What it’s like attending a drive-in concert
With the spread of COVID-19 came the cancellation of large public gatherings from baseball games to county fairs and concerts — even money hungry Coachella was cancelled this year. For me, that meant the cancellation of half a dozen concerts that I had been greatly looking forward to. While there are larger issues going on across the globe, I have to admit that with the passing of each concert, the date written in chubby pastel letters across my planner, came a wave of disappointment. Some of these concerts I had been anticipating for years (like the My Chemical Romance reunion tour), which is why when my favorite musician, Andrew McMahon, announced that he would be doing a series of drive-in style concerts at the City National Grove of Anaheim, I was immediately hooked.
At $200/ticket, this drive-in concert experience was more expensive than what I’m used to paying for shows. However, this ticket does cover the number of seats in your car, meaning you could split the cost with whoever fits in your car. Despite the cost, I caved and purchased a ticket, figuring this was the only way I was going to get to attend concerts this year and maybe even next year. Plus, it was the 15-year anniversary show of one of my favorite albums of all time, “Everything in Transit,” and I’m a fiend for Andrew McMahon shows. (I’ve been to 24 of his shows in three different states. Seeing him live is probably my number one hobby.)
On the day of the show, my brother and I hopped into the car, eager to get to the show early in order to secure a better seat, or in this case, a better parking space. While doors typically open only an hour before a show, doors opened for this show two hours in advance, allowing time for security to quickly go through our cars and for us to park and set up our viewing arrangement. The Grove honestly did such a great job organizing the parking situation to ensure that each guest could practice social distancing. Each group was placed in a square grid, half taken up by our vehicle and the other half open for you to set up lawn chairs, blankets, and even tables for dining. The only downside to this layout is that if you’re sitting in a chair on the ground, a car could block your view. We easily remedied that situation by sitting on the roof of our car.
In the hours before the concert, my brother and I were eager to explore and test out just how smoothly a drive-in concert would work and as far as we could tell, the Grove thought through everything. All food and drink plus merchandise orders went through an app and workers in gloves and masks dropped them off in sealed brown bags at your square with all transactions occurring through your phone. On top of that, you could also make bathroom reservations through the site instead of queuing for the bathrooms. Instead, a service alerted you when it was your turn to go. What impressed me was that before entering the stalls, workers checked to make sure you’re wearing a mask and took your temperature. The downside to this was that it took a long time to get to the bathroom (approximately half an hour in my case). From what I can tell though, this is because bathroom capacity was cut in half as every other stall was closed to force social distancing. Overall, I preferred this system and would love it even during normal times so that you miss as little of the show as possible.
The concert itself was a fun and very summery experience that I would repeat, even during non-quarantine times. The speakers at the venue were fairly limited, so they encouraged guests to tune in through their car radios or through an app that streamed the concert to you. Since many of the cars around me were using their speakers, I skipped using either of these methods and could still hear well. For people who like their concerts loud (I’m guilty), this concert was on the quieter side and I was able to easily hold a conversation without screaming. For me truly though, the only major downside was the sound wasn’t as clear, but then again, this is something I expect at all outdoor concerts.
After attending this show, I have to admit there are more perks than downsides to taking in a show this way. A tall person can’t block your view (I once had my face pressed into the back of a giant for 95% of a Panic! at the Disco set) and no one can take “your spot,” so you’re free to go to the bathroom or eat/drink. As much as I love the anonymity of a mosh pit, I have to admit it’s nice not having to worry about getting injured in a mosh pit (being short is hard, ok?) or any of the gross parts of being in the pit (my friend was peed on waiting for a set at Warped Tour). Additionally, it’s nice to be able to sit and eat during a show. For families, this is a wonderful option for concerts and allows the whole family to go together.
What it comes down to is that if you’re a fan and you love the music, you’ll enjoy the show. For me, there was no way this could go wrong; I was seeing my favorite musician and in a way that wouldn’t jeopardize the health of my family or the band. Andrew put on an amazing show, covering every song on “Everything from Transit” plus a few from his other bands. In between songs, he even addressed the oddness of the situation — masks on whenever you left your square, car honks instead of applause, no meet and greets after the show, etc. However, when you’re in something together, it doesn’t feel odd. It’s just a beautiful thing to feel united with a group of people and to listen to your favorite music as the California sun sets, bathing the stage in a pastel blanket.
