Virtual voices in 2020

A series of concerts in the comfort of your own home — front row seats guaranteed.

Any frequent concert goers out there? Of the many things COVID-19 has taken from us, live performances, such as concerts and plays, are among those in the group most affected. Toward the beginning of the pandemic, we witnessed a surge of virtual performances as a form of communal encouragement to stick together. 

One particular past highlight that comes to mind is “The Disney Family Singalong” that ABC released on April 16 this past year. This singalong included classic Disney favorites featuring Beyoncé, Kristen Chenoweth, Ariana Grande and was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. This was so popular at the time that they released a second one about a month later. 

On Oct. 24, Billie Eilish held a livestream called “Where Do We Go?” Using special lighting and other effects, Eilish was able to hold a unique concert which ultimately left her audience in awe. 

These concerts and streamed performances happen across various platforms. For example, ShowTix4U is a website that can stream whatever event you intend to watch. Once your ticket is purchased through a third-party website, you will use a stream code received via email to log on.

Once complete, you can log onto the site 30 minutes before the set show time and, if you’re early, you will have the opportunity to explore the website to discover upcoming live streaming events. There are also options to purchase tickets to events on the site, but it’s important to note this is entirely dependent upon the event organizer’s preferences. 

At the beginning of the pandemic artists used these concerts as a means to encouragement fans to not lose hope and to remind them that we are all in this together. Back in May, a concert series called “Together at Home” — launched by John Legend, Chris Martin and Global Citizen — featured performances from Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Shawn Mendes and more. These artists all promoted strength during this time of crisis and continue to do so through social media along with other private concerts. 

While we are still lacking normalcy during our ninth month of the pandemic, artists are here to let you know that they are right there with you. They continue to reach out to foster an optimistic outlook towards the future. Even though performances are drastically different these days, it is possible to continue to support the arts and enjoy events from a socially distanced perspective.