A pandemic could not stop live music in New York City, and it could not stop this music journalist either. While most publications posted articles about what was not happening in the downtown music scene, The Manhattan Beat spun the positive angle and celebrated all the courageous musicians and venues that kept the joyful sounds alive. These are the 10 most-viewed articles of 2020 on The Manhattan Beat.
1. COVID-19 Takes the Lives of Local Musicians
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/03/covid-19-takes-lives-of-three-local.html
Posted on March 30, 2020
Alan Merrill
Fixtures of the Manhattan rock circuit died this past week of
complications from COVID-19. Alan Merrill thought he had a cold until he wound
up so sick that he had to take an ambulance to Mount Sinai Hospital. After 14
hours in the emergency room, where he was sedated and put on a respirator, he
was admitted to the intensive care unit. His daughter was given a couple of
moments to say goodbye, and he died on March 29. He was 69 years old.
2. The Top 40 NYC Original Music Acts to Catch Live in 2021
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-top-40-nyc-music-acts-to-catch-live.html
Posted on December 26, 2020
James Maddock
Towards the end of each year, editors ask their writers for Top 10 lists in their specialty. My editors often have asked me for my favorite new albums, but I doubt that I even listen to 10 new albums in a year. I am all about live music in New York City. Rather than naming the best concerts, a measurement which would be a near impossible task, I compose a list of the best local music acts that play original music, trying not to duplicate the same names every year. My first The Top 40 NYC Original Music Acts to Catch Live list was published in The Aquarian Weekly probably in the late 1970s. This year, for the very first time ever, my list debuts on my blog.
3. More Musicians Infected with COVID-19
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/05/more-musicians-infected-with-covid-19.html
Posted on May 16, 2020
Sal "Cappi" Capozucca of the Rousers
The live entertainment industry collapsed more than 75 days ago due to the coronavirus pandemic, yet musicians continue succumbing to COVID-19. This past week, Sal "Cappi" Capozucca, drummer of local New York band the Rousers, became COVID's most recent musician casualty. Cappi reportedly contracted the virus in March, was turned away twice from a hospital, and ultimately was admitted on his third attempt. On his second day of hospitalization, he was placed on a ventilator, and passed away on May 13.
4. Sidewalk Cafés That Serve Live Music
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/08/sidewalk-cafes-that-serve-live-music.html
Posted on August 16, 2020
Amadou Gaye
Most musicians are out of work these days. Performance opportunities are increasing slowly, however, for musicians who humble themselves to play for tips at sidewalk cafes. The process usually starts with one musician approaching a restaurant owner and asking "may I perform for your customers?" The restaurant owner never may have considered staging live music, but tries it one night and then two and before long a whole series of music nights is booked.
5. 25 NYC Cover Music Artists to Catch Live in 2021
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/12/cover-music-artists-to-catch-live-in.html
Posted on December 30, 2020
The Eyal Vilner Big Band
As New York City's live music lovers look back on a bygone year and look ahead optimistically to a brighter new year, let us celebrate all the positive rather than dwell on the negative that happened in local music in 2020. My recent list, The Top 40 NYC Original Music Acts to Catch Live in 2021, applauded many of the local musicians who performed original music to live audiences throughout the pandemic months. Many additional musicians deserve accolades for performing frequently and courageously before live audiences during the past nine months. For the first time ever, I will list here 25 wonderful musicians who regularly played mainly cover songs to their audiences during the pandemic months.
6. A Renaissance of Live Music in New York City
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-renaissance-of-live-music-in-new-york.html
Posted on July 14, 2020
Pinc Louds
The live music industry as we knew it may never be the same. Innovation is the mother of necessity, that is the old saying. Summer has arrived, and spontaneous live concerts are popping up in various New York City locations.
7. Music Acts Stage Performances without a Stage
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/11/music-acts-stage-performances-without.html
Posted on November 15, 2020
Daddy Long Legs
The traditional model of live music presentation has toppled in recent months. Many standard venues remain shuttered and show no signs of reopening in 2020. The more adventurous and resilient local musicians are finding alternative ways to perform before live audiences. All this music and more happened in downtown Manhattan in the past week at an outdoor flea market, an art gallery, on the back of a pickup truck, and in a park.
8. Live Music Downtown: The Many Musical Flavors of October
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/10/live-music-downtown-many-musicai.html
Posted on October 24, 2020
Jill Fiore
There is an old cliché that says if you do not like the weather in New York, try tomorrow. A similar saying can be said about the now-flourishing live music scene in New York. These days, anyone in downtown Manhattan can savor many flavors of live music by walking just a few blocks. If you do not like one style of music, there is often another band nearby playing something different. A music lover can enjoy seven genres of music over seven nights. Here are but a few of the outstanding musicians performing in the past two weeks in downtown parks, sidewalk cafes, and even a game room and a fire escape.
9. Indoor Dining Ends: Will Music Venues Survive the Winter?
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/12/indoor-dining-ends-temporarily-will.html
Posted on December 12, 2020
Kelley Swindall
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Friday that indoor dining must end on Monday in New York City. This decree will result in the temporary and possible permanent closing of some of the city's most popular music venues.
"I cannot imagine live music coming to an end in New York City, regardless of weather or indoor restrictions," said John Mato, who books talent at Marshall Stack. "It will find a way. Whether it is from a fire escape, on the street, in a living room or a live stream, live music has always been the heartbeat of New York City."
10. Bush Tetras at le Poisson Rouge
https://themanhattanbeat.blogspot.com/2020/02/bush-tetras-at-le-poisson-rouge.html
Posted on February 21, 2020
Bush Tetras
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Pat Place relocated to New York City in 1975 to pursue a career as a visual artist. Falling in with the downtown music and art scene, she became the original guitarist and a founding member of the no-wave band the Contortions. She then formed Bush Tetras in 1979 with drummer Dimitri "Dee Pop" Papadopoulos. In short time, they replaced their original singer with another former art student, Cynthia Sley, who earlier that year moved to New York City from her native Cleveland, Ohio. Within a year, Bush Tetras stormed the New York club scene and built an underground following. Lacking commercial success, however, Bush Tetras split in 1983, reformed in 1995, split again in 1998, and reunited in 2005. After three albums, Bush Tetras' most recent product is the three-song EP There's a Hum, released on July 26, 2019. Since 2016, Bush Tetras has consisted of Sley, Place, Papadopoulos, and bassist Val Opielski.
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