Live music is back in Southern California.
OK, well sort of back. Drive-in concerts have become one of the only ways for a band to perform live in front of an audience since COVID-19 changed life as we all knew it.
Locally, Concerts in Your Car has been producing shows at the Ventura County Fairgrounds since June.
CBF Productions founder Vincenzo Giammanco took the time to answer some questions about the venue and plans for upcoming concerts.
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Paul Mann: Is it true that CBF Productions organized the first social-distancing live event in California with the advent of Concerts in Your Car at the Ventura County Fairgrounds?
Vincenzo Giammanco: Yes, we started back in June and have produced 45 events since then. We’re doing everything from movies and cover bands to comedy shows and concerts.
PM: What are people allowed to bring with them in their cars? Food? Drink? Folding chairs? Alcoholic beverages?
VG: Visit the website for info: concertsinyourcar.com.
PM: Last week, most concertgoers enjoyed the show from their cars, but some music fans put out lounge chairs in front of their autos, and others would dance in place in front of your vehicles. What are the restrictions when concertgoers leave their cars?
VG: Visit the website for info: concertsinyourcar.com.
PM: You have a unique stage setup with four giant video screens facing different directions. The configuration allows for cars to encircle the stage, creating a 360-degree audience. Is this concept popular with the band and concertgoers?
VG: Putting the stage in the center creates a premium viewing experience for everyone in the venue. It makes it so that, basically, there’s not a bad seat in the house. The performers are sometimes skeptical, but once they get a chance to play, they love it.
To be honest, the in-the-round concert format is often reserved for mega-stars like Garth Brooks or the Rolling Stones, so for us to be doing it in this fashion, it creates a unique experience for many of these artists who have never had that opportunity before.
PM: The music quality broadcast over FM radio is excellent. What are the technical challenges to achieve such good audio results?
VG: From the beginning of time, the sound has been coming from large speakers at the stage, so training the market on a new audio experience is a challenge. Entertainment Technology is our audio provider, and they spearheaded the whole audio experience. People seem to love it because they can control how loud or how soft they want to hear it.
PM: The music fans and bands all seem to be genuinely happy to be back in a live music environment. I noticed that the bands and their audience had found new ways to connect in this unique concert genre. For example, people in their cars use their horns and headlights to respond to the bands. Do you think this may develop into a permanent addition to the live music industry?
VG: Yes, absolutely. CBF is doubling down on this space, and we do think that, even after COVID, there will be a space for this. I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface of what can be done.
— L. Paul Mann is a Noozhawk contributing writer. The opinions expressed are his own.