Live Music Again with Tyler Rich

Tyler Rich made our 11:11 wishes come true.

Northern California native, Tyler Rich, pulled out all of the stops for his drive in concert in Auburn, California. He towed his whole crew to give fans a show to remember. Concert goers drove into the fairgrounds excited for a day of tailgating and a night of socially distant fun. It’s felt like an eternity for some since the last concert event.

Amador Sons opened the event with fantastic vocals! The duo played an extended set, and graced the stage again after a small break. Following suit was Chase Miller. He also gave a flawless performance that amped the crowd up for the highly anticipated Tyler Rich.

As the night unfolded and the sky darkened, Tyler and his band leaped on stage with formidable presence. Rich was beaming as he and the band jumped right into the classic ’11:11.’ The crowd went wild from excitement to see Tyler, and to be at a concert again after months without one.

The country artist spoke to the crowd throughout the night expressing his gratitude for their support. He explained that he brought the band together to give the audience the full musical experience instead of an acoustic show. We stan thoughtful artists. He played classics such as ‘California Grown’ to latest releases such as ‘Still Love You.’ Tyler mentioned how his wife Sabina wished she could be dancing with everyone, but had to take care of their precious fur babies back home. Tyler also gave a special mention to his drummer who learned their 70 minute set in stunningly short amount time. The band truly exudes musical talent together. While Rich acknowledged minor hiccups throughout the night, it’s understandable that acoustics would not be flawless. We’re all a little rusty after months of quarantine. Nevertheless, Tyler and his band gave the audience a night that deserves a cheers of a few beers.

Despite all of this fun, this concert did raise a few concerns for the future of drive in concerts. Although this was a socially distanced event, fairground employees were not enforcing social distance rules. Announcements regarding rules were made infrequently, and not regulated. Lines for the bathroom had no lines or markers reinforcing the audience to stand six feet apart or to wear a mask when not in his or her personal parking spot. While walking around, hardly any masks were seen. When conducting an event like this, in order to continue harboring safe environments for the community, rules need to be enforced.

The future of live music may be outdoor shows. However, if attending an outdoor concert entails limited to no enforcement of CDC guidelines along with congregations of large crowds, this brilliant idea may be gone just as quickly as it came. Unfortunately, though Tyler’s set, crowds congregated without masks to the front of the stage. Again, over 200 people were gathered together without masks. If you are considering attending an outdoor concert, it’s highly recommended to wear your masks, socially distance and bring your own food and drinks.

It’s clear that Tyler Rich loves his home state, and the feeling is mutual. He plain simple embodies the heart of California country. Hopefully we will be able to see more of his shows around with proper enforcement of the rules by the venues.