What happens to concert venues that can't hold concerts?
Although other high-contact entertainment businesses such as casinos, amusement parks and restaurants have inched back toward normality by setting reopening dates and welcoming small groups of customers, music venues remained in limbo by Friday night.
It’s easy to see why: The traditional concert atmosphere of packed auditoriums, open containers and cheers from the audience could turn a single COVID-19 case into an outbreak overnight.
But the extended shutdown leaves concert venue owners and the performers who rely on them without a place to land.
ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR REMAINSSILENT.
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.MUSIC FESTIVALS AND MAJORCONCERTS ARE STILL OFF -- ASCASES OF COVID19 SPIKE.AND SMALLER LOCAL VENUES AREFEELING THE IMPACT TOO.REPORTER MARIEL CARBONE SPOKETO SEVERAL EVENT SPACES TODAY.MARIEL -- WHAT ARE OWNERS ANDMANAGERS SAYING?ONE PROMOTER TOLD ME THE LASTTHREE MONTHS, HAVE BEEN LIKENOTHING HE'S EVER EXPERIENCEDBEFORE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.AND BUSINESS, AT PLACES LIKETHE REDMOOR, HAS BEENVIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT.
IT'S ACONCERN, AND THEY'RE ALLHOPING FOR MORE GUIDANCE AND APATH, TO REOPEN SAFELY.THE LIGHTS ARE ON, BUT INSIDETHE REDMOOR, IT'S QUIET.MANDIE MCDONALD/OWNER THEREDMOOR"Our business has kindof been nonexistent."OWNERMANDIE MCDONALD SAYS DUE TOMANDATED COVID CLOSURES, MUSICVENUES LIKE HERS, ARE FEELINGTHE IMPACT.
MANDIE MCDONALD/OWNER THE REDMOOR"We'rerescheduling as much as wecan, we had to rebook."THEVENUE HAS BEEN OPENING TWICE AWEEK, FOR A "HAPPY HOURMARKET."ALLOWING LOCAL VENDORSTO SELL PRODUCTS, WHILEKEEPING PEOPLE SOCIALLYDISTANCED.
IT'S A FAR CRY FROMWEEKLY SHOWS, AND PRIVATEEVENTS THE REDMOOR TYPICALLYHOLDS.BUT: MANDIE MCDONALD/OWNER THEREDMOOR"It's helped metremendously, my mentalhealth.
I can't say that we'vehad great sales or greatsuccess, but it's given me anopportunity to get back to thepublic, to talk to people, tohear about what they want tosee when we do reopen."WHEN ITCAN 'FULLY' RE-OPEN THOUGH, ISSTILL UNCLEAR.
MANDIEMCDONALD/OWNER THE REDMOOR"We're really fearful for allof the trickle down into nextyear."ACCORDING TO THENATIONAL INDEPENDENT VENUEASSOCIATION- WHICH INCLUDES2,000 VENUES NATIONWIDE- 90PERCENT OF IT'S MEMBERS SAYTHEY WILL CLOSE IN THE NEXTFEW MONTHS, IF THEY DON'TRECEIVE FEDERAL RELIEF.
THELUDLOW GARAGE, IS PART OF THATASSOCIATION.
KEVIN BLUM/TALENTBUYER LUDLOW GARAGE "I really,we're in a good position.We're lucky to be in a goodposition.
We'll survive thisand I think most everybody intown will survive this.
But,it's wait and see game rightnow."TALENT BUYER KEVIN BLUMSAYS THE TOUGHEST PART RIGHTNOW, IS NOT KNOWING WHAT TOEXPECT.
KEVIN BLUM/TALENTBUYER LUDLOW GARAGE "If wecould just know a date,September 1 you can open upand here's the rules then wecould plan ahead and do itright.
HE SAYS THE VENUE ISALREADY BOOKED SOLID THROUGHNEXT YEAR.
WHETHER OR NOT ANYOF THOSE SHOWS ACTUALLYHAPPEN, IS A DIFFERENT STORY.KEVIN BLUM/TALENT BUYER LUDLOWGARAGE "we're reschedulingshows and rescheduling showsand canceling shows..
We'renot going to rush to jump tobe open.
We don't want to befirst, we want to do it right."AND RIGHT NOW- SHE'S HOPING TOHAVE LOCAL BAND, SOULPOCKETBAND, PERFORM ON JULY 17.RIGHT NOW, THAT'S SCHEDULED ASTHEIR FIRST SHOW BACK.
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