Ordering takeout? Try a live concert at home
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[May 12, 2021]
By Nathan Frandino
(Reuters) - Live concerts are on the menu
for home delivery, as musicians and audiences seek to satisfy their
appetite for human interaction.
As the sun set in Piedmont, California, about 20 masked revelers
gathered on the back porch of a home. Lit up by a few stage lights, a
nearby fire and hanging garden bulbs, singer-songwriter Steve Poltz
strolled in, guitar in hand, happy to be performing live again.
"Just being able to interact with folks feels so good again, because I
know I needed it and I know other people needed it after being
quarantined so long," said the Nashville, Tennessee-based musician, who
has performed on Facebook Live during the pandemic.
With concert venues largely shuttered over the past year, San
Francisco-based concert promoter KC Turner and musician friend Megan
Slankard came up with a way to bring live music directly to fans in
their driveways or backyards.
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"It's a way to bring music to people safely, very small, private and
bring that joy of what music is," Turner said.
The concert series started last fall with about 35 shows throughout the
San Francisco Bay Area. Bookings continued through the spring.
Audiences must wear masks for the private 75-minute-long shows, except
when eating or drinking, and stay socially distanced. The initial
audience limit of 10 has doubled, but they must keep 12 feet away from
the unmasked performers.
"I did have concerns, but I had faith in the fact
that it would be done right and it has been," said Poltz, who has been
vaccinated.
Homeowners typically book shows through Turner and invite guests. Fees
range from $1,000 to $5,000 based on the artist.
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![](../images/051221pics/news_m41.jpg)
Singer-songwriter Steve Poltz plays during a private concert in
front of a small audience on a resident's back porch, during the
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Piedmont, California,
U.S. April 30, 2021. REUTERS/Nathan Frandino
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The roster of artists includes Donavon Frankenreiter, Clarence
Greenwood (better known as Citizen Cope) and David Lowery of
Cracker.
The pandemic did provide Poltz a break from constantly touring,
allowing him to spend time with his ailing father and write new
songs. Yet he is happy to be back on stage - even if that is the
corner of a porch.
"It doesn't matter whether you play for 100,000 people or you're
playing to 30 or 20 people. What I'm looking for is that connection.
So it's so fun to be back out," he said. (This story corrects
spelling of Donavon in 10th paragraph)
(Reporting by Nathan Frandino; Editing by Richard Chang and David
Gregorio)
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