Quiet Riot has scheduled what may be one of the world's first socially-distanced live outdoor rock concerts.
The show is set to take place on July 4 at the Magic Springs Theme And Water Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Drummer Frankie Banali says the city has approved the date and an audience of as many as 3,000 people.
Given what the coronavirus pandemic has wrought on the music and live event industries, Banali admitted to Eddie Trunk that there's still the possibility the show gets canceled. He's optimistic, however.
"I'm still waiting to see what's gonna happen," Banali said. "Because you don't know if two weeks out, or a week out, before the show, all of a sudden that part of Arkansas gets shut down, locked down, the show is canceled or postponed to another date. And in the meantime, you have expenses — flights and hotels and all this kind of nonsense that you have to deal with."
The Magic Springs Theme and Water Park's website insists that "social distancing guidelines of six feet will be enforced" at all their upcoming events.
People with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
Banali himself has been battling stage IV pancreatic cancer for over a year. He says he's barely been out of the house since the pandemic began, except to go to doctor's appointments.
The whole band is eager to get back onstage.
COVID-19 cases in Arkansas have been on the rise since the state began reopening earlier this spring. As of Thursday, there were 10,815 confirmed cases of the pandemic respiratory disease and 171 deaths.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state increased by 448 between Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Most of the new cases are in the northwestern part of the state, including Arkansas's Washington, Benton and Pulaski counties.
In Garland County — where Hot Springs is — there have been 153 confirmed COVID-19 cases so far.
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