Project location: Ventura County Fairgrounds · Ventura, CA · Project context: 2020 · Prepared by POPUP from the project archive in October 2026.
Global Soundemic reimagined a live music gathering around a drive-in audience at Ventura County Fairgrounds. POPUP created the property, connecting booking and promotion with the stage and site operation.
How can a live event adapt when the familiar format changes?
The appetite for shared music remained even when the familiar concert format was unavailable.
Rebuild a live music night around a drive-in audience, with booking, promotion, stage production and event operations working as one property.
Rebuild the concert around the audience
With conventional concerts disrupted, POPUP created a drive-in music property at Ventura County Fairgrounds. Vehicles became part of the audience layout, giving fans a different way to share the energy of a live performance.
Give the show a presence across the site
A large stage, elevated screens and concert lighting gave the drive-in its focal point. POPUP connected artist booking and promotion with event design, event management and stage management, bringing the property from concept to live delivery.
Bring a community back together
The experience preserved what people came for; the music, the artists and the feeling of being there together; within a format created for that moment.
The planning lesson
Start with how the audience can experience the performance from its actual position. Screens, lighting and stage placement need to serve that layout. Booking and promotion should describe the format clearly so guests arrive knowing what kind of evening to expect.
Who delivered the experience
POPUP created the property and took over the venue, handling artist booking, promotion, event design, event management and stage management. The drive-in format gave audiences a new way to gather around live music.
What the experience made possible
The drive-in format created a way for fans to gather around music during the pandemic.
Project questions
Where did the experience take place?
Global Soundemic: Ventura County Fairgrounds · Ventura, CA.
What was the delivery scope?
Property creation; Artist booking; Promotion; Event design & management; Stage management.
Further reading
For the wider event and campaign context:
