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FYI

Matt Zimbel's Drive-In Concert Protocols

New production protocols for the ‘Drive-In Concert”, have just been announced. The musicians will all be separated by plexiglass screens.

Matt Zimbel's Drive-In Concert Protocols

By Matt Zimbel

New production protocols for the ‘Drive-In Concert”, have just been announced. The musicians will all be separated by plexiglass screens.


Now, this is not a new technique in stage production, we’ve all seen drummers surrounded by plexiglass before. Many believed that the drummer’s plexi-cave was to reduce on stage audio leakage from the drum kit. Actually, the real reason is that drummers have many contagious viruses, funguses and other airborne ailments, it’s just safer to use the plexi and as a bonus, there is less kick and snare in the vocal mic. (*as a percussionist myself, I do not expect and will not tolerate any Twitter blowback on this point @zimbelmatt)

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Drive-in Concert merch will be done by drones, email your requested items with proof of purchase and your license plate number to thevirtualmerch@gmail.com or  shirtpuke@hotmail.com. Your items will be dropped on the roof of your car. The artist is not responsible for breakage.

The meet and greet is cancelled to anyone who does not have a proof of antibodies certificate and no, the artist will not sign your breasts.

Also, people, this is not a tailgate party –– so stay in your fucking car.

Remember, you may be out of isolation, but you are still in your car - there are no quarantinis' permitted in a motor vehicle, even if you have learned to cough into your elbow while in the car
with your six besties.

Oh, yes, almost forgot to mention, the drive-in washroom is closed for public health reasons.

Wear a catheter and Depends.

Enjoy the show!

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Ed Sheeran performs onstage at iHeartRadio Z100's Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One held at Madison Square Garden on December 12, 2025 in New York, New York.
John Nacion/Billboard

Ed Sheeran performs onstage at iHeartRadio Z100's Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One held at Madison Square Garden on December 12, 2025 in New York, New York.

Music News

Ed Sheeran Addresses Controversy at First Show Since Openers, Backing Band Dropped Off Tour, Calls It ‘The Best Show of My Life’

Before his show in Philadelphia, Sheeran read a statement acknowledging the issue of Israel and Palestine, but still tried to keep things neutral.

Ed Sheeran needed to address the situation before he could start playing guitar. It wasn’t how he wanted to start his show, and he’s made it abundantly clear that the last thing he wants around him is controversy or, in his words, to be an “activist musician.”

But here he was, at the first show after his opener and friend Macklemore was kicked off the tour, following pressure by a group of venue owners led by Robert Kraft who took issue with Macklemore’s statement of support toward Palestine. That led to the rest of the tour’s openers and even Sheeran’s backing band for the tour dropping off the tour in solidarity with Macklemore — all of which became a huge news story and PR nightmare for the usually very un-controversial Sheeran. And though he had already made one highly scrutinized statement online while the news story was at its most potent, Sheeran felt the need to address the crowd at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night (Sept. 19) in person, before the show really started.

This article was first published by Billboard U.S.

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