Are cemeteries turning to concerts to bring grounds to life?

Yes, it's becoming a thing.

In recent news of “shit I had no idea was a thing”, NPR News enlightened me with their piece on cemetery concerts and how they could start becoming more popular.

Here’s the gist

Across the United States, cemeteries are hosting concerts and social events, and transforming these traditionally solemn spaces into unique venues for community gatherings. For instance, a recent concert in Chicago featured Kim Gordon, former Sonic Youth leader, as part of her solo tour. Attendees enjoyed the unique atmosphere, blending a typical music festival vibe with the haunting backdrop of a cemetery, which many believe added to the musical experience.

However, not everyone is comfortable with cemeteries holding rock concerts. Some cemetery directors prefer more traditional and intimate performances, avoiding outdoor rock events to maintain respect for the deceased. Despite differing opinions, these events are helping cemeteries remain relevant and financially supported. After all, historically, cemeteries were social gathering spots, and this revival of activity through concerts and special events continues that tradition while, I guess you could say, blending the need to honor the dead with engaging the living.

Here’s my take

The practice of concerts at cemeteries sounds just plain weird. However, I will say that if it’s already happening, it’s definitely a good idea that they are holding these concerts after hours. I couldn’t imagine going to see a loved one’s gravesite only to hear the sounds of a Queen cover band performing “Another One Bites the Dust” off in the background. Although the song would be right on point, I’m not sure… wait, you know what? You’d have to tip your cap to the band on that one.

However, cemetery venues should be aware of the type of audiences specific genres could bring. For example, classical, folk, and jazz could work great as those types of songs are relaxing and bring the type of people who want to do just that — relax. On the flip side, rock music brings a different crowd — and a highly mixed bag of people at that. I mean, let’s be honest, the latter genre example is filled with immature teens who, at times, are up to no good and wouldn’t have any problems shying away from bringing their shenanigans to a place where respect is expected to be given.

In this day and age, venues rely heavily on alcohol sales and merchandise cuts for their revenue. However, selling alcohol during a cemetery concert is not a good idea. As long as these unique venues avoid selling the social lube, they should be able to maintain a respectful and successful environment for these types of settings. After all, I’d hate to see headstones getting knocked over or someone trying to humorously pour one out for Grandpa. Or even worse, some middle-aged rock fan getting so inebriated that he relieves himself on some other concertgoer’s grandmother’s grave. Unless grandma knowingly had a kinky thing for certain types of showers in her heyday, this for obvious reasons would not sit well with the grandchild.

While the idea of rocking out among the tombstones may sound bizarre, it’s clear that with a bit of careful planning and a strict no-party-juice policy, these events can strike the right chord. After all, a cemetery concert should be about enjoying music in a unique setting, not dealing with unruly fans or unexpected 'tributes' to the departed. So I say, do your thing cemeteries! Here’s to enjoying peaceful tunes amongst the moonlit tombstones, without the worry of a rogue rock fan turning Grandpa’s grave into an impromptu tinkle-relieving station.

What are your thoughts?

Sound off in the comments! I’d love to know your thoughts on this idea. Are cemetery concerts a good idea? Is this something you’d be interested in attending? Have you been to a cemetery venue before? Tell us the things!