Among themany sectors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the hardest hit has been live entertainment; after all, the industry's business model is built on having the highest possible number of people interacting within a concentrated space.
Most entertainment venues have remained closed since the initial lockdown of businesses in mid-March, and many claim they will not survive the closure if they do not receive aid from the government or charity.
However, despite the challenges faced by these venues, a select few have reopened to host events by adapting to thesafety protocols of social distancing.
Ventura County Fairgrounds
At the Ventura County Fairgrounds, the live event series Concerts In Your Car launched back in June under the banner of being the first socially distant concerts in California.
The shows are produced by CBF Productions, one of the largest live event production companies in Ventura County.Vincenzo Giammanco, the company's founder and CEO, said the series was inspired by socially distanced concerts in Europe.
"It really was a Hail Mary-type thing," Giammanco said. "We got a (Paycheck Protection Program) loan. Let'sreally try to use this time to try and launch something."
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The series kicked off with two entertainers from Ventura County, rapper SuperDuperKyle and comedian Trevor Wallace, and has since hosted acts like The Beach Boys, Snoop Dogg, Fitz and the Tantrums and more. The event series has also expanded to fairgrounds in San Diego County and Phoenix, Arizona.
"We've had some major acts that would have never come to Ventura if it was not for this pandemic," Giammanco said.
The concert setup involves a stage 8 feet off the ground in the center of the main parking lot at the fairground. Tickets are sold by parking space, each of which outlines an area where people can sit and watch either inside or out of their vehicles.
"It's pretty cool to have your own little spot, your own little cube," Giammanco said. He said he expects the event series to continue even after venues fully reopen.
Conejo Recreation andParks District
Tim Duerr, the recreational services manager of the Conejo Recreation andParks District, saw what was happening at the fairgrounds and wanted to bring something similar to the eastern part of Ventura County after canceling the summer concert series originally planned for the area.
Over Labor Day Weekend, the recreation department hosted Wild Child, a tribute band for The Doors and Jim Morrison. Though the event faced challenges like record-breaking heat and sound pollution from nearby Highway 101, Duerr said the show exceeded expectations.
"I'm hoping we're not in this same situation next summer,but if we're going into it knowing that we are, we can do it again," Duerr said.
Concerts In Your Car
In a statement, James Lockwood, Ventura County Fairgrounds marketing director, said no other event series is currently planned for the fairgrounds at this time. However, Giammanco said current Concerts In Your Car programming extends into 2021.
"We're not trying to take over.Wejust want to keep live entertainment alive," he said.
More information is available atwww.concertsinyourcar.com.
In Oxnard, the Carpool Jam Concert events have been drawing 100 or more cars to a performing arts center parking lot. Lance Sterling, CEO of Sterling Venue Ventures and operator of the Oxnard auditorium, said the drive-in concerts tend to draw more families than a typical pre-pandemic concert.
Some stay in their cars and roll up their windows. Some lounge in the beds of their trucks. Others wearing masks can mosey to the courtyard for socially distanced mingling.
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Tickets, starting at about $50 per car, go toward paying the bands. A Beatles tribute band is performing in December and a spot up front and center is more than $100.
“No one is making money from it,” Sterling said.
Concert venues likely face long wait
Unlike restaurants, movie theaters and other businesses slowly opening indoor operations, concert venues are grappling with the reality that live music in a crowded space isn’t returning anytime soon.
Under the state’s color coded system of re-opening, concert venues aren’t even listed in the least restrictive yellow tier.
Sterling hopes concerts can return in 2021 but these days, it’s impossible to predict.
“The fact that I’m not listed in any of the threat levels...nobody knows the answer,” he said.
Once it’s safe to do so, Sterling said he’ll be the first to open.
“I feel like people are social and they want to come back,” Sterling said. “It’s just, who’s going to be first? It probably will be me.”
'Music is my life'
A month before the pandemic arrived, Sterling had signed a deal with Oxnard to keep the city-owned performance space open despite steep budget cuts.
A line-up of more than 50 concerts was anticipated in the first year at the Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center with Tierra & Malo slated for April and Ginuwine scheduled for May. But the venue’s plans were quashed before opening night.
Outdoor concerts with attendees watching from parked cars is the next best thing. But selling tickets for 100 cars doesn’t compare to pre-pandemic revenue. A sold-out crowd at the center’s main auditorium can draw 1,600 people.
The pandemic pushed Sterling, who owns or operates eight venues in Southern California, to close Pasadena’s The Canyon at the Rose. Now he’s in the process of selling a prized collection of hundreds of vintage and celebrity signed guitars to make ends meet.
“Music is my life,” he said. “I can go without alcohol, I can go without sweets, but going without music hurts my soul.”
Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached by calling805-437-0208 or emailing jeremy.childs@vcstar.com. You can also find him on Twitter @Jeremy_Childs.
Wendy Leung is a staff writer for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at wendy.leung@vcstar.com or 805-437-0339. You can also find her on Twitter@Leung__Wendy.