Culture news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Inside the Plane Where Simple Plan, Hoobastank and More Performed Mid-Flight as Planes Were Grounded Across the U.S.
About 125 passengers on a chartered Southwest flight from Los Angeles to Orlando were surprised by live performances from Lolo, Hoobastank, The Used and Simple Plan. The concert was part of the airline’s Live at 35 programme, which brings pop-up entertainment to passengers in the air, and offered an unusual start to a trip to the Vans Warped Tour.
The flight took off about an hour before the Federal Aviation Administration grounded flights across the United States for safety reasons, and passengers heard speculation that theirs was among the few still airborne. Lolo performed four songs, Hoobastank played three, The Used performed four, and Simple Plan’s Pierre Bouvier sang several songs, including “I’m Just a Kid”. The programme is celebrating its 15th anniversary and has previously featured artists including Imagine Dragons and Barenaked Ladies.
In short
- Four bands surprised passengers with an in-flight concert.
- The charter took off shortly before a nationwide flight grounding.
- The event marked 15 years of Southwest’s Live at 35 programme.
Explained simply
The Vans Warped Tour is a travelling music festival built around punk, rock and alternative music. Simple Plan, Hoobastank and The Used are bands associated with those styles, while Lolo is a singer-songwriter; their performances gave passengers a preview of the festival on the way to Orlando.
Southwest Airlines is a major US airline, and its Live at 35 programme stages surprise performances on selected flights. The programme has been running for 15 years and has featured artists including Imagine Dragons and Barenaked Ladies.
The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, is the US agency responsible for civil aviation safety and air traffic. Its nationwide grounding of flights provides the wider context for the concert: the charter had taken off shortly before the restriction began, at a time when many other flights were being stopped.
Culture Entertainment Film Travel