David Archuleta to perform at Motor-Vu Drive-In

IDAHO FALLS — The Motor Vu Drive-In will host its largest live concert ever next week when pop star David Archuleta entertains carloads of fans.

It will be Archuleta’s first in-person performance with an audience since March, when COVID-19 forced artists to cancel shows across the country. Since then, the Motor Vu has shown televised Garth Brooks and Metallica concerts but this will be the first live concert at the venue.

“There’s so much more connection and interaction that people have with a performer who is there in person,” says Andy Johnson, Motor Vu Drive-In General Manager. “He will be on stage with his band and the concert will be shown on our massive screen behind him with our state-of-the-art sound system. It’s going to boom and shake and be a real good time.”

Motor Vu was built in 1947 and served visitors for 60 years before closing in 2007. In 2019, Linda and Ryan Rumsey bought the drive-in to prevent it from being torn down. They had lived near the theater for decades and coronavirus now has them looking for new ways to provide entertainment to the community.

“Although things aren’t the same this year, it feels more important than ever to find options to gather safely, enjoy the summer season, and enjoy time with loved ones,” says Linda Rumsey.

Tickets for Archuleta’s show are being sold one per vehicle and are $125 for partially obstructed tickets, $165 for general admission and $300 for VIP. Up to eight passengers are allowed per vehicle and there must be a seatbelt for each person in the car. Concert-goers can sit in the back of a truck bed or bring camp chairs to watch the show.

To keep everyone safe, the drive-in is implementing the following guidelines:

• Concert-goers will be guided and parked by staff to their purchased car stall.
• All concert-goers must stay in their car stall upon arrival, except to use the porta-potties placed throughout the venue. Being in the back of a truck is allowed.
• All concessions and merchandise will be delivered to cars. No one will be allowed in the concession stand.
• Gates and barricades will be in place to keep people from congregating in the front.
• Security will be spread throughout the parking lot to ensure and enforce safety guidelines. Staff has the right to dismiss individuals or vehicles for misconduct to our standards and guidelines.

“This effort has taken many nights and creative thinking on how we can pull this off in our current environment,” says Johnson. “Over the course of this season, the Motor Vu has worked hard to ensure that our venue is a safe place for the eastern Idaho community to come for entertainment.”

Johnson hopes this is the first of many large-scale concerts at the Motor Vu Drive-In and believes Archuleta will put on a show that families, couples, kids and adults will enjoy.

“We’ve had a lot of fun reviving the drive-in right here and I know this is going to be a great night,” Johnson says.

The concert will be held Saturday, Sept. 19. Gates open at 5 p.m. and an opening act will perform before Archuleta takes the stage at 8 p.m. Tickets and other information can be found here.