Let’s get this show on the road.
For most musicians, touring and live performances account for most of their income. Since concerts as we knew them were effectively cancelled, forcing musicians to find other means to connect with their audiences. Early on, many musicians quickly took to livestreaming – hosting concerts from home á la Tiny Desk Concert at Home, Travis Scott’s concert on Fortnight, or the Lady Gaga-curated One World: Together at Home online benefit festival. Other musicians, such as the psychedelic indie outfit, The Flaming Lips, have taken things a step further, holding live in-person concerts with everyone in attendance encased in a life-sized inflatable plastic bubble. In the spirit of creativity, two pianists have converted a 16-foot box truck into a touring concert truck in order to bring their music to the masses. [Featured image: @theconcerttruck]
In some ways pianists Nick Luby and Susan Zhang were ahead of their time. The two first had their idea to create The Concert Truck, a mobile venue set up with lights, sound system, and a piano, back in 2016. Before the pandemic of this year, the two toured across the the country in the The Concert Truck, performing in festivals, parks, neighborhoods, and the streets — “anywhere you can think to park a truck.”
Luby, Zhang, and The Concert Truck also seek to strengthen the bonds between local communities and their art organizations. This fall, The Concert Truck will be teaming up with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and other local organizations in the Dallas Arts District.
The Concert Truck’s month-long tour runs from November 21 to December 18. All concerts are free. The exact dates and times of the concerts have yet to be announced, but interested audience members are encouraged to follow The Concert Truck’s social media pages for updates.