Daytona Beach bandshell hosts country star for live, outdoor performance

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Daytona Beach bandshell hosted country star Chase Rice as the live entertainment industry works to cope with a COVID-19 world. 

Ormond Beach native Chase Rice was met with a sold-out crowd Friday night.

The show was hosted by The Roberts Group, which had to follow the city-owned venue's guidelines and restrictions.

Daniel Hampel, with the live entertainment company, said COVID-19 has changed the industry drastically. 

“Our business, which is primarily indoor theatrical broadway shows, musicals and concerts, were shut down indefinitely and still are shut down,” he said. 

Hampel says they typically host indoor shows at the Peabody.

“Now, we’re doing country music and comedians across the street there at the bandshell, which is you know right on the water there, open air. We’re able to set up chairs to socially distance,” he said. 

He said it's one of the venue’s first big performances since the pandemic rocked the industry.

“You know we’re in a whole different world and there’s only a certain amount of artists and type of artists that are out there touring, willing to play to socially-distanced venues,” he said. 

It was also a whole different experience for people attending with face masks required, seats spaced apart and temperature checks.

“They check your temperature, then you check your ticket and you’re right in. It wasn’t trouble. You went through fast,” Alison Joyce said.