Inside A Socially Distant, Fan Pod Live Music Experience [VIDEO]

Other than drive-in shows, one of the ways live music has been able to happen is through socially distant, pod-style concerts. Here, the Haulix team go behind the curtain in rural Tennessee to get a feeling for what these pod-style shows are like.

Guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix

The Haulix team recently caught a glimpse at live music’s future during a concert with fan pods in rural Tennessee.

We miss concerts. We’re going to assume that you do as well. Nothing else on the planet can provide the same rush that live music offers. Scientists can probably explain why that is, but we believe it’s tied to our history. Humans have been gathering to perform music and celebrate life since the dawn of time. It is a communal event as old as time itself, more or less, and our inability to participate in it has made 2020 a drag.

The music business, of course, is resilient. Some artists and promoters have found success with drive-in events. Critics say that the experience of listening to music inside your car in what is essentially a giant parking lot doesn’t really compare to the excitement of being near fellow humans. It’s a stopgap measure at best, but something is better than nothing when you’re feeling desperate.

One other option exists. Many countries are finding success with socially-distant concerts that utilize a concept known as fan pods. These events place people in groups of two or more, and every group stays in a designated area where only they can enjoy the show. The interaction with other concertgoers is minimal, as are the interactions with venue staff. It’s a bold notion that could provide more opportunities for live music in the future, but it has been slow to catch on in the states.

Recently, Music Biz host James Shotwell traveled to Tennessee to watch an outdoor, socially-distant concert utilizing fan pods to keep people safe. He uses our latest video clip to recount the experience, including the positives and negatives of going to a show using pods to separate attendees. Check it out:

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James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement at Haulix and host of the company’s podcast, Inside Music. He is also a public speaker known for promoting careers in the entertainment industry, as well as an entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. His bylines include Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, Nu Sound, and Under The Gun Review, among other popular outlets.