Are Drive-In Concerts the Wave of the Future?

Since the pandemic lockdown began in earnest in much of the world, live-streamed concerts have grown exponentially in popularity. While most folks would agree they have the potential to be rad (Code Orange and Devin Townsend come to mind), most folks would also probably agree that nothing beats the real thing, feeling the energy of a band, hundreds or thousands of other fans, and having the PA saturate your ears with beautiful, beautiful loud sound.

But what about drive-in concerts? Could those be one step closer to the real thing? Danish singer-songwriter Mads Langer endeavored to find out with a drive-in concert in the city of Aarhus earlier this week, and it sounds like the event went pretty well.

Five hundred tickets were sold for the event, which was announced with only six days notice, and fans were able to listen to the concert via a short-range FM radio station just like at drive-in movies back in the day. What’s more, the event utilized Zoom for a direct visual connection between the artist and fans in their cars.

I don’t think anyone but the biggest introverts would claim the drive-in experience is better than a full-fledged concert — I want to hear that LOUD music, maaaaaan! and I don’t wanna be trapped in my car with the windows shut — but right now I would absolutely jump at the opportunity. I wonder how it would translate to metal, which is so much more visceral and physical than Langer’s music, but I’d like to find out.

[via Loudwire]