Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required to see Grammy winner in Columbia
The show will go on in Columbia for Jason Isbell and fans looking forward to seeing the Grammy winner in concert.
Weeks after Isbell said he would not perform at a venue if specific COVID-19 precautions were not in place, Columbia Speedway Amphitheater officials said the singer-songwriter’s Sept. 2 concert will go off as planned.
On Aug. 9, Isbell said all guests at his concerts will be required to prove they have received a COVID-19 vaccination or show they have recently tested negative for the virus.
“If the venue won’t allow that, we won’t play,” Isbell said on Twitter.
On Tuesday, Columbia Speedway officials said those requirements would be in place for anyone planning on attending Isbell’s show.
“The concert is going forward and everyone must bring proof of vaccination and an ID to the show,” spokesman Joe Chambers told The State. “If a guest isn’t vaccinated, they can present a negative COVID test that was taken within 48 hours of the show.”
Tickets for the Isbell concert are priced between $15-20, and are available at Ticketmaster.com.
Isbell is a four-time Grammy Award-winning artist and “is widely renowned as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation,” officials at Columbia Speedway previously said. Isbell is also known for his work with the band Drive-By Truckers, and collaborations with his wife, Grammy-winner Amanda Shires.
Isbell and the 400 Unit are touring in support of their latest album, “Reunions.” The record “is a seamless collection of ten new songs that delve into relationships with lovers, friends, children, parents, and one’s self,” promoters said in July.
Isbell said he made his demands about COVID-19 precautions because venues in some states are getting pushback from governors who want to appease their political base.
“I’m all for freedom, but I think if you’re dead, you don’t have any freedoms at all,” Isbell said on MSNBC. “It’s probably important to stay alive before you start questioning your liberty. It’s life, and then it’s liberty, and then it’s the pursuit of happiness and those are in order of priority.”
The news about Isbell’s appearance in Columbia was made shortly after it was announced that Old Crow Medicine Show and Jake Owen are scheduled to perform at Columbia Speedway Amphitheater in the next two months.
Owen, a country music star, will be joined by special guest Callista Clark for a Sept. 10 concert.
Old Crow Medicine Show, an Americana string band and members of the Grand Ole Opry, are scheduled to take the amphitheater stage on Oct. 15. The Grammy Award winners might be best known for their song “Wagon Wheel,” which has also been a hit for Hootie & the Blowfish front man Darius Rucker in his solo career.
Tickets for both concerts are available. Ticket prices range from $20-79 for Old Crow Medicine Show, while free tickets for Owen’s concert are available at ColaConcerts.com.
Other upcoming events include scheduled performances from The Revivalists along with Michael Franti & Spearhead on Aug. 28, Sublime with Rome along with Dirty Heads on Sept. 11, Govt Mule along with Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue on Sept. 16, in addition to Ziggy Marley on Oct. 5.
No other upcoming events at Columbia Speedway have any COVID restrictions at this time, according to Chambers.
The new entertainment center at Columbia Speedway, on Charleston Highway, features “two massive high definition LED screens flanking a festival-quality stage,” concert series organizers said. The screens are more than 40 feet wide and can be viewed in sunlight or at night, according to the release.
The venue previously featured cove seating to help keep visitors separated, but now it has been revamped to fit more than 10,000 fans, promoters said.
Columbia Speedway will now be set up like a traditional amphitheater with a small VIP seated section near the stage followed by general admission lawn seating.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 1:53 PM with the headline "Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required to see Grammy winner in Columbia."
