Musician Eric Wagner died last month after being hospitalized with COVID pneumonia. Over the last several weeks, rockers such as Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Jonathan Davis (Korn), Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley (KISS), Sean Killian (Vio-Lence), Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row) and members of Tesla and Lynyrd Skynyrd all tested positive for the virus that sparked a global pandemic in March 2020. Playing concerts during COVID is no joke. "I went back to Live Nation, and at that point, they had just updated their policies, and we worked with the venues to have mask mandates and vaccination proof or negative tests." Still, "about a week in, it was apparent that Delta was becoming a real issue," he says. Plus, "most of our shows were outside," Dunleavy adds. And all our bands and crews were good about wearing masks, also - even on days off and at hotels." Then really it became about keeping it tight, and when out of that bubble, being smart about wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands, etc."Īs for the venues hosting the gigs, Dunleavy coordinated with promoter Live Nation, which he notes "implemented own set of protocols, including having everyone rapid-test before being able to work and the wearing of masks in indoor spaces. "We made the bus part of our bubble - even immediate family was not allowed. "No one was allowed on tour without that," he underscores.
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Still, he confirmed that all his bands, crews and drivers were vaccinated. "Much larger tours can implement mass testing, quarantining and show cancellations or postponements," Dunleavy says, "which a tour of our size just could not handle financially." With that info in hand, he created his own tour's COVID protocols based on its budget.
But before Rise Against could return to the road after a prolonged time away, their tour manager had to master a new skill - keeping his tour safe from COVID.ĭunleavy started by consulting with other tour managers and production staff to see how both large and small-scale tours were handling the pandemic out on the road. Other than that, the tour made all its dates, which had Descendents and The Menzingers opening several. "It was a smaller indoor show and we felt it was too much of a liability to the remaining shows." Their one cancellation, in Louisiana, only happened because it was "at the height of their Delta outbreak," Dunleavy explains. infection rates up again, something Dunleavy was well aware of as he guided his band and crew. And it scored mid-period Album of the Year Grammys for both Clapton and, why not, Tony Bennett.That's right when the very contagious Delta variant of the novel coronavirus had started driving U.S. It inspired breakthrough moments for everyone from Pearl Jam (see Eddie Vedder scrawling “PRO CHOICE” on his arm during a manic “Porch”) to Maxwell (whose harp-driven version of Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work” is an all-universe highlight). It generated unlikely radio hits (see 10,000 Maniacs covering “Because the Night”). Hatched in 1989 with a deceptively simple premise-big stars play their big hits, stripped down and acoustic-the show was a massive ’90s phenomenon that, unlike many other ’90s phenomenons, has modestly endured since. MTV Unplugged, one of the channel’s most prestigious franchises, helped launch a few careers and revitalized quite a few more. The guy in the animal mask who delicately plays piano as Korn and Evanescence singer Amy Lee turn “Freak on a Leash” into something freakishly beautiful. It’s the little things: Kurt Cobain’s last ragged breath before he finishes howling through “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.” The two teenage girls standing behind Dashboard Confessional who high-five immediately after screaming, “SO WE CAN GET SOME!” Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez scrawling “Friends don’t let friends get Friends haircuts” on his acoustic bass in a gleeful jab at Metallica. A teary-eyed Lauryn Hill reclaiming her time and radically transforming her career.
Eric Clapton converting “Layla” from a desperate rager to a graceful shuffle and walking off with an armload of Grammys. It’s the big things: Mariah Carey hammering god-tier high notes while insisting that “I’m not used to doing this.” LL Cool J steamrolling through “Mama Said Knock You Out” for a frenzied audience of fist-pumpers and shadow-boxers. Now that the network is bringing it back, it’s maybe time to revisit the whole concept.
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MTV’s Unplugged series had an insanely good run when it debuted more than 25 years ago.