THE University Of Newcastle is open to making drive-in music gigs a regular event if Friday night's inaugural concert is a success.
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As of Wednesday 50 cars were registered for the free event, which will be held in car park 14 near Ray Watt Oval and is restricted to current students only. Max capacity for the concert is 70 cars.
"We're really pleased with the response from students and I think students are just happy to be back on campus," manager of student events and engagement, Tone Gibson, said.
"This event is part of a larger 'welcome back to campus week' to help our students feel comfortable and at the same time make sure we're COVID safe through the whole thing."
The music industry has been decimated by the impact of COVID-19. Despite 100-capacity shows allowed in NSW, the opportunities for young music lovers and musicians in Newcastle has been limited.
Friday night's concert will feature an all Newcastle line-up, featuring indie band Cooks & Bakers, Indigenous country artist Jacob Ridgeway, indie-pop singer-songwriter Berlyn and pop-country act Katie Jayne.
"The purpose of doing this drive-in gig was to actually provide opportunities," Gibson said.
"They're all current students, or have current students within the acts, so there's a nice connection there with students performing for students."
The uni also hosted a drive-in cinema night on Wednesday, screening Lego Movie 2.
Cooks & Bakers will use the gig as a chance to road test five new songs written during the COVID-19 lockdown that will appear on their forthcoming debut EP.
The three-piece of Nathaniel Duggan (bassist), Campbell Ross (guitar, vocals) and Finn Ellem (drums) are heading to Sydney in a fortnight to record an EP with Grove Studios' Jack Nigro and former Treehouse Children frontman James Osborn.
Duggan says the new material has been influenced by Spacey Jane, Pinegrove and Nothing But Thieves.
Cooks & Bakers played two live-stream shows during lockdown, but the drive-in gig will be their first in front of a live audience since March.
"It's gonna be a lot of fun, this drive-in gig," Duggan said. "It'll be pretty cool looking out and seeing all these cars tuned into their radio."
