New Changes: What New York's Concert Venues Can and Cannot Offer

The Pepper Solana Band at the newly reopened Bitter End on April 16

The Oz Noy Trio at the Bitter End on April 16

New York’s nightlife industry is experiencing a slow revival, and the local live music industry continues to roll with the ever-evolving landscape of legislation, regulations and safety protocol changes. The scenario alters almost every week with little to no warning. This is where we are now after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today several modifications to New York State Department of Health's April 1 guidelines regarding attendance at public events.

Stadiums and Arenas

Spectator capacity will increase to 25 percent at large-scale arenas and event venues in New York State beginning May 19. Social distancing, masks, health screenings and all other health and safety protocols will remain in effect. The state's Excelsior Pass will ease the admission to these events.

While this is good news for sports fans, the gradually increasing leniency in stadium and arena capacity has not yet produced any music events. Concert promoters are unwilling to stage a concert where three out of every four seats must remain unsold. The concerts that have been announced for Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center and other large venues were booked with the anticipation of 100 percent capacity. If 100 percent capacity remains forbidden, more than likely these concerts will be postponed or cancelled. In the meantime, the promoters are happy to invest the revenue gained from the sale of tickets to concerts that probably will not happen.

What this means: concerts at stadiums and arenas will not be happening anytime soon.

The Black Soul Experience at Groove on April 16; Groove reopened on March 5

Mike Davis & Mike Parker at Groove on April 17

Theaters and Mid-Sized Venues

Theaters and music venues presently are allowed 33 percent capacity with a maximum of 100 people indoor and 200 people outdoors. If all attendees are vaccinated or have tested negative for Covid, the indoor capacity increases to 150 and the outdoor to 500. Considering that this is a fraction of what concert promoters hope to achieve as far as ticket sales, these concerts are unlikely to materialize. Until capacity is increased substantially, the concerts currently announced probably will be postponed or cancelled. Once again, the promoters in the meantime have invested the revenue gained from tickets sold for concerts that probably will not happen.

What this means: for now, indoor concerts at theaters and mid-sized venues largely will be limited to flexible seating venues like the Shed and the Park Avenue Armory until restrictions are further relaxed. All transactions will be contactless, seating will be socially distanced, and no food, drink or merchandise will be sold.

Entertainment Venues

Governor Cuomo announced today that low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment venues will increase from 33 percent to 50 percent capacity beginning April 26. While the governor was referring to museums, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens and other family-friendly establishments, more than likely this upgrade will apply to other venues as well.

On April 5, New York State lifted the curfew on movie theaters, casinos, bowling alleys, billiard halls, gym and fitness centers, and other entertainment venues. At Sour Mouse NYC, patrons can play pool and ping pong until 2 a.m. on weekends. At Sour Mouse NYC, Steven Chelliah plays classic rock on Fridays nights past midnight and Noboa sings urban contemporary hits on Saturdays until 11:30 p.m.

Music clubs that do not qualify as bars or restaurants have begun to reopen. Impacted by current regulations, venues like Berlin, the Bitter End, and the Bowery Electric are operating with greatly reduced admissions. Even if increased indoor capacity becomes allowable, most would be unable to accommodate more customers because of the spacing and partitions used to separate groups seated at the tables. Unable to seat customers at tables with unaffiliated parties, the venues are looking to sell entire tables rather than individual tickets to shows. These venues typically did not sell food in the past, but do so now in order to sell alcohol.

What this means: entertainment venues and music clubs will continue to re-open over time, but expect to sit at a table with your entourage rather than meeting and hanging with strangers at the bar. Museums also may host an increasing number of live music events.

Assaf Salhov at the Anyway Café on April 17

Adrien Chevalier at the Anyway Café on April 17

Restaurants and Bars

Beginning tonight, restaurants and bars in New York state can serve customers one hour later, until midnight. Indoor capacity remains capped at 50 percent. Outdoor capacity is determined more by the restaurants and bars’ physical real estate footprint, although governmental safety protocols regarding the distancing of groups must be adhered. All customers must be seated, with no seats at the bar and no dedicated standing room in the entire premises. Alcoholic drink orders must be accompanied by a food order.

The additional hour allows music programming to go later. Rue-B, for instance, which until now featured music nightly until about 9:30 p.m., will begin showcasing musicians until 11 p.m. As far as indoor capacity, many restaurants and bars cannot achieve the 50 percent indoor capacity anyway, due to the lack of standing room and the spacing and partitions between tables.

“We will continue to advocate to appropriately lift the curfew, eliminate the problematic requirement that a food item be served with alcohol, end the rule prohibiting businesses from serving customers at bars in New York City, and a return to 24/7 subway service,” vows the New York City Hospitality Alliance.

What this means: with few other venues opened, smaller bars and restaurants will host the majority of indoor concerts.

Alex & Rodney at the Red Lion on April 17

The Underground Harmony at Caravan of Dreams on April 17

***

The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music developments as they happen. For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music." For a listing of this month's upcoming live concerts for live audiences, visit The Manhattan Beat's calendar.