Imagine my surprise today when I found out that Southwest Airlines in the USA has live music on some of its flights. Apparently there is some thing called Live at 35 which is an in air concert series.
This is a partnership between Warner Music Nashville and Southwest so I assume the style of music is country. It certainly is something pretty different even if it has apparently been happening since 2011! What rock do I live under?
Music In The Sky
Isaac Weeks writes in Billboard Magazine that, “Southwest passengers hope that their flight will be one of the lucky ones to feature a sure-to-go-viral performance.” I think that is possibly a little bit optimistic!
Digital Spy in the UK are a little more balanced in their reporting selecting a number of tweets, some of which are from people who are clearly not happy at the prospect of live music in the sky.
For And Against
You know, it is a pretty unique thing to have live music when flying. I have seen a few videos of choirs travelling somewhere who have done a song or two for the other passengers and everyone seems to take it in their stride. Having it professionally organised would probably be even better.
On the other hand, if I was dead tired and planning to sleep, the commotion and noise on board would probably have me pretty annoyed all round. I say that without knowing the artists involved. Clearly if it was someone I liked, I’d be delighted and if it was someone I hated probably quite the opposite.
Overall Thoughts
What say you? Have you actually been on board a Southwest flight when someone got up, set up some equipment and started singing? Does the thought of the whole thing fill you with dread or with excitement?
It is an interesting marketing idea at any rate as people will always film these things and post them online. Thank you for reading and feel free to comment below.
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Featured image via Southwest Airlines.
Um so who is that fine man pictured at the top in front with the guitar?
That particularly fine looking fellow is called Devin Dawson 🙂
I’ll have him to go, thanks
I wouldn’t kick him out of bed either!
As long as they warn the poor saps – I mean inform the happy customers to be – in advance, and people make this choice VERY clearly knowing what they’re in for, I suppose it’s rather nice. I sometimes fly Southwest out of Nashville, and if this happened out of the blue, I’d be exceedingly unhappy.
From what I understand, it just comes as a surprise. I could be wrong… I suppose they’re not going to do a two hour set on board, I imagine it’s one or two songs. I could handle it for 10-15 minutes if it was on one flight a year. Something different anyway – I doubt it will be common at all. Ha! Mariachis! hahaha!! That’d be some killer if you were on board with a hangover!