Keith Urban had a treat Thursday night for those working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The country star played an exclusive concert for about 200 healthcare workers from Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center at a nearby drive-in movie theater.
The show lasted over an hour in front of roughly 125 cars keeping the first responders at a safe distance from each other.
“It was a lot of fun,” Urban said in an appearance on Today Friday morning. “We didn’t know what to expect so to some degree it was also, from a performance standpoint, it was a proof of concept show as well to figure out what works.”
In the age of the coronavirus, live events have largely become virtual though Live Nation is moving towards the drive-in concept to keep shows going with safety and physical distance ensured. The promoter is launching a drive-in tour overseas while other experimental shows are expected to pop up across the country. Of his own show, Urban says he was happy it worked logistically, but more so because it was a way to thank those on the front lines of the virus.
“We also really wanted to take the opportunity to not only do the first [drive-in concert] but do it for the healthcare workers cause that’s what this is all about right now,” he told Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie. “They did an amazing job as an audience and I had a great time.”
Musically, the concert was nearly a one-man effort as Urban noted that he relied on backing tracks instead of crowding the stage with a full band outside of one fellow guitarist.
It is unknown if the “We Were” singer will be able to play his scheduled festivals and shows in the coming months because of the pandemic. However, fans can soon enjoy new music, as he recently revealed his new album The Speed of Now will drop in September.
