Todd Rundgren Announces Virtual 2021 Tour With 25 City-Specific Shows

Todd Rundgren is planning a potentially groundbreaking virtual concert tour in 2021.

The flamboyant '70s hitmaker plans to embark on the 25-show 'Clearly Human' Tour from a COVID-compliant venue location in Chicago.

Each date will kick off at 8 p.m. local time for whichever city is the virtual site of the evening's performance. Rundgren is taking pains to "localize" the stage setup as much as possible, availing himself of a video wall and even city-specific catering for band and crew to create a sense of place for each gig.

Furthermore, ticket purchases will be restricted to those who are within zip codes in the specific greater metropolitan area of each show. Fans who want to e-attend multiple dates can purchase a multi-show bundle, however, and international fans will be exempt from the geofencing restrictions.

With in-person concerts largely out of the question due to the coronavirus pandemic, many artists have had success staging virtual concerts that are either live-streamed across the world or pre-taped for the audience.

Rundgren says he the virtual model is necessary given these strange times, but he tells Rolling Stone that it's no substitute for the "sense of special attention you get from an audience when you come to their town." He added that he's taking special care to make each show feel different for the band and the audience.

Rundgren's 'Clearly Human' tour will be among the first of its kind. It is scheduled to launch February 14 for Buffalo, New York, and close March 22 for Seattle. Tickets and remote meet-and-greets can be purchased via No Cap.

There will also be a small, in-person audience in attendance for every show, provided Chicago's gathering rules don't clamp down again. Rundgren is selling 19 Socially Distant In-Person tickets for each date, but fans showing up in person must provide proof of a negative COVID test result within 72 hours of the event.

The singer-songwriter says he is taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of his band and crew, employing a licensed COVID compliance officers on his staff. Band and crew will be tested regularly for the virus.

See all the tour dates below:

Todd Rundgren 'Clearly Human' 2021 Virtual Tour

Feb. 14 – Buffalo, NY

Feb. 16 – Albany, NY

Feb. 17 – New York, NY

Feb. 19 – Virginia Beach, VA

Feb. 20 – Pittsburgh, PA

Feb. 22 – Cleveland, OH

Feb. 23 – Detroit, MI

Feb. 25 – Indianapolis, IN

Feb. 26 – Chicago, IL

Feb. 28 – Madison / Milwaukee, WI

March 1 – Minneapolis, MN

March 3 – Kansas City, MO

March 4 – St. Louis, MO

March 6 – Nashville, TN

March 7 – Dallas, TX

March 9 – Houston, TX

March 10 – Austin, TX

March 12 – Denver, CO

March 13 – Salt Lake City, UT

March 15 – Phoenix, AZ

March 16 – San Diego, CA

March 18 – Los Angeles, CA

March 19 – San Francisco, CA

March 21 – Portland, OR

March 22 – Seattle WA

Photo: Getty Image