Featured: Daughtry • Live From Home
Daughtry
Former American Idol contestant and rocker Chris Daughtry is embarking on a 19-date “virtual tour” throughout August and September. On his Live From Home tour, Daughtry will host 19 acoustic performances, streamed live from a venue in Nashville, and broadcasted to fans across the United States.
Each show will feature a unique setlist, a Q&A session, song requests, and special surprises. A percentage of the ticket proceeds from each respective city venue host website goes directly to the venue, which includes Park West in Chicago for Daughtry’s Wednesday, August 12 show.
“Fans will be able to go on the venue’s website that’ll be linked to the livestream format that we’re using,” Daughtry explained to Illinois Entertainer during a recent phone interview. “It’s our first time doing this, so we’re cautiously optimistic. We’re hoping that we don’t run into any live-feed issues, but we’ve got some rehearsal days lined up to make sure we get any kinks worked out like that because we want the fans to have the best experience they can.”
For each performance, fans will also have the option to join the livestream, bundle access with merchandise, or join Daughtry for an exclusive 1-on-1 VIP video meet and greet.
During this worldwide pandemic, musicians and other people involved in the entertainment industry have had to cancel numerous events. During this downtime, Daughtry has kept himself busy with family and by writing/recording the new record, to be released at a later date.
“I was even making a record before (the virus) hit, so that got put on hold,” he said. “We were getting ready to go out on a big world tour, and that got shit-canned. I think the first couple of weeks of lockdown, I was having a bit of an identity crisis. I didn’t realize how much of my identity was wrapped up in the road and being on tour, being a performing musician.”
Doing this Live From Home tour is a chance for Daughtry to perform again, and to help out some venues who are having trouble making ends meet due to the pandemic.
“We really wanted to figure out a way to engage with these venues that are really suffering right now, along with a lot of small businesses and a lot of independent businesses,” Daughtry said. “We know how important they are to the community. We know how important they were to us and to all musicians, and we want to see them continue to thrive and stay in business during these difficult times.”
Plus, it gives Daughtry a chance to reconnect with his fans as well.
“I want to perform, and I want to engage with the fans,” he said. “I want the fans to feel like they’re getting a little piece of us because a lot of them live for that. A lot of them live to go see these shows, and we’re super grateful for that. We want to make them feel appreciated and engaged until we can get back out there in person.”
As for what the future holds for Daughtry, he’s eager to release his new album and get back out on the road.
“Once this virtual tour wraps up, we’re going to get back into the writing and recording process,” he said. “We’ve got some material that we’re dying to get out there, and we think it’s important to our fans as well. I won’t give too much away, but I think it’s the record our fans have been wanting to hear from us for a very, very long time. And I know for a fact, they’re not going to be disappointed.”
-Kelley Simms
Category: Livestreams, Stage Buzz
