2020: HOW WE LISTENED
2020 changed everything we know about the live music experience. The industry as we know it fell apart, but the live music community is resilient. From the moment band names were pulled off marquees the only question was “how do we get back out there?” We saw an evolution of the live music experience, and the way we listened to and consumed live music changed dramatically.
Thanks to the internet, concerts became more accessible than ever in 2020. Fans of all genres no longer needed to be in a certain city or at a certain venue. It didn’t matter whether the show was in a living room or on the track of a motor speedway, every show was available to everyone. Below is a list featuring some of our favorite shows that highlight the ways music adapted to 2020, and the ways we enjoyed listening to our favorite artists:
LIVE CONCERTS
Before the pandemic hit, we actually got a few months to revel in the true live music experience. The first few months of the year are usually the time for Island concerts and Beacon runs, so we were lucky to get some truly special shows.
Dead & Company: Playing in the Sand – Cancun, Mexico 1/19/20
Gov’t Mule: Island Exodus 11 – Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Widespread Panic: Beacon Theatre – New York, NY 3/2/20
The Brothers: Madison Square Garden – New York, NY 3/10/20
311: Park Theater – Las Vegas, NV 3/13/20
IN-HOME CONCERTS
Bands like Goose invited us into their living rooms for intimate acoustic performances. It was an early escape that connected us to our favorite artists when we needed it most.
Goose: T’s House – Somewhere, Connecticut 3/15/20
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong: Live From Out There -Somewhere, USA 4/17/20
STUDIO CONCERTS
Once it became apparent that live audiences wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon, bands reunited in the studio to record shows and share virtually. BIG Something dubbed their studio series “Escape From the Living Room,” I think we all felt that.
BIG Something: Escape From The Living Room – Winston Salem, NC 8/16/20
Metallica: Metallica HQ – San Rafael, CA 11/14/20
DRIVE-IN CONCERTS
When the weather turned warm, drive in theaters suddenly came back into style in ways not seen in half a century. The ability to play a show to a crowd that is safely inside their cars was the perfect solution to getting live music to live audiences in the age of social distancing.
Umphrey’s McGee: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, GA 10/9/20
Aqueous: Transit Drive-In – Lockport, NY 6/19/20
The Disco Biscuits: Yarmouth Drive-In – Cape Cod, MA 10/19/20
LIMITED CAPACITY EVENTS
Eventually, spaces with large outdoor capacities began opening with extremely limited and distanced in-person shows. South Farms in Morris, Connecticut became a space for Twiddle, Warren Haynes, moe., and other artists to play live outdoor concerts that fans could safely enjoy. We’ve come a long way from the living room.
Twiddle: Greenbush Studio – Ferrisburgh, VT 5/30/21
Warren Haynes: South Farms – Morris, CT 9/12/20
moe.: South Farms – Morris, CT 10/25/20
ARCHIVAL CONCERT RELEASES
With so many bands sidelined for the year, it was also a great chance to dig into the archives with classic shows from our favorite artists of yesterday and today.
Pearl Jam: The Fox Theatre – Atlanta, GA 4/3/94
Jerry Garcia and John Kahn: Garcia Live Vol. 14 – The Ritz, New York, NY 1/27/86
