Enjoy Live Music at 50% Capacity Restaurants Beginning March 19

COBU, an all-female Japanese Taiko drumming and dance troupe, open the Theater for the New City's free outdoor Open 'Tho Shut program every Saturday at 2 p.m.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy jointly announced today that New York City and New Jersey restaurants may expand indoor dining capacity from 35 percent to 50 percent occupancy beginning March 19.

On March 7, Cuomo announced that restaurants in New York State outside of New York City could expand to 75 percent indoor capacity beginning March 19, but at that time he did not expand capacity for indoor dining in New York City. Presently, the rest of New York State is operating at 50 percent capacity. New York City and New Jersey restaurants are operating at 35 percent capacity.

The New York State Restaurant Association, which has been lobbying the governor for increased indoor capacity and later curfews, responded to today's news with a statement on social media. The NYSRA posted  that "we are very encouraged to see another step in the steady progress of reopening, and heartened to see this result of NYSRA's tireless advocacy."

The New York City Hospitality Alliance also responded positively on its website today, but was not as rosy as the NYSRA to Cuomo's announcement. The alliance posted that "while city restaurants may not increase occupancy to 75 percent like restaurants are safely doing throughout the rest of the state, it is still welcome news to the battered restaurant industry. Cautiously and safely increasing indoor dining capacity at New York City restaurants to 50 percent, with an eye toward expanding in the future, more vaccinations, and dedicated restaurant relief on its way from the federal government gives our industry some optimism among all the doom and gloom of this past year."

Earlier, Cuomo announced on March 3 that event, arts and entertainment venues in New York State can end a year-long shutdown and reopen at 33 percent capacity beginning April 2. Cuomo announced then that plays, concerts and other forms of entertainment can resume, but with sharply reduced capacity limits. Numerous event operators spoke with reporters of the New York Times, the Gothamist and the Manhattan Beat. Several promoters said that these new concessions may be insufficient for economic sustainability. Other promoters are preparing to reopen in the next few weeks.

Valley Latini at Baby Brasa on March 8

Live Music at Restaurants and Music Venues

Between restaurants being able to increase to 50 percent indoor capacity on March 19 and other venues being able to reopen at 33 percent capacity on April 2, the public will have increased opportunities to enjoy live music in New York City. Restrictions at arenas and stadiums of 10% capacity and proof of negative results on a recent COVID test make the largest concerts improbable. The smaller the venue, the more likely a live performance can happen.

More than 20 Manhattan venues are already presenting live music. These include the 11th St. Bar, the Anyway Café, Baby Brasa, Bar Nine, Caravan of Dreams, the Corner Bistro, Dante, Fiddlesticks Pub, Fine and Rare, the Flatiron Room, Groove, Haswell Green's, Joey Bats Café Lower East Side, the Juke Bar, Marshall Stack, Minton's Playhouse, Pinky's Space, the Red Lion, Rue-B, Sour Mouse NYC, and the Theater for the New City. Some are showcasing talent indoors, some outdoors, and some a mix of both worlds.

Several of New York City's most venerated music venues will reopen in the coming weeks. Café Wha? will reopen on March 19, City Winery will reopen on March 15 and resume its music program on April 2, and the Bitter End will open in the first half of April.

Sasha Drey (right) at the Anyway Café on March 7

With Cuomo last week also relaxing quarantine requirements on domestic travelers starting April 2, immunized and negative-testing individuals can cross state lines into New York without having to isolate for 14 days. That means that touring musicians and their crews can come to New York from other states. International travelers must still quarantine. Nevertheless, many of the larger music clubs in New York that depend on touring talent have not yet revealed intentions of reopening. No announcements have been made regarding the future of the Bowery Ballroom, the Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn Steel, the Gramercy Theatre, Irving Plaza, Sony Hall, Terminal 5 and venues of similar sizes.

UNLTD! at Groove on March 7

Meanwhile, thousands of ticket holders await word on previously-sold tickets to large scale concerts. Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, Forest Hills Stadium, the Rooftop at Pier 17, the Ford Amphitheatre at Coney Island Boardwalk, the Beacon Theatre, SummerStage and other large venues have scheduled concerts for this summer, many of which were rescheduled from last summer. These shows were booked with the expectation of a gross revenue tangent to 100 percent attendance. More than likely, if reduced capacity restrictioos are  not further alleviated, many of these shows will be rescheduled again or cancelled. 

Ciro Patti at the Red Lion on March 9