Parrot Heads rejoice: Jimmy Buffett sets 4 outdoor concerts for May in Florida

For many the perfect harbinger of better days ahead, Jimmy Buffett will return to live performances with four socially distanced outdoor concerts on Delray Beach’s Old School Square 8 p.m. May 13-14, 17-18.

Tickets to see Jimmy Buffett with Coral Reefer Friends go on sale 10 a.m. Monday, April 26. The cure for your pandemic blues is not cheap: Pods of four seats start at $450. A VIP table for four in the front with bar service costs $2,000. For more information, visit OldSchoolSquare.org.

Parrot Heads can expect these shows to dive into some deep cuts. Buffet’s most recent album is a November acoustic release titled, “Songs You Don’t Know By Heart,” the response to a challenge he made to fans to submit a list of little-known Jimmy Buffett songs they wanted him to revisit.

Encouraging tens of thousands of submissions, the exercise also inspired Buffet and filmmaker daughter Delaney Buffett to shoot a series of weekly videos of the top-mentioned songs, which has garnered more than 4 million views at JimmyBuffett.com.

An artist of Buffett’s stature playing under the stars in downtown Delray Beach is a remarkable thing. Especially because the singer recently postponed upcoming live performances on his Slack Line Tour to 2022.

“We are honored to host a music icon as beloved as Jimmy Buffett, whose songs also perfectly depict the island vibe lifestyle we offer here in Delray,” said Old School Square chief operating officer Holland Ryan, in a statement announcing the shows.

“We’re incredibly humbled that Jimmy and his team selected our safe, secure, open-air venue to bring back his live performances, and we look forward to these special nights with Jimmy’s classics and best-known gems under the stars,” Ryan said.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com.