Tupelo Music Hall has announced plans to reopen this summer as a drive-in venue, allowing live music to safely continue in the age of social distancing.
The Derry, New Hampshire venue sent out an email today (May 6) sharing the news in light of obtaining a permit from the town to open under this new format.
“So… here’s my plan for the Summer (or until we can open again),” the email from owner Scott Hayward states. “Tupelo Music Hall is about to become the TUPELO DRIVE-IN MUSIC HALL! I’m not going to pretend that I have figured out all of the details but I want to share with you what I do know now that the Town of Derry has given me a permit to do this. We need music and movies but we also need to be smart and safe.”
Hayward adds: “The State of NH has new guidelines to allow Drive-In Theatres to operate beginning May 11 (with restrictions). These guidelines are a smart way to get people out of their houses while maintaining distance between folks… If we can have a drive in theatre, there’s no reason we can’t have a drive in experience with concerts and movies. ”
According to the email from Hayward, guests who attend these drive-in performances will purchase one ticket per car, which they will show to an employee through their car window upon entrance. Cars will park in every-other parking spot to maintain a safe distance from each other. Once situated, patrons can choose to listen to the show via the Derry FM radio station or sit in a lawn chair outside in their parking space.
Artists will perform from the covered entrance to the music hall from a riser using what the venue calls a “modest sound system” so folks who are outside can hear the performance. In the case of rain, shows will be rescheduled.
“Shows will be very limited because we will have to leave so many spaces open.” Hayward’s statement continues. “I think we will be able to accommodate about 75 cars per show but, once we get going, we can do multiple shows in a day.”
The email shares that Tupelo and Hayward have “a permitted [re-opening] date for May 16 that I am working on now,” when the venue hopes to host a small acoustic show. In the statement’s list of rescheduled shows, the earliest rescheduled performances include ‘Blows Against The Empire’ 50th Anniversary Show (The Airplane Family) on June 21, Arrival From Sweden (The Music of ABBA) on July 7 and 8, and Three Dog Night on July 9.
More details to come.