Doobie Brothers hit another Hall of Fame roadblock
The Doobie Brothers can’t seem to buy a break when it comes to their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. What should have been a done deal by now continues to be anything but a straightforward matter. First off, San Jose’s most famous band had to wait more than two decades before even getting nominated for the Rock Hall, even though it became eligible in the mid-’90s (25 years after releasing its first recording). Fortunately, it only took one nomination and it was announced in January that the group would be inducted in 2020. Since then, however, it’s been a rather complicated road for the Doobies and the rest of the class of 2020 — pioneering modern-rock/ synth-pop act Depeche Mode, multiplatinum-selling vocalist Whitney Houston, hip-hop icon the Notorious B.I.G., industrial-rock champs Nine Inch Nails and glamrockers T-Rex as well as Ahmet Ertegun Award honorees Jon Landau and Irving Azoff — due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were supposed to be enshrined during the 35th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 2, but that was postponed. And now the Rock Hall has announced that it’s canceling the induction ceremony for this year. In its place will be a TV special honoring the Doobies and the other inductees, which will be available on HBO and HBO Max on Nov. 7. “To protect the health and safety of our Inductees, their families, crews and our attendees, we’ve made the decision that the scheduled live event is not possible,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “Together with HBO and executive producer Joel Gallen, we will still create an exciting program honoring our 2020 inductees, by telling the stories of their incredible contributions to music and impact on a generation of artists that followed them.” The Doobies also will be part of the 2020 inductee exhibit, which, hopefully, opens Aug. 14 at the Rock Hall in Cleveland.
Shelton and Stefani head to the drive-in
Country crooner Blake Shelton will star during a one-night-only drivein concert experience for fans. Pop star Gwen Stefani, Shelton’s longtime girlfriend and former co-star on NBC’s “The Voice,” and country artist Trace Adkins will make guest appearances. The show will screen at theaters across North America on July 25. Tickets went on sale this week and are available at ticketmaster.com/encore-blakeshelton. “This is such a great way to enjoy music with your family and friends and stay safe,” Shelton said in a news release. “I’m excited we’re getting the chance to perform a concert for fans and we’re going to go back and play old hits like ‘Austin,’ newer songs like ‘God’s Country’ and we might even introduce something brand new!” There are several participating theaters/locations in Northern California, including the “Pop-Up” drivein at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, the Solano Drive-In in Concord and the Sacramento Drive-In. Tickets are $114.99 per vehicle. A maximum of six people are permitted per vehicle. Showtimes were not immediately available. Parking will be first come, first served, so get there early if you want to grab the best spots. Patrons must adhere to all of the theaters’ regular restrictions, including the social distancing guidelines put in place during the coronavirus pandemic. Bay Area theaters have been requiring visitors to remain their cars at all times unless using the restroom. In other words, don’t bring lawn chairs and expect to make this a shindig with your neighbors, tempting as that might be. As for the sound, the concert will be broadcast through the FM radio in your car. The Shelton show launches the new Encore Drive-In Nights, a series of one-night-only concert experiences for fans to enjoy from the social distancing-friendly confines of their own cars at outdoor theaters. Other concert experiences are expected to be announced shortly. Drive-in theaters have become entertainment hot spots across the country as a source of pandemic-proof ways to have fun outside the house. Drive-ins in Concord, San Jose, Sacramento and Pleasanton have been hosting events from classic movies to concerts to Frameline Film Festival selections to actor Michael B. Jordan’s diversity-themed movie series. The Shelton concert follows Encore’s successful “Garth Brooks: A Drive-In Concert Experience” in late June. “We can’t wait to bring music’s biggest stars to outdoor movie screens all across North America so that people can get back out there again and safely enjoy engaging in in-person experiences,” said Encore Live Founder and CEO Walter Kinzie. For more information about the series, as well as a complete list of locations showing the Shelton concert experience, go to encorenights.com.