Like so much in 2020, this year’s Rock Hall induction ceremony is going virtual. But it’s still as star-studded as it gets.
"It's one of the pluses of this moment. As opposed to having to push everybody on airplanes and hotels and bring them somewhere, which automatically limits who's available...we could capture them over the last few weeks at their convenience and make them part of the ceremony," said Rock & Roll Hall of Fame CEO Greg Harris.
The ceremony will not only look different this year, it's also months later than expected, after plans to celebrate in Cleveland last may were postponed due to the pandemic.
So who's in the 2020 class of rock royalty? None other than Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails. The Notorious B.I.G., T. Rex, Record producer Jon Landau and Music Manager Irving Azoff. And Harris says, there's still plenty to look forward to - thanks to a special airing at 8 p.m. Saturday, November 7th at 8 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max.
"It's a first for us and we're really excited to do this. [The special] is chock full, it's two hours, it goes quickly and we think people are really going to love it."
But that's not all. The Rock Hall is launching a brand new podcast as well.
"We pry open the door to the vault. We've taken out these precious induction moments and we're sharing them with the world," Harris said.
And although the usual festivities aren’t happening here in Cleveland …there are still plenty of local connections to go around. The special will be hosted by Dave Grohl, of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana, a native of Warren, Ohio. And inductees Nine inch Nails formed here in Cleveland in 1988.
"There's a lot of Cleveland love in this ceremony," Harris told 3News.
Plus, the Rock Hall is safely open for business, with a special exhibit celebrating this year’s inductees.
And Harris says, they're already looking ahead to 2021.
"We're really excited...we're still going to have live ceremonies, we're coming back to Cleveland next October or November with the 2021 induction ceremony performances but I think this element of adding some digital enhancements is always going to be part of it going forward....it's about connecting in all of us joining hands and getting through this together."
