Igniting a spark while dimming the lights
It’s been well over eight months since East Tennessee’s largest venues were forced to shut their doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the serious consequences brought about by the spread of the novel coronavirus, the decision to close things down was a difficult yet necessary one. Still, it robbed local audiences of the opportunity to see quality music being performed indoors in sonically advantageous listening rooms, a sad scenario given the area’s previous array of entertainment options of this ilk.
However, one of the stateliest environs for live music in Knoxville, the Tennessee Theatre, once again began welcoming visitors – at least virtually – when it created a succession of streaming shows dubbed The Ghostlight Series. In doing so, it has provided online audiences with a new and unique musical experience, not only at a safe distance but at no cost, as well. Donations, which are split between the venue and performers, are welcome and encouraged, but the shows are available to watch for free at any time.
“The series was a vision we came up with right after quarantine went into place,” says Lila Honaker, the Tennessee Theatre’s director of marketing and outreach. “The world was suddenly strange and different. Everyone was finding some sort of solace by connecting online, and there was an influx of artists doing live sets on Instagram and Facebook. The purpose of the program was to bring a piece of the Tennessee live music scene to people in their homes while showcasing and supporting local artists. Knoxville is filled with such great musicians who were affected, and it seemed like a great way to utilize our own backyard talent – knowing artists weren’t traveling at the time – while also doing what we could to support them.”
Honaker says that the pieces for the series were put into place in early summer, and that was when they began lining up the artists and scheduling the tapings. As their efforts unfolded, they found that the opportunity existed to expand the series beyond their original intentions.
“The game plan was to do three of these, but we had to reschedule one of the tapings, so [we] decided to add another band and do two tapings in one day, throwing a fourth show in the series,” she explains. “As for the future, we would love to continue these. We have an amazing partner in Big Slate Media, who created the four episodes pro bono. Their love of music and the Tennessee resulted in incredible generosity that made the series possible. If we are able to secure grant funding, sponsorship or an underwriter, we hope to continue a streaming concert series, whether it be a continuation of The Ghostlight Series or something new that we develop.
“We’ve learned a lot through this process – particularly around streaming content – and are continuing to learn along the way. Thankfully, everything has gone very smoothly. Between the Tennessee staff and Big Slate Media’s crew, we have a terrific team who created this series. We are very pleased with this series. The quality of the shows is terrific, the response has been great and we love being able to bring music from the Tennessee Theatre to people wherever they may be.”
Honaker adds that they’re also pleased with the results, noting that more than 16,000 people to date have tuned in. “The great thing is that, even if folks didn’t get to see the live stream, they can still view it in our archives. We love having these concerts in our library.”
To that point, although the series delivered its final performance on Sept. 22 – they aired every Tuesday at 8 p.m. during the month – previous episodes can be viewed by visiting tennesseetheatre.com/support/ghostlight/, where performances by Kelle Jolly and Will Boyd; Count This Penny; Frog & Toad’s Dixie Quartet with Brent Thompson; and Guy Marshall are archived.
Honaker says that The Ghostlight Series has been a win-win for all involved.
“The artists have had a blast performing on the stage,” she reflects. “The theater, even without a live audience, has a spirit and reverence about it that performers can appreciate. There is something really special about being in the theater when it’s empty and quiet, and I think each performer has appreciated being able to connect to the theater as a special place. We’ve captured really inimitable performances in an extraordinary space, and that seems to be a gift each artist has appreciated immensely.”
Nevertheless, the Tennessee Theatre, like so many other venues across the country, is reeling from the effects of the pandemic. The theater closed its doors in March, and at this point, Honaker says they haven’t announced a date when it will be able to fully welcome audiences back for live shows.
“The entire live entertainment industry is at its knees, and we don’t know when it will come back,” she opines. “Unfortunately, our part-time staff and a few full-time staff have been furloughed, including bartenders, ushers, stagehands, event staff and box office staff. We are finding new ways to do old things, such as streaming concerts versus live performances, and doing new things that we haven’t done or couldn’t do before, such as offering photoshoots with a photographer and public tours that will start in October. We are developing some other new opportunities that we will be announcing in the coming weeks, as well.
“Having lost 95 percent of our revenue due to this pandemic, we are trying to find new ways to earn income during this time. The Ghostlight Series is one way in which we hope to share our need for support and encourage donations to sustain us. We’ve had people tuning in from all over the country, and that’s been really exciting. Producing this series has been one of my favorite projects.”
For more information about how to support the Tennessee Theatre, contact the box office Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. by calling (865) 684-1200.
