Covid Driveway jam

[Tonysounds]

I have a legit question: I'm thinking of throwing a driveway concert tomorrow. 4 piece band (me/keys, drums, bass, gtr). Outside, in my driveway, we set up in a square facing each other, but I've already measured it, and there's a minimum of 10ft between all of us, and I'll have our sidewalk blocked off, as well as our driveway. Weather is 78 and sunny tomorrow. Everyone will handle their own gear. If we keep that 10ft distance for 2 hours outside and for the duration of our time together, is this safe, or stupid?

[TommyRude]

How are you going to prevent the groupies from rushing the stage?

[Tonysounds]

Cars blocking the driveway, and blocked off the sidewalk at our property lines, minimum 10ft safety for everyone. Facebook live for neighbors, etc.

[TommyRude]

A gig without groupies rushing the stage? I'll have to say no go.

 

 

In all seriousness, I have no idea. But if a gig is worth dying and getting other folks sick, maybe it's OK.

[Tonysounds]

Definitely not worth any of that. But being outside....whatever, that's why I'm asking: I know there are medical professionals in our forum.

[J. Dan]

My take on it is this: the guidelines are there as a stopgap to prevent the stupid people from spreading infection. Instead of looking at it under the scope of the letter of the guidelines, look at it under the guidelines of common sense and the reality of how the virus is actually spread.

 

It is not airborne in that it exists in the air, it travels through the air via droplets of human fluids via cough or sneeze. Even someone who is infected will not give it to you through the air unless they cough or sneeze, or maybe you're right in their face inhaling what they exhale, especially outdoors.

 

It doesn't absorb into your skin and infect you. Somebody who is infected could literally blow snot into the palms of your hands and as long as you thoroughly wash and disinfect before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, you're ok.

 

That said, you have EXACTLY the right idea in not handling each other's gear. It can survive long enough on surfaces that if somebody was unknowingly infected and rubbed their nose, picked up an amp, then somebody else moved the amp and rubbed their nose...boom, infection,

 

It helps that data is showing that the virus survives much shorter times in warm envirionments and in direct sunlight. To your detriment is that high humidity shortens it and you have a very dry climate.

 

Just use your common sense keeping these things in mind. You're a smart guy.

[El Lobo]

A bass player friend has just done this in his neighbor's driveway. And I'm planning the same thing. I could do it in front of the house, but I'll probably do it in the back yard where there's a concrete pad that's big enough for 3 of us to be at least 8 feet apart â 1 on either end and 1 in the middle, plus a walkway for a 4th person and space on the sides of that triangle for 2 more, everybody at least 8 feet apart. And there's more direct sunlight in the back yard.

[Tonysounds]

I've spoken to 2 doctors, said with my distancing plans in action, should be fine.

[Markyboard]

Sounds like you have the safety of you and the band well thought out. Concern is for the audience letting their guard down and gathering to close to each other. I think a few vocal announcements over the course of the event and a posted sign or 2 should suffice. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[J. Dan]

I forgot to mention that based on a Korean study, while farts can transmit the virus, they don't do so through clothes. Your nose has to be planted in the uncovered butt crack of the farter, and that person has to be infected with the virus. So don't put your nose in your bandmates butt cracks while they fart, and that, in combination with the other measures you outlined, should keep you safe.

[mcgoo]

I forgot to mention that based on a Korean study, while farts can transmit the virus, they don't do so through clothes. Your nose has to be planted in the uncovered butt crack of the farter, and that person has to be infected with the virus. So don't put your nose in your bandmates butt cracks while they fart, and that, in combination with the other measures you outlined, should keep you safe.

 

So, if someone lights their fart, would that kill any virus being transported with said fart? Asking for a friend...

[Joe Muscara]

Make sure the singer faces away from you. Not because of the virus, just cuz he's ugly.

[Dockeys]

I forgot to mention that based on a Korean study, while farts can transmit the virus, they don't do so through clothes. Your nose has to be planted in the uncovered butt crack of the farter, and that person has to be infected with the virus. So don't put your nose in your bandmates butt cracks while they fart, and that, in combination with the other measures you outlined, should keep you safe.

 

So, if someone lights their fart, would that kill any virus being transported with said fart? Asking for a friend...

 

:roll:

[Adan]

Sounds awesome, and it's perfectly fine if the audience acts responsibly. You probably know what sort of people are likely to be there. Hypothetically, if you knew there were going to be a bumch yahoos who would ignore social distancing, then I think you would have an obligation not to do this.

 

One of my bands wants to something similar in Fairfax, CA, which is a small town 15 miles north of SF that's mostly a mix of old and young hippies. It would be great and I think folks would act responsibly, but Marin County cops are not to be messed with, they'd throw us in jail while the shelter in place is on.

[Moonglow]

My first thought is that this will be as safe as the least-safe-minded person in attendance, or something like that. My second thought concerns the extent to which I would enjoy playing in those conditions. Don"t have a third thought at the moment.

[Docbop]

To be safe you need to work out a cue in case the neighbors get to close. If that weird kid down the block gets too close give the cue and instantly go into Giant Steps that will back up anyone getting too close. Also maybe your could hire the Checkout Line Monitor from the grocery store to make sure your audience is spread out the appropriately and wearing masks. It would look like those middle school dances where everyone is spread out lining the walls and only two are brave enough to dance.

[TommyRude]

Good luck Tony, hope all turns out well and safe, most likely it will. I'll be watching the world start up again from my super paranoid cocoon. I'll probably be the last one out, cracking my front door and nervously looking out, tiptoeing outside in my hazmat suit.

 

If all goes well with Georgia, the floodgates will probably open.

[Piktor]

Given that we are adjusting to new social norms and the fact that we see that many people have loose interpretations of what social distancing means (lots of loop-holing going on), I would feel reluctant to trust that everyone is equally respectful and equally cautious. I just came in from one of my daily hikes in one of our city's parks. My wife and I usually go out in the mornings, so that we can avoid people as much as we can, but today we got a late start. Maybe our system has done a crappy job of teaching measurement and distance, given the way that some group mambers choose to space themselves. "That's not six feet!" Also, while I understand that the risk of contracting the virus by briefly passing within two feet of another person is slim, I would appreciate it if the members of groups would learn to practice "social narrowing" (walking in single file for a moment), instead of occupying the entire width of the path. Sure I can jump into the grass to avoid bumping shoulders, but is it too much to ask people to be considerate of others?

 

My point is that, as much as they think that they are trying to act appropriately, not everyone is going to interpret the new norms in the same way yet and I wouldn't want to be the one who has set himself up to try to manage other adults' behaviour. On the other hand, there's a real possibility I'm just being a wuss. Tony, maybe you are fortunate enough to know and trust all of your neighbours and, if so, please disregard my thoughts.

 

FWIW, I will just add this info that I caught in the CBC news today to Dan's info about the way that the virus is spread: "A U.S. National Institutes of Health study published as a research letter in the New England Journal of Medicine this week provided visual evidence that "speech-generated droplets" can become suspended in the air and inhaled by other people, potentially exposing them to viruses like the one responsible for COVID-19.

That provides some preliminary evidence that the potentially deadly coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, could be transmitted between people just by speaking normally."

I saw a report yesterday that demonstrated that some coughed droplets can travel as far as twelve feet.

 

Okay, gotta finish dinner and get my hazmat suit out of the dryer....

[Adan]

If all goes well with Georgia, the floodgates will probably open.

 

It will go very well and other states, encouraged by scenes of Georgians bowling with new haircuts and tattoos, will follow suit within a week. This will be the first pandemic cured with Pabst Blue Ribbon. You heard it hear first.

[cphollis]

We've got backyard (outdoors) rehearsals scheduled beginning in May. Fenced yard, so no audience up close. Warm, sunny and humid weather. So far, looks OK to me.

[Tonysounds]

It went well. The one neighbor we were all concerned about almost derailed the whole thing on the first song. He crossed the perimeter immediately, and I had to hold up my hand and say STOP. Go back to the line (which was a generous 20 feet from us) or it's over. He waved, set his chair down at the line, and then 3 family members joined him there. Musicians had 12-15ft diameter of safe space. I had everything set up except the board and computer, so no one touched my stuff, and vice versa, had rugs on the driveway, extension cords and boxes run to the four corners, and it went pretty smoothly once we found a 'camera angle' that would at least show the 5 of us. (it's pretty far back, but the audio feet is pretty okay! All we did was one "room mic" in the center, and the 3 vocal mics via usb ,and it's pretty tolerable. We played for 2 hours, and by the end many of the neighbors had come and started to congregate, but they were remaining more than safe distances from others, and they were families that were congregating together, so all in all, I felt pretty good about the results, the safety of everyone, and my neighbors and our friends who checked out the stream were pretty frkn happy for the diversion. I take this shit seriously, and just having the band here in my driveway, all wearing masks, was still causing me a little anxiety, but it was a healthy anxiety. And to be truthful, it was still less contact than going shopping, which I have tried to not do.

[MathOfInsects]

Some colleagues did this here yesterday as well. It sounds like you took far more precautions than they did. I have to be honest and say that nonetheless, the exercise makes me uncomfortable. As Moonglow said, you guys could do everything right, and still inadvertently be the reason someone gets it from someone else. The guys here didn't have masks on, which to me amounts to not only unilaterally deciding that concerts are OK again (albeit miniscule ones), but also glorifying the flouting of the guidelines. Even if everyone involved did the right thing, the additional "contagion risk" is that someone else will see it and do the same, but without the same good fortune you all had (as far as you know).

 

I'm glad it went well and am certainly itching to play again. Just offering a bit of feedback, as I think this is a gray area going forward.

[hardware]

Go for it.

I"ve auditioned for 2 gigs and got both from people driving over to my house, then I open the door and play the 3 songs I asked for to perform.

Never had time off before, just breaks in between shows, but even then had upgrades, rebuilds, etc.

 

Modded a WaveState and re programmed it"s Set Lists, upgraded to PTeq 6, Kontakt 6, W10, Omnisphere, etc.

Re programmed my SE-02 and Physis K4, and have learned 52 songs.

 

I"m ready to jam with a Mask and latex gloves, also practiced with those on two, no sweat.

 

I"m waiting for HX 3.5, then the extended license.

 

I"m ready to go when we get the Green Light in Vegas.

I"ll volunteer for Mayor Goodman"s control group......LoL.

 

Great idea though having a jam, neighbors loved my auditions, a live band would really raise spirits.

[Dockeys]

For me it"s all down to where you live and what the restrictions are. I wouldn"t dream of having a rehearsal here, even a closed one, not to mention one where someone listening could potentially wander close. Some people in Ireland are looking at restrictions as a test to see how far they can push the boundary instead of just accepting that we have to shutdown for a while.

 

We have a 2km travel limit from the house for essential journeys only. If I had band members coming from different parts of the county I"d be called out by my neighbours and rightly so. Someone mentioned it"s probably less risky than going to the shops which it may be but I need to shop so I can eat...I don"t need to have a rehearsal. That can wait until the virus passes. In the meantime I"m happy staying put and practicing or rehearsing remotely.

 

Glad you got though it safely nonetheless.

[Tonysounds]

FOR sure. I should have mentioned I live in a gated community of <40 homes. Maybe half the community is 'social', half I've never met in 5 years. At the end there may have been 8-10 people milling around, but they were in groups (family or couples), and distanced apart. Most just did a few laps around the hood. It went pretty much as I had imagined and hoped it. Will probably do it again with one of my other bands. Some mayors down here are opening their communities in defiance of governors orders. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. Granted, New Mexico should not be used as a model for reopening, but we have kept our numbers down for our population apparently. I saw an article somewhere (a NY paper maybe, or a DC) that was applauding our governor's efforts and results. Still climbing though.

 

I should also mention that of the 5 of us, 4 of us have been totally quarantined (including having groceries delivered) for over a month, and the 5th is an essential worker at a tool n die. I was mildly apprehensive, even knowing I was taking every single precaution I could imagine. Even told folks they needed to take care of any bathroom needs before they got here, cuz they weren't getting in!

[Dave Keys]

I just wouldn't chance anything that encourages social gatherings. We're just starting to flatten the curve in the UK, and the timing and method of any lifting of restrictions is going to be the decisive factor in the avoidance of a second spike.