Curbside Concerts During the Pandemic

With musicians and bands being unable to perform live concerts, many of them have turned to live streaming and recording their music. However, this doesn’t always take into account people with limited technology, or the various seniors in communities who might be unable to chime into live events in the same fashion that younger people do.

Some performing musicians have found a creative way of bringing music to seniors citizens and neighbors within their smaller communities. In Columbus, OH, there is a volunteer group named “Can’t Stop Columbus,” that has had musicians volunteer to drive up close to houses, nursing homes, and community centers, to play live music from a safe distance. In California, Chris Lomeli spread joy by playing his music outside different family homes. In Vancouver, WA, trumpeter Chuck Par-due also brought his music to different senior centers. Musician Par-due also evidently lost all of his gigs due to coronavirus, after having spent several years playing his music in assisted living facilities. So curbside concerts are both beneficial to the musicians who’ve lost their performances, and to the listeners. During all of these concerts, the musicians have stayed a safe distance from the listeners, following all social distancing guidelines.

These curbside concerts seem to be a great way of continuing to minimally bring music to audiences that would otherwise be unable to participate in live streams and listen to live music.