Before the rest of the state was released from house arrest, one country event found a way.
Due to the sovereign authority of the Twenty Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, the Coachella Crossroads venue was able to host live events regulated by federal, and not state, guidelines. Located on the grounds of Spotlight 29 Casino, the event venue enjoyed its inaugural hosting with a giant of Country Music. We may not have been invited to the French Laundry, but we were given a small taste of rule breaking.
To be fair, at the time, the actual threat of Covid-19 was still anyone’s guess. So, the event did receive criticism from some. Terms like, “super spreaders” were tossed around by the custodians of the status quo. However, the virus would not eclipse the true tragedy that unfolded during this event. The largest travesty was largely over looked in the excitement of being out of doors. The fact that there was not a single drop of whiskey to be served at a Toby Keith concert! No whiskey in the bars.
The event was enveloped in uncertainty from inception. The federal mandates could change at anytime, so the catering organization pooled what they had in current liquor inventory. Whiskey just happened to be absent. Surely, Toby never knew.
The event was opened by Jimmie Alan. Winner of the Academy of Country Music’s New Male Artist of the Year award, the Country Music Association’s New Artist of the Year award, and a former participant of American Idol. Jimmie’s set led to Toby’s spike. Try to imagine a crowd of attendees that not only were allowed to congregate at a live event, but could do so without masks. The wind was strong, the weather was warm, and the music was moving; sometimes to tears. This was not just another live show. This was hope that live shows would return to venues everywhere.
Toby’s performance was rich with song selections from his largest hits. The setlist included around 11–12 songs like, “I Wanna Talk About Me,” “Beer for My Horses,” “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” and “Red Solo Cup.” Toby Keith’s cancer diagnosis was not public at this time, and it was easy to halk up any fatigue as the effects of being a shut in during the pandemic.
Whiskey, or not, this was not just a concert in the desert. This was an emotional experience where crowd bonding was on another level. This event was unforgettable by any, and all, in attendance. The uncertainty of the futue of live event would fade, but this memory will stand the test of time.
