Large Venue COVID-Free Concerts to Begin This Summer

Music fans soon will be able to enjoy live concerts from COVID-free zones in large venues, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in a press conference at Radio City Music Hall today. James Dolan, whose Madison Square Garden Presents stages concerts at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and other venues, seated on the panel with the governor, said he will begin immediately to book concerts for the summer. Dolan said he will advance the reopening curtain, which he was planning originally for the fall, and promised a "blockbuster summer."

The governor adapted the newest safety recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People," to his plan for economic recovery. Erasing previous standards that were measured in percentages and maximum capacity limits, large venues will be able to have 100 percent capacity in sections for vaccinated spectators. The wearing of face covering will be optional in these COVID-free sections. Venue operators also can opt to accommodate spectators who are not vaccinated or whose status is unknown by assigning their seats to designated sections, where six-foot social distancing and face coverings would be required. Individual venue operators can decide how much seating will be reserved for vaccinated versus non-vaccinated patrons. In order for a venue to achieve 100 percent ticket sales, however, all ticketholders will need to present proof of full vaccination status or a recent negative COVID test.

With 5,500 empty seats behind him, Cuomo said that Radio City Music Hall would reopen on June 19 for the closing of the Tribeca Film Festival. For that event, he said, all seats will be filled with vaccinated people who do not have to wear a mask.

“This beautiful hall will be filled once again,” said Cuomo. “Having Radio City back at 100 percent, without masks, with people enjoying New York and the New York arts, is going to be not only symbolic and metaphoric; but I think it’s going to go a long way toward bringing back this state overall."

Subsequent events at Radio City Music Hall will be held in a COVID-free space as well. Entry will be available only to those who show proof of vaccination or recent negative results on a COVID test.

"‘So if I’m not vaccinated, I can’t go?’ That’s right," continued the governor. "If you're vaccinated, yes, you come to Radio City Music Hall. And if you're unvaccinated, that's your choice, but you can't go into Radio City Music Hall with vaccinated people."

Details are lacking on the larger scope. The governor made no mention of whether these venues will require the vaccination of all attendant staff. He did not say if the performers also will need to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test.

Teddy Thompson headlined the first COVID-free concert at City Winery NY on May 9

Mid-size and Smaller Venues

Cuomo's announcement about COVID-free concerts was not entirely groundbreaking. Although the governor did not mention this, City Winery NY already pioneered the hosting of COVID-free concerts, beginning with the Teddy Thompson concert on Mothers Day. For shows that were announced before the new policy launched at the end of April, ticketholders must pass a health screening at the door. For entry to all newly-announced concerts, ticketholders must produce proof of immunization or a negative COVID test.

Cuomo's announcement today made little mention of any changes in regulations for smaller venues, including bars, restaurants and entertainment venues below the state’s social gathering limit of 250 indoors or 500 outdoors. All previous restrictions remain in place. If all attendees show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result, social distancing rules do not need to be applied. The governor also has not yet spoken about relaxing the regulation against standing room in bars, restaurants and entertainment venues; at present, all attendees must be seated, which reduces a venue's capacity.

Matt Fernandez at Café Wha? on May 7

JT Curtis at Café Wha? on May 15

"We cannot increase capacity until the partitions come down," Graham Astuto, manager of Café Wha?, told The Manhattan Beat over the weekend.

In previous announcements, Cuomo said that starting today, May 19, New York's midnight food and beverage curfew will be lifted for outdoor service only. This comes with the restoration of the city's 24-hour subway service today. For indoor food and beverage service, the governor scheduled the termination of the midnight curfew for May 31. To some degree, this duplicity temporarily complicates the operating hours for popular music venues and restaurants like the Anyway Café, the Bitter End, the Bowery Electric, Café Wha? and City Winery NY, all of which serve customers indoors and outdoors.

Augie Bello (second from left) at the Bitter End on April 30

Va Va Voom at the Bitter End on May 7

Forest Hills Stadium and Irving Plaza Will Reopen in August

Coincidentally, while Cuomo was announcing his new strategy for reviving the live entertainment industry in New York, Live Nation announced the reopening of Irving Plaza with an Ashley McBryde concert on August 17. Irving Plaza, a 19th century venue which has presented rock concerts since 1978, closed in 2019 for multi-million dollar renovations. Its projected 2020 reopening was postponed due to the pandemic.

Irving Plaza's website today identified 40 newly-listed concerts through May 2022. These include Noah Cyrus (8/27), Guided by Voices (9/10), Colter Wall (9/11), Ben Folds (9/12), Middle Kids (9/20), Andy Mineo (10/3), the Struts (10/8), the Black Dahlia Murder (10/10), Lotus (10/15), Toadies and Reverend Horton Heat (10/17), Kevin Gates (10/19), State Champs (10/21), Princess Nokia (10/24), the Record Company (10/25), City Morgue (10/30), Jesse McCartney (11/15), the Lemonheads (11/23), the Slackers (12/18), and Lagwagon (12/19),

Forest Hills Stadium also now has a reopening date, announced this morning. Brandi Carlile will headline on July 23. Later concerts by Bright Eyes (7/31) and a double-bill of Wilco and Sleater-Kinney (8/21) were announced earlier this year.

Neither the Forest Hills Stadium nor the Irving Plaza announcements today made any mention of COVID-free sections or required proof of vaccination. Presumably, the concerts were booked with the anticipation that by the date of the show, the state government would permit both outdoor venues like Forest Hills Stadium and indoor venues like Irving Plaza to have 100 percent capacity.

The Ritualists at the Bowery Electric on May 1

The Aberdeen at the Bowery Electric on May 1

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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music developments as they happen. All photographs are by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise. 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 upcoming concerts for live audiences, visit The Manhattan Beat's  May 2021 calendar.