Spafford Appears On ‘PBS NewsHour’

Tuesday’s episode of PBS NewsHour included a segment on the challenges facing the live music industry during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Spafford was among the acts featured in the six-plus minute piece, which is part of the show’s “Canvas” arts and culture series and also contained interviews with and Dayna Frank — who owns First Avenue in Minneapolis.

On May 24, Spafford became one of the first bands to play a drive-in style concert. “It felt totally new. I was playing a G, chord and I was like, man, this is just the best-sounding G chord I could ever play,” Spafford guitarist Brian Moss said of the show at the Digital Drive-In in Mesa, Arizona. “Like, every note had a different feeling. It felt like I was relearning how to play in a band like all over again. And it was totally vulnerable. That’s kind of where I want to be when I’m on the stage, because that’s where the risks happen and that’s where the fun starts.”

While drive-in style concerts are helpful, they aren’t a substitute for full tours. “This is not a way to keep the band financially stable,” Moss added. “It won’t break us, but the joy of playing music and the joy of bringing music to our fans is the most important part in something like this.” Watch the full segment below: