Some airports have live music. The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport occasionally has brass bands greeting people as they exit the terminal and wait for luggage. There’s a talented violinist between the terminals and public train lines at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. But some airports have bands performing in terminals, past TSA, outside a handful of gates. I’ve seen a few of these acts at a couple of airports (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport? Nashville International Airport? Austin-Bergstrom International Airport?). One specific band made me question nearly everything about the music industry and promotion.

While waiting for a connecting flight in Atlanta (or Nashville or Austin?), a pleasant old school country inspired band (think Hank Williams meets Brooks & Dunn) was performing outside my gate. Well, not exactly outside, but on a stage in the middle of the large walkway, equally distanced between four gates. So if you found yourself waiting for one of four flights, you were somewhat forced to listen to some non-objectionable music. After politely listening to a few songs, the lead singer changed my life. 

The lead singer for a band I’ll never know the name of in a city I’m not sure I was in, plugged their next shows. They did not plug shows in that mysterious city, but future shows in the airport. Not future shows outside of terminals, where the public could, in theory, attend, but future shows outside other gates. Why?

Why did this lead singer promote future gigs that seemingly no one would or even could attend by choice? I highly doubt airport kiosk workers could ask for different jobs to enjoy this band. I do not think gates for flights are altered so the airline staff could listen to a specific act. Even hardcore fans of this band, people that could buy tickets and alter their life to see this specific mix of covers and originals (Could this be it?), would not be able to buy tickets to specific gate departures because specific flights are not tied to specific gates and sometimes not even specific terminals. So, who is this for? 

I understand the practice of plugging. Most every performer does it, regardless of art form. So maybe it’s just a habit? But so what? It’s not possible to unconsciously plug future airport gigs when you have to pause and think about the where and when of your future airport gigs. This lead singer paused to ask a band member what gate they’d be playing at next week. That’s a conscious thought. That’s not just an old habit. This plug was intentional. 
Why? Why did he do this? 

I’ve reached out to over a dozen friends about this. A few have seen bands in an airport. We’ve come to a consensus that we’ve most likely seen bands in Atlanta or Nashville or Austin. We’ve agreed that it’s an odd gig that doesn’t require plugs for future airport shows. But I’m the only one that remembers plugs for future airport shows. So why? Why did he do this? Why can’t I figure out why he did this? And where was I?

I do not remember where I was. I think this is common. When you’re in an airport, waiting on your connecting flight, you’re not really visiting a specific place. You didn’t have to figure out how to get to that airport or how to get home from that airport. This makes the plug even more confusing.

This is a sincere question. I’ve been thinking about this for five years. That’s too long. Please, if you have any idea why the airport band plugged their next show, let me know. I know we have readers that frequently travel and readers that work in the airline industry. So if you can shed any light on this, please do. Without an answer I’m afraid I’ll be going from airport to airport, turning into a reluctant devotee of a band I’ll never find at a gate I’ll never reach. Or just forget about it until I’m in the Atlanta or Nashville or Austin airport.

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