While this year’s event didn’t feature Weezer, Michael McDonald or John Fogerty, DAA Northwest still successfully orchestrated its summertime promotion — the Rock & Roll Sale — albeit in an all-digital fashion.

The event took place on July 22 and July 23 with the traditional series of segments, including a national accounts sale and an evening concert one day, then a dealer sale the next morning. The difference this year was digital as the sales took place exclusively via Edge Simulcast without vehicles or dealers in the lanes, and the concert was online.

McConkey Auction Group chief executive officer and president Bob McConkey described how the event was completely virtual in every respect.

“It was awesome in its own way,” McConkey said in a news release, mentioning that nearly 2,000 of the 2,400 units consigned were sold for an 83% conversion rate.

“While the volumes were obviously way off (a sign of the times) the sales percentage was off the charts,” he added.

The 1,100-unit Rock & Roll Sale offering included a Closed Ford Factory Sale along with open sale vehicles from Ford Motor Credit, Kia Motors America, Thrifty, Hyundai Motor Finance, Kia Motors Finance, Avis Budget Group, Honda Remarketing and Acura Remarketing.

One of DAA Northwest’s core values is “Fun,” and it was evident during the YouTube premier of The Cronkites’ rooftop concert.

The Cronkites have opened for every Rock & Roll Sale headliner since 1999, and they played on the auction’s roof for this year’s virtual party.

The auction pointed out the current pandemic didn’t allow for an in-person celebration, so DAA Northwest’s team delivered it digitally. The auction said concert guests attended online, dancing in their living rooms and engaging in a live chat throughout the 45-minute concert premier.

“Even though it was a great sale, I look forward to getting us all back together next summer for a ‘real,’ old fashion Rock & Roll Sale,” McConkey said.

Together with DAA Seattle, MAG Now, MAG Motorsports and MAG RV Sales, DAA Northwest is an independent wholesale auction owned by McConkey Auction Group (MAG). The company partners with leading auto auction technology providers Auction Edge and EBlock.

MAG also is a member of the National Auto Auction Association and ServNet.