If there’s a way for any artist to figure out how to perform during the coronavirus pandemic, Keith Urban will find it. The 52-year-old recently did a surprise show at a drive-in theater just outside of Nashville, and vows he will continue to explore other ways to hit the stage, while keeping everyone safe.
“We’re going to figure it out,” Keith vowed to Billboard. “I’m not going to stay home!”
Keith, who is self-isolating with his family in Nashville while off the road, doesn’t have any more shows planned, but is working on finding other ways to share his music with his loyal fans.
“We’re in the midst of talking about how and where and when and all the rest of it,” Keith acknowledged. “I think there’s even potential other modes that haven’t been explored yet. I’m interested in all of it right now. I tell you one thing, this has brought out an extraordinary creativity in a lot of people of how to do things, how to rethink the way we approach so much of what we do. A lot of us have gotten crazy creative in the last few months. Necessity is the mother of invention.”
The New Zealand-born star notes that drive-in shows are already happening in other countries, although maybe not with the production he, and other artists, use. Still, Keith says it might be time to consider the fan, and their needs, above how the artist wants to perform.
“The tipping point, of course is the scale of production that you need to project sonically, not just visually, to that many cars increases the overhead exponentially,” Keith explained. “And it’s very, very hard to do the math. It’s complicated from my making money standpoint. But I also think the conversation has to be had about ‘What do you mean making money? What kind of money are we talking about?’
“Because I think that has to get realistic too with where we are in the next handful of months,” he added. “It may be just a sliver of what we’re all used to, but that’s better than nothing. And if that’s the way we continue to play and keep being there for the audience, we have to figure out a way to do it.”
Keith has continued to play virtual shows from his own home studio, which he says are more important now than ever before.
“The connections between all of us is the one thing we can maintain through this,” Keith said.” We may do it a different way, but we can absolutely maintain a sense of connection. Look, at the end of the day as a touring musician, and everything I’m doing, is I’m coming out to make a connection with everybody, particularly playing live. Given that the stages have gone away for the time being, I just had to find other stages in the form of digital platforms.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of PFA Media
