singer and guitarist Travis McCready performed in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Monday night in what is being reported as America’s first-ever “socially distance” concert in the era of the deadly Chinese coronavirus.
Venue capacity at Temple Live, according to Consequence of Sound, was down from 1,000 people to 200. Concertgoers were kept six feet apart at all times for Monday’s show. Attendees also received temperatures checks upon arrival and patrons was required to wear a mask.
The concert was originally scheduled for May 15th but was cancelled by Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson (R), who said the performance would violate the state’s health guidelines. Governor Hutchinson called for a cease-and-desist order, which forced the concert to be moved to Monday.
New safety guidelines were also applied to the venue’s restrooms for Monday night’s show.
Concession stands were only allowed to sell pre-packaged or lidded beverages to attendees.
Public events that socially distance are nonetheless becoming more common in the era of the deadly Chinese coronavirus, as the pandemic has spurred large crowds of people to flock to drive-in movie theaters, which have increased in popularity. There are roughly 300 drive-in movie theaters in the United States, which is down dramatically from about 4,000 in 1958.
Meanwhile, some musicians see the concept of drive-ins as an opportunity to headline social distance concerts. Florida, for instance, is set to host what is likely to be the nation’s first-ever drive-in music festival.
The festival, called, “The Road Rave” promises “a full festival main stage production” headlined by DJ Carnage, who is calling the event “North America’s first-ever drive-in festival of the COVID era.”
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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