For New Year's Eve, Times Square Is On, but Phish at MSG Is Off

Phish at Madison Square Garden on December 28, 2018; next week's concerts are postponed until April

Mayor Bill de Blasio yesterday announced that New York's traditional New Year's Eve party at Times Square is on, although in limited capacity and with numerous COVID-safety precautions. At the same time, Phish confirms an ongoing rumor that it was postponing its four night New Year's run at Madison Square Garden until April.

MSG Entertainment announced on December 20 that “Billy Joel, Phish, and other concerts and events at Madison Square Garden in New York will go on as planned.” The Billy Joel prediction was correct, but not Phish. Billy Joel did perform his monthly residency on December 20, and he is scheduled to return on January 14. The venue will be dark on New Year's Eve, however. Phish rescheduled its four-night run at Madison Square Garden to April 20–23, with the customary three-set New Year’s Eve show set for April 22.

"With the Omicron variant of Covid-19 surging in New York City, we have made the very difficult decision to reschedule next week’s run of shows at Madison Square Garden." Phish posted on social media yesterday. "The health and safety of Phish fans, our crew, and venue staff is paramount in our minds. While Phish has played shows this year as the pandemic has continued, this variant’s ability for rapid transmission is unprecedented. We are also mindful that a significant number of people travel for these shows and then return to their communities, and we want to avoid accelerating transmission of the virus. Finally, even with the strictest of tour Covid protocols, the prolonged exposure of a four-night indoor run (plus the days of preparation and travel) to critical crew and staff considerably increases the possibility of having to shut the shows down once they’ve started."

Phish's postponement to April had been rumored for three days before yesterday's official announcement. Ticket holders are still awaiting announcements regarding the fate of other New Year's Eve shows. These includes the Strokes at Barclays Center, Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theatre, John Cameron Mitchell & Stephen Trask at the Town Hall, Nora en Pure at Terminal 5, Azealia Banks at Brooklyn Steel, Ripe at Irving Plaza, Soulive at the Brooklyn Bowl, Claptone at Webster Hall, and other shows.

Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2021; he is scheduled to return on January 14, 2022 (photograph by Francesco Marano)

Jam Bands Are Not Jamming Next Week

The cancelation of Phish at Madison Square Garden impacts the many after-concert concerts at various New York venues. Spafford and Pink Talking Fish yesterday canceled their post-Phish concerts at the Gramercy Theatre. Spafford was to play on December 29 and Pink Talking Fish on December 30. Pink Talking Fish posted on social media that "As always the health and welfare of our friends, family and fans is our first priority. We are regrettably postponing our New Year's Eve concert at the Gramercy Theatre." Spafford posted similar sentiments.

Snarky Puppy canceled its January 1 concert at Irving Plaza even before Phish canceled its concerts. The Dude of Life Band yesterday canceled its performance at a Phish pre-party at the Cutting Room on December 30. One-Eyed Jack similarly canceled its pre-Phish performance at the Cutting Room on January 1. Le Poisson Rouge canceled both of its post-Phish concerts, the DAB Sessions on December 29 and a James Brown Dance Party on December 30.⁠

Jam band fans outside New York City also are scrambling for new activities on New Year's Eve. My Morning Jacket, Umphrey’s McGee, Dopapod, Lettuce, Spafford, and TAUK canceled NYE concerts in various cities. Umphrey’s McGee also canceled its shows at Terminal 5 on January 14 and 15.

Umphrey's McGee at the Beacon Theatre on January 17, 2015; the band yesterday canceled a pair of January concerts at Terminal 5

Winter Jazzfest 2022 Goes Virtual

The 18th annual Winter Jazzfest was scheduled to present jazz concerts at the Bitter End, the Bowery Ballroom, Chelsea Table and Stage, City Winery, the Jazz Gallery, the Loft, Mercury Lounge, Nublu, le Poisson Rouge, and Zurcher Gallery on January 13-22. The organizers of the Winter Jazzfest announced yesterday that the events will no longer be in-person. Some of the shows may be streamed live during the original dates of the festival. Other shows may be postponed to a later date.

"After much internal deliberation, hearing from the musicians, you, our audience, friends in the medical community and our staff, we have decided that the most responsible decision for the general welfare of all of you, is to currently postpone most IN-PERSON events for 18th Annual NYC Winter Jazzfest to later dates," reads a post on social media. "We are arranging for several shows to be streamed during the original dates of the festival, from January 13-22, and will invite you to join us then. All details will be announced soon at winterjazzfest.com. The safety of our patrons, our staff, all musicians and of YOU is our main priority."

Jill Sobule at City Winery NYC on July 15, 2021; her upcoming January concert at Joe's Pub is postponed until March

More Postponements and Cancelations

Carnegie Hall canceled concerts by the New York String Orchestra in its main room and Michel Pascal in the Weill Recital Hall for December 24. The next concert at Carnegie Hall will be a performance by pianist Katya Grineva on December 27. The Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert on December 29 also canceled.

City Winery NYC announced last night that Yo la Tengo canceled its two New Years Eve concerts there. The news was posted as a cancelation, not a postponement. James Maddock remains on the venue's schedule upstairs in the Loft for that evening.

Guided by Voices will not be coming to Brooklyn Made next week. The band announced on social media that "due to unforeseen circumstances, and out of an abundance of caution with the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, we unfortunately need to cancel the upcoming shows in Atlantic City on December 30 and Brooklyn on New Years Eve. Refunds will be issued at the point of purchase. Please stay safe."

Streetlight Manifesto made a similar response last night on social media. The band posted that "As much as we hate to cancel a concert, sometimes it’s necessary for the health and safety of everyone involved; you all on your side of the barriers, us on the stage, our crew running around working their butts off all over the place and of course the local venue crews and personnel. Omicron is, as you all know by now, tearing its way through New York City (and Brooklyn in particular) and playing our New Years Eve show at the Warsaw in Brooklyn next week would be wildly irresponsible. It breaks our hearts to cancel a show, for any reason, but we all know it’s the right choice in this case."

Joe's Pub yesterday canceled this week's performances by Yemen Blues and next week's performances by Sarah Bernhard. Previously, Jill Sobule's concert on January 4 was postponed to March 29. The next scheduled show at Joe's Pub is by Amber Martin on January 4. Bernhard posted on social media that her shows are "officially postponed to 2022 at Joe's Pub. I will miss my holiday extravaganza. I am bummed but for everyone’s safety we had to throw the flag. Let’s reunite in the New Year. Inshallah. Love you kids."

Mercury Lounge has a flurry of postponements and cancelations this week. Michael Waves on December 26 and Big Stuff on December 27 both postponed; new dates will be announced. Cookie Tongue on December 29 and Hollis Brown with DMC on December 30 both canceled. Mercury Lounge is closed for a few nights but will reopen on December 26 with Redd Waters.

The Manhattan Beat covers the changes in the New York City-area live music schedule on a daily basis. Please refer to reports from earlier this week for additional postponements and cancelations in concerts.

Hollis Brown with DMC at Coney Island Baby on December 14, 2018; the band canceled this year's holiday jam

Christmas Eve Concerts

Several downtown nightspots booked live music for tonight. The Manhattan Beat recommends a telephone call to the venue before traveling in case anything changes.

• Chris Botti at the Blue Note (8 & 10:30 p.m.)
• Harlem Gospel Choir at Sony Hall
• The Black Soul Experience at Groove
• Baby Monroe & Jason Bateman at the Anyway Café
• Steven Chelliah at Sour Mouse NYC

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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 December 2021 and January 2022 calendars.