TV Obsessive
Randall Shreve: Live from Quarantine
Amber: There is so much content available right now, with streaming platforms stepping up to provide movies and shows as we all find ourselves with extra time on our hands. One exciting innovation I have seen is that artists that usually rely on in-person gigs are now taking their shows to the internet. My personal favorite right now is Randall Shreve, an Arkansas based artist who can perform just about anything and does so with genuine enthusiasm. Randall Shreve: Live from Quarantine is free on his Facebook page, and also available on YouTube.
I know Randall Shreve best for his Rock-n-Roll Circus and extremely convincing Freddie Mercury Tribute events, but he also travels all over playing solo shows. With his Live from Quarantine performance, he streams for hours, performing both original songs and covers from just about any notable artist you can imagine. Some of the more reliable covers include Johnny Cash, Etta James, and, most recently, John Fullbright. He literally plays until the battery dies. Sometimes the shows are nearly three hours long. In those three hours, he often finds the time to stop and talk briefly with the audience, check-in, make a joke or two, and generally just make sure everyone is having a good time.
I, personally, take my iPad out on my deck and watch outside, both getting some fresh air and a brief reprieve from the world around me. April is usually the time of year when I would start buying tickets and attending live concerts, so being able to see an artist live, even over the internet, is a precious gift. If you would like to go back and check out previous streams, they are still available on his Facebook page, so you can have your very own outdoor concert any time you like.
Before each show, Randall Shreve asks for requests in his Instagram stories, and he does his best to honor every request he can squeeze in. So, if you aren’t in the mood to get aquatinted with his original material (which is very good), you can still hear your favorite songs live. You can monitor his events on Facebook, but he has an upcoming show this Sunday, April 26, 2020, at 8:30 pm EDT. You can almost reliably catch him on any Sunday evening, Live from Quarantine, but he often throws in another show throughout the week.
Not only are artists losing out on much-needed income, but they are losing their artistic outlet as well. So, it’s incredible to find a new way to support these artists and communities. Even if we cannot financially afford to help artists, we can help them with our presence as they can help us with our mental well-being. If you have a favorite artist that is doing live shows, please feel free to leave their information in the comments section! I would love to support them.
