On March 12, all Broadway theaters went dark due to the coronavirus pandemic. Theaters hoped on opening this January, but the shutdown has been extended through at least May 30, 2021.
A poster on Times Square advertises West Side Story at the Broadway Theater on February 7, 2020 in New York City. – Westside Story is returning to Broadway for the first time in more than a decade, directed by Belgian Ivo Van Hove. (Photo by Johannes EISELE / AFP) (Photo by JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)
On October 9, The Broadway League announced that Broadway will remain dark until next Summer. This shutdown is the longest ever in Broadway’s history. If theaters open as planned next May, shows will have been closed for 444 days, keeping thousands out of work for more than a year.
“With nearly 97,000 workers who rely on Broadway for their livelihood and an annual economic impact of $14.8 billion to the city, our membership is committed to re-opening as soon as conditions permit us to do so. We are working tirelessly with multiple partners on sustaining the industry once we raise our curtains again.”
Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League
Before the shutdown, 31 productions were running on Broadway, including 8 new shows in previews. 8 additional shows were in rehearsals with plans to open last spring. Hangmen, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Disney’s Frozen struggled greatly and closed permanently. Shows like Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s revival of The Music Man, American Buffalo, and The Minutes postponed their opening dates. The Music Man announced plans to open on February 10, 2022.
Photo by Kate Glicksberg
Needless to say, the Broadway community’s fans and workers are heartbroken. The Broadway League announced that although the current opening date is May 30, individual production’s reopening dates may differ. The League suggests that “theatregoers holding tickets for dates through May 30, 2021 should contact their point of purchase for details about exchanges and refunds.”
Amid this crisis, fans can still look forward to the 2020 Tony Awards. The show will be presented virtually, and the nominees for each category will be announced October 15.
On October 7, 2019, Phil Collins brought his ‘Not Dead Yet’ Tour to Madison Square Garden for two nights. The tour was 97 shows total including legs in Europe, North America, South America and Australia. and named after his 2016 autobiography. Due to ongoing nerve damage with his hands, this is the first tour that Collins did not play drums. Instead he relied on his son, 18 year old Nicholas Collins to handle all the drum parts. He did an excellent job and I’m sure his father was proud.
Back surgery had also left Phil with a paralyzed right foot so he had to remain seated during this tour. His backup band included guitarist Daryl Stuermer, keyboardist Brad Cole, bassist Leland Sklar, percussionist Richie Garcia and featured Nicholas Collins on drums.
It was a bit awkward as Phil hobbled on stage assisted by a cane, but I don’t think he cared much and neither did the audience. You realize he is an absolute legend as he begins to play hit after hit spanning his 50 plus year career. He sounded fantastic. He even snuck in a few Genesis songs along the way and teased a Genesis reunion which is now supposed to take place sometime in 2021. They played for 2 and half hours, and still couldn’t possibly play every song everyone wanted to hear.
The 19 song setlist barely scratched the surface of even just his greatest hits. One of the highlights of the show was when Collins, his son Nicholas and percussionist Richie Garcia had a wild synchronized percussionist duel which culminated with both of them coming out to sit with Phil and play amplifies cajons. It really brought the energy up and was the closest thing we got to see him playing drums. Another highlight was when he brought his son Nicholas to accompany him on piano on “You Know What I Mean” which Collins said his son requested to be included on the tour.
Nicholas returned to the drums as Phil stood for the only time to perform “In the Air Tonight.” He kept the energy up with “Can’t Hurry Love” and “Invisible Touch” ending the show with “Easy Lover,” Sussudio” and “Take Me Home.”
The crowd, including myself was definitely pleased with the performance and went home happy. Weather or not he will ever play again solo or with Genesis will remain to be seen.
Setlist: Against All Odds, Another Day in Paradise, Hang In Long Enough, Don’t Lose My Number, Throwing It All Away (Genesis), Follow You Follow Me (Genesis), I Missed Again, Who Said I Would, Separate Lives, Drum Trio, Something Happened On The Way To Heaven, You Know What I Mean, In The Air Tonight, You Can’t Hurry Love, Dance Into The Light, Invisible Touch (Genesis), Easy Lover, Sussudio, Take Me Home
Jazz at Lincoln Center makes music for all ages–even toddlers. On October 30 at 9PM EST, Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration will debut on national PBS stations.
The hour-long special will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis along with Elmo, Bert & Ernie, Big Bird, Herry Monster, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, The Count, Abby, Hoots the Owl, and Rosita.
Wynton Marsalis and Ernie
The orchestra takes Sesame Street favorites like “Rubber Duckie,” “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon,” and “People in Your Neighborhood” and re-imagines them for the stage. On October 30, PBS will premier the Sesame Street gang singing these classics to a sold out audience.
Since 1969, Sesame Street has introduced young children to music and culture. Jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, and Mary Lou Williams all performed on the show. Kenny Rampton, member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, plays in Sesame Street’s house band.
In this special, Wynton Marsalis meets back up with the familiar the Children’s Television Workshop characters after visiting them on the show in 1991 and 1998.
A Swingin’ Sesame Street Orchestra is funded by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the show. The performance is a part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s educational and diverse programs that hope to ensure that younger generations appreciate jazz in the future.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s other educational programs, such as Swing University, WeBop, Essentially Ellington, and Middle School Jazz Academy are available online at jazz.org. They aim to show jazz as a metaphor for democracy and freedom.
Paying tribute to Sesame Street’s New York roots, as of May 1, 2019, sunny days can be found every day at the intersection of West 63rd Street and Broadway. Honoring the show’s 50th anniversary, New York City gave Sesame Street its own real intersection.
Jazz great Wynton Marsalis has been a frequent guest on Sesame Street—and now, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark series, he’s returning the favor. On A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration, Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra host thegang in the “House of Swing” for a big band salute to a very special show.
Saturday Night Live returned for its 46th season on October 3, with host and SNL alum, Chris Rock, and musical guest, Megan Thee Stallion. The season debut was also the first to be recorded live, from New York, back in Studio 8H since March 7, prior to the pandemic. In the cold open take on Tuesday’s debate, Jim Carrey played Vice President Biden, and Alec Baldwin returned once again to play President Trump. The top memories of the night though belonged to the musical guest.
Megan Thee Stallion has had a huge year. She collaborated with her idol Beyoncé on “Savage,” broke the internet with Cardi B’s “WAP,” made the Time 100 list, and quickly recovered from a widely-publicized shooting. She also remained enrolled in school, continuing to study health administration at Texas Southern University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9wq14EnezU
Megan’s first performance of the night was “Savage,” in front of a black-and-white graphic saying “Protect Black Women.” While Beyoncé wasn’t in attendance, Megan did a dance break over her verse. Midway through the performance, she stopped rapping as the black-and-white set turned red with bullet holes to reference her shooting. Audio of a Malcolm X speech began playing: “The most disrespected, unprotected, neglected person in America is the black woman.” Beyoncé herself previously sampled the famous speech in her 2016 visual album Lemonade. Megan then chimed in with her own words:
"We need to protect our Black women. And protect our Black women. Cuz at the end of the day, we need our Black women.
We need to protect our Black men and stand up for our Black men because we're tired of seeing hashtags of our Black men." – Meg #SNLpic.twitter.com/wJfTxSu4Cc
She closed out the night with her new song “Don’t Stop,” featuring Young Thug. While not as immediately impactful as “Savage,” it arrives just in time for Halloween with references to Casper the Ghost and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcJxX6h3770
Besides her performances, Megan also appeared in two sketches: “Bottom of Your Face,” a song about catfishing on dates by wearing a mask, and “NBA Bubble Draft,” a fictional game show where basketball groupies compete to enter the Bubble. Watch sketches from the season debut below.
In preparation for the release of his album The Atlas Underground, Tom Morello played 2 sold out shows at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge on October, 2, 2018.
For the first part of the show, Tom Morello was interviewed for almost an hour where he told stories about playing with Bruce Springsteen, meeting Chris Cornell for the first time, and shooting the music video for Rage Against the Machine’s “Sleep Now in the Fire,” where filmmaker and director Michael Moore was arrested. During the interview he also played his guitar solo from Audioslave’s “Like A Stone,” a song he wrote for Chris Cornell called “The Garden of Gethsemane,” and jammed along with Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mr. Crowley.”
Morello recently spoke to Rolling Stone about what it was like to play with Springsteen, in celebration of The Boss’ 71st birthday.
For the next part of the show, Tom let the audience hear The Atlas Underground in its entirety and gave a quick synopsis before every song about the featured guest and how the songs came to be.
The show concluded with Tom playing “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and inviting audience members on stage for a cover of “This Land is Your Land,” and concluded the show by playing “Killing in the Name” while the audience sang vocals.
Setlist: The Garden of Gethsemane Like a Stone Guitar Solo (Audioslave song) Mr. Crowley Jam (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
The Atlas Underground: Battle Sirens, Rabbit’s Revenge, Every Step I Take, We Don’t Need You, Find Another Way, How Long, Lucky One, One Nation, Vigilante Nocturno, Where It’s At Ain’t What It Is, Roadrunner, Lead Poisoning, The Ghost of Tom Joad (Bruce Springsteen cover), This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie cover) (Fans brought on stage), Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine song)
Trey Anastasio will hold a series of free live concerts from the Beacon Theatre, in partnership with MSG Entertainment. The Friday night series, dubbed The Beacon Jams, will kick off on October 9 at 8pm and run through November 27, featuring both acoustic and electric performances, as well as home audience interaction, with surprises in store. The series of performances will stream exclusively on Twitch, in partnership with Relix Magazine.
While each performance of The Beacon Jams is free, fans are encouraged to donate to the WaterWheel Foundation, and its new Divided Sky Fund (DSF). The proceeds will be used to deliver help to those affected by addiction and help further plans to open a treatment center in Vermont.
When we thought about playing the Beacon, I was reminded of the meaning of the word. A beacon is a beam of light, often from a lighthouse, which sends it out to sailors who are lost at sea and all alone. They look for the beacon and it guides them home. Sometimes gifts come wrapped in strange packages. A lot of this is thanks to Twitch and our friends and family at MSG Entertainment. When the idea to do these benefits was born, everybody at MSG Entertainment jumped in and partnered with us and the Divided Sky Fund, which is very kind of them. This is an opportunity for forward motion.
Trey Anastasio, on The Beacon Jams
The WaterWheel Foundation, created by Phish in 1997 to oversee the band’s charitable endeavors, partners with local non-profits while Phish is on tour, and partnering with national organizations during times of need, donating millions of dollars over the past 20+ years.
The Divided Sky Fund will focus on delivering quality care and compassionate treatment for those suffering from addiction. Fans will be encouraged to donate throughout the eight-week event; net proceeds from merchandise sales during The Beacon Jams will go directly to the DSF.
I’ve been sober for 13 years. It’s a great blessing in my life. We started talking about the idea of a treatment center about a year ago. I was worried that the project would get derailed because of the pandemic but it didn’t – it actually picked up steam; things are really rolling along now. The Beacon Jams emerged as a way to raise money for it while also allowing me to play for the fans again.
Trey Anastasio, on the Divided Sky Fund
Executive Vice President of MSG Entertainment, Darren Pfeffer spoke highly of the new series.
We’re thrilled to be able to partner with Trey on this very special and first-ever virtual residency at the Beacon Theatre to benefit two immensely important causes – the Divided Sky Fund and the WaterWheel Foundation. As we navigate the live music scene through this socially distant world, we couldn’t think of a more natural way to bring live music to so many fans for such a great cause. Trey’s connection not only with the Beacon Theatre, but with all our venues over the years, including Madison Square Garden, The Chicago Theatre, and Radio City Music Hall, have made this unique concept a perfect partnership.
Darren Pfeffer, Executive VP of MSG Entertainment
Twitch, a platform finding immense popularity in the last year due to the increase in streaming of online performances, also celebrated the partnership.
We could not be more excited to be part of this amazing partnership with Trey Anastasio and MSG Entertainment to help raise donations for such worthy causes. Twitch offers the same intimate experience that artists and their audiences have come to expect from live shows. Over the course of this virtual residency, fans of Trey and Phish will be able to attend performances from anywhere in the world, while feeling like they are right in the front row of the Beacon.
Will Farrell-Green, Head of Music Content at Twitch
Trey Anastasio has been busy since March, releasing numerous songs on his Instagram account, culminating with releasing an album featuring many of these songs, Lonely Trip. Anastasio was also the first in-studio musical guest on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in late August, performing alongside the Roots.
Manhattan based Irish Arts Centerannounced in a press release that it will be launching a full slate of virtual programming for fall 2020. Part of the fall season will be a new series of commissions by a selection of 26 extraordinary writers, musicians, and dance, visual, and theatre artists whose only guideline was the theme “finding grace in uncertainty.
Included in the lineup is Kevin Barry, Jan Carson, Eoin Coifer & Liam Bates, Oona Doherty, Marie Howe, Junk Ensemble, Bill Irwin, Kaia Kater, Deirdre Kinahan, Tamar Korn, Loah, Dana Lyn & Kyle Sanna, Joanie Madden, Eimear McBride, Billy McComiskey, Mick Moloney, Aoife O’Donovan, Arturo O’Farrill, Melatu Uche Okorie, Tobi Omoteso, Dirk Powell, Liz Roche, and Enda Walsh.
IAC’s online programming also feature two free returning programs. “At Home with Irish Arts Center” is a series of new commissioned work from the local and international Irish community. “From Irish Arts Center” is a catalog of archival performances staged at the organization’s intimate 51st Street Theatre. Rounding out the fall season is a full program of 42 online courses—featuring instruction in music, step dance, Irish language, playwriting, and storytelling.
IAC Executive Director Aidan Connolly said in the press release:
What we’re learning is that this moment—for all its heartbreak and anxiety—has redemptive possibility. We are challenged to find a new comfort level with uncertainty, even to see it as an opportunity, an invitation to discover what hitherto unseen grace and strength may be within us. We’re so grateful to the inspiring and eclectic assembly of artists—who will consider these ideas across a spectrum of disciplines, styles, and perspectives—for accepting our invitation to share their stories.
Since the pandemic shutdown in March, IAC’s ever-growing online programs have received over 100,000 views from patrons around the globe.
The Irish Arts Center has occupied Hell’s Kitchen in New York City since 1972, 46 years later it is still home to national and international artists and fans alike who share a love for the arts and culture of Ireland. Keeping grassroots traditions alive are important at the center with space for evolving the community in which it resides regardless of background. Check out the Irish Arts Center’s website for more information on other upcoming programs and educational courses being offered.
On a day clouded by social media turmoil featuring Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Ferg has quietly released Floor Seats II, the sequel to his 2019 EP, Floor Seats. Looking to follow-up on the success of its predecessor, which spawned hit records like “Jet Lag” and “Floor Seats.”
This latest project comes on the heels of reported disfunction within the A$AP collective. A$AP mob founding member A$AP Illz has accused the 31-year-old Harlem-bred emcee of stealing ideas and claimed the “Plain Jane” rapper’s affiliation with the Mob was over.
Not one to go back-and-forth through the media, Ferg has predictably kept quiet, relying on his art to do the talking for him. The 10-track project features a myriad of notable guest appearances that captures Ferg’s Kaleidoscopic approach to music.
The intro features rock & roll legend Marilyn Manson, while the star-studded tape also features: Lil Wayne, Tyga, Nicki Minaj, Puff Daddy, New York City up-and-comer Jay Gwuapo, as well as XXL 2020 Freshman Class members Fivio Foreign and Mulatto.
Known for his hard thumping and anthem-like records, Ferg and A$AP Mob affiliate A$AP Rocky, serve as the lynchpins the the group’s success. With their ascension as major players in hip hop, the collective has been able to venture successfully into other fields. With A$AP Bari’s successful Vlone brand a prime example. While the group’s dissimilation may seem in effect. For now though, A$AP Ferg still carries the moniker, and with an impressive resume of Billboard charting hits, his descension is certainly not imminent.
First reported by the New York Times on Wednesday, the Metropolitan Opera announced that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced them to cancel their entire 2020-2021 season. They will reopen September 2021, at the earliest.
This decision will likely affect organizations across New York State, but around the country as well. Many arts organizations are attempting to slowly reopen in accordance with social distancing guidelines, but this decision may put an end to that.
The pandemic closed the Met in mid-March, costing the Met $150 million in revenue and leaving about 1000 employees, including its orchestra and chorus, furloughed without pay for almost six months now.
Peter Gelb, the general manager for the Met, has announced an ambitious 2021-22 lineup to reassure its donors and patrons that they will remain strong. In addition, Gelb said he will ask the company’s unions to agree to cost-cutting concessions that will be necessary post-pandemic.
The Met plans to open with Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” the first opera that they will perform by a Black composer. This is in part due to the rise in racial awareness that is occurring around the country, but also an effort of the Met to find more of a balance between contemporary works and the staples that made them famous in the first place.
Two lives at the Metropolitan Opera have already been lost to the virus: Vincent J. Lionti, a violist, and Joel Revzen, an assistant director. The scheduled star of Puccini’s Turandot next season, Anna Netrebko, announced that she had been hospitalized due to the virus.
Having already sold $20 million in revenue for 2021-22, the concern now is less about the Met Opera, and more about the other organizations that may look at the Met and their cancellation as a precedent.
By 1982, The Grateful Dead’s relationship with the State of New York had been firmly established. It began with a free show at Tompkins Square Park in 1967. Now, the band had graduated to regular gigs at Madison Square Garden, The World’s Most Famous Arena. Monday, September 20, 1982 would be part of their third run at The Garden, after playing there initially in 1979 and a brief two-show stay in 1981. The Brent Mydland era was now in full swing and this show from 38 years ago sees the band relaxed and fully cohesive as the Grateful Dead at MSG deliver another knockout New York performance.
A spunky “Shakedown Street” gets things started off on the right foot. The band wastes no time getting into a nice groove and Mydland’s backing vocals spice this one up nicely.
Guitarists Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir take turns leading the way on vocals through pristine versions of “Candyman” and “El Paso,” respectively, with the rest of the band sounding fully engaged. Afterwards, the recent revival of “Dupree’s Diamond Blues” continued. A month earlier, the Dead dusted off this oldie but goodie after a four-year layoff. Garcia’s vocals seem to have an almost echo-y feel to them on this one before he nails the corresponding guitar solos.
Mydland’s signature raspy vocals accompany more beautiful Garcia-supplied guitar licks on the bluesy “Never Trust A Woman” that follows. The first set later ends with a couple of new tunes. Weir quickly mentions something about “remembering all the words this time” before they launch into “Throwin’ Stones.” This would be only the third one ever played after making its debut earlier in the fall tour. It’s an aggressive rendition as Weir certainly remembers the words and then some. But instead of the traditional outro jam the Dead would later develop for it, they pivot immediately to a rousing “Keep Your Day Job” that closes the set.
Things rev back up immediately with the “Scarlet Begonias” that opens up the second set. It features some delightful interplay between Garcia and Mydland on keys. With a pounding rhythm generated from bassist Phil Lesh, the jam eventually meanders a little bit before the familiar tones of “Fire On The Mountain” come through.
The mid-set “Terrapin Station” that later follows has a very mellow feel to it early on. The composed section drifts off into near silence before eventually picking back up. Later in the set, emerging from the confines of “Space,” is another Dead specialty – the “Spanish Jam.” It’s a brief but infectious instrumental section that’s influenced by the theme to Miles Davis’ “Solea” from his Sketches Of Spain album. This more than aptly serves as the bridge to “Truckin’.”
There would be no “Truckin’” jam tonight though. Instead, the band does another collective pivot of sorts and hurls into “The Other One.” It’s a quick but powerful version that sees Weir almost toying with the lyrics.
After a customary joyous run through of “Sugar Magnolia” to close out the second set, the Dead decide to end things with yet another new number. This is also only the third ever performance of “Touch Of Grey,” a song that would later become synonymous with the band and their lone commercial “hit.” One more show at The Garden would follow the next evening as the Dead continue to make their presence felt in The Empire State.
Grateful Dead – Madison Square Garden 9/20/82
Set 1: Shakedown Street > New Minglewood Blues, Candyman > El Paso, Dupree’s Diamond Blues, It’s All Over Now, Never Trust A Woman, Row Jimmy, Throwing Stones > Keep Your Day Job
Set 2: Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Women Are Smarter, Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Spanish Jam > Truckin’ > The Other One > Stella Blue > Sugar Magnolia
