With a live music industry that has almost completely come to a halt during the current COVID-19 pandemic, creative ways of throwing concerts while keeping people healthy and distanced have been popping up worldwide. Drive-in concerts are one of the formats that has picked up the most steam since the first 2020 one was hosted in Norway back in April, and now the largest event so far has taken place in Mexico this last weekend.
On August 7, popular Mexican rock band Moderatto played their country’s very first drive-in concert at Foro Pegaso, near Toluca, with an attendance of 1,500 vehicles, breaking the record of the biggest live show of its kind to date. The large-scale 360-degrees stage setup included giant screens and a spectacular lighting show and scenography, securing jobs for a number of live staff workers, who have been some of the most financially affected people in the music industry during the pandemic.
Jay de la Cueva and his combo performed their greatest hits, including singles like “Ya Lo Veía Venir,” “No Podrás,” and “Sentimettal,” while the frontman asked the audience to make noise by honking their car horns. The concert was also broadcasted live via the movie platform Cinépolis Kick.
Legendary bands El Tri and Intocable are next in line to join the format, as they’re scheduled to perform also at Foro Pegaso on August 14 and 15, respectively. With this first experiment and its success in attendance, Mexican audiences can expect more drive-in shows to calm their hunger for live concerts.