- Title: Live music makes a comeback with socially-distanced rooftop concerts
- Date: 26th August 2020
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DANA BENNETT, HOTEL GUEST AND MOTHER OF BLAISE AND STELLA, SAYING: "It's just nice to be out and about and do something fun with the family that is safe and yeah. So, I mean, we've always been fans of live music, but to see it in this element after the pandemic is really special, just to have this family time." (SOUNDBITE) (English) BLAISE BENNETT, EI
- Embargoed: 9th September 2020 19:29
- Keywords: California balcony concerts coronavirus hotel
- Location: HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- City: HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music,United States,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002CSVXXSP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Finding somewhere to watch live music can be a challenge during the coronavirus pandemic, but a southern Californian hotel has found a solution by holding rooftop concerts that allow guests to social distance while watching from their balconies.
The Pasea Hotel and Spa in Huntington Beach, south of Los Angeles, came up with the rooftop concert idea as a one-off to keep guests entertained during the pandemic. But the show was such a hit with guests that the idea was expanded into a concert series, General Manager Joe Leinacker said.
"The initial concept was let's just do it this one time and and see if people enjoy it and the momentum and the positive feedback has continued to grow ever since," said Leinacker
"Guests would just hear music coming from out of their balcony and they would walk out and then all of a sudden you see a guitarist on the roof playing music," he added.
Coronavirus has led to the cancellation of thousands of concerts and tours and forced the closure of most music venues. Music festivals - including the annual Coachella music festival in Southern California, which usually draws about 90,000 people, have also been canceled.
"We've always been fans of live music, but to see it in this element after the pandemic is really special," said Dana Bennett, a local resident who checked-in to the hotel with her husband and two kids especially to see the show.
"It's just nice to be out and about and do something fun with the family that is safe," she added.
Musicians around the world have had to adapt how they engage with their audiences due to mass closures of concert venues, with many performing online from their homes in virtual concerts. But as any live music fan will tell you, nothing beats being there in person.
"I mean, you literally feel like you escape everything and Covid(-19) and for a couple hours you can just enjoy and kind of go back and escape. So for us, it's just an opportunity to just escape, enjoy the nice music, enjoy the amazing views of the Pacific City," said Kenny Bennett, as he watched the show with his family from their hotel room balcony.
"It's it's just incredible," he added.
Concert venues are expected to be among the last to reopen because of the challenges of social distancing.
(Production: Alan Devall, Omar Younis) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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