A year after stages were shut down across the nation, those same venues are bringing awareness through a campaign called “One Year Dark.”
The Riviera Theater in Chicago showcases its support for the “One Year Dark” campaign.
Organized by the National Independent Venue Association, the campaign is asking venues to showcase “One Year Dark” on their marques and social media accounts.
Today, we observe the one year mark since stages across the country went dark. Locked doors. No shows. What we thought would only be a few weeks has turned into a full year. It’s been a struggle to survive, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. We can’t wait to be back. #OneYearDark#SaveOurStages.
NIVA’s Instagram page
The music industry was one of the hardest industries to be hit through the pandemic. Since the beginning, they have been shut down and are still awaiting a grand reopening. NIVA created the Save Our Stages Act over the summer of 2020 to help save the struggling music venues. Since then, they have had economic assistance, but little success in bringing back live music.
What was thought to be a few weeks of being shut down has now been over a year, but venues are hopeful after Congress passed the most recent COVID-19 relief bill , according to Marketplace. The bill passed by congress allocates $1.25 billion to concert venues, which is the most the industry has seen since the pandemic.
Not all hope is lost to reopen live concert venues in New York. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced early March that New York State can resume live performances starting April 2.
To see all of the venues participating in #OneYearDark, look to NIVA’s social media accounts @nivassoc and NIVA on Facebook.
Here are just a couple of music venues that have been affected by the pandemic brought by NYS Music’s photo series, “The Darkness has got to Give.”
On March 3, Govenor Cuomo announced a pilot program to test the Excelsior Pass to begin opening up businesses, starting with Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center. This follows the recent announcement of “NY Pops Up” featuring over 300 free live performances.
Aeriel view of Madison Square Garden
At the Governor’s 2021 State of the State Address, Cuomo declared the Excelsior Pass will use proven technology to confirm an individual’s vaccination or negative test results for COVID-19. Through confidential data transfer, the Governor is hoping this will help quicken the pace in reopening theaters, stadiums and more in accordance with New York State guidelines. Ticketmaster proposed a similar plan in November.
The state tested the first pilot on Feb. 27 for the Brooklyn Nets game at Barclays Center and the second one on March 2 at a Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. The pass is like an airline boarding pass where the attendee has an app called the “wallet app.” There, they can either print it out or have admissions scan the QR code within the app.
We’re doing everything we can to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible, as quickly as possible, while keeping the infection rate down and reenergizing our economy in a safe, smart way.
Governor Cuomo
The Governor also explained that the Excelsior Pass will get information to venues and establishments quick enough to avoid an outbreak and get more businesses to open their doors.
Since the pandemic shut down the nation a year ago this month, many venues and restaurants have struggled to stay afloat. Although a lot of businesses qualified for the Paycheck Protection Loan and were able to maintain stability, others did not. Now that more New Yorkers are getting vaccinated and COVID-19 cases are decreasing, this is a chance to get those struggling businesses back on their feet.
That app has been tested right now, both at Barclays and Madison Square Garden, and those tests have been successful. So, once we get the approvals, the app will be available for download on both platforms, on Google, on Apple platforms; people download to their smartphones. And that will allow someone to show the result of their test, whether it be a PCR test, which (will be) valid for up to 72 hours, or rapid test, which will be valid for six hours. In addition, though, if you don’t want to use an app, you will be able to download a paper result of your test that you can then print out and use that to demonstrate your negative test.
Rob Mujica, New York State Budget Director
The news on the Excelsior Pass was followed up by an announcement that beginning on Friday, April 2, event, arts and entertainment venues can reopen at 33% capacity, with up to 100 people indoors and up to 200 people outdoors. All attendees must present proof of negative test prior to entry, which can lead to a capacity increase of up to 150 people indoors and up to 500 people outdoors.
Social distancing and face coverings will be required by all attendees, as well as strict adherence to all applicable Department of Health guidance.
Additionally, Cuomo announced that beginning March 22, residential gatherings of up to 25 people can be held outdoors. Indoor residential gatherings remain capped at 10 people to reduce the continued risk of spread. Also, non-residential social gatherings of up to 100 people can occur indoors and up to 200 people can occur outdoors.
Cuomo isn’t the only one who’s optimistic about returning the music industry to somewhat of a normal state. Live Nation’s CEO Michael Rapino believes outdoor events will be able to achieve an audience capacity of 75 or even 100 percent across the nation.
“We might have certain states that might not be ready, but we have enough states and enough artists willing to play the open slots if we get to that level in the right markets,” Rapino said.
With more artists than ever wanting to tour and fans eager to make up for lost time, all signs point to even more concerts ahead. Thank you to all of our @LiveNation employees for their endless resilience and creativity – none of this would be possible without you pic.twitter.com/gdiapVYSyk
For individuals wishing to use the Excelsior Pass, their information will be completely confidential and protect any personal health information. They will have a variety of passes to choose from for their own comfortability.
Summer Camp Music Festival will plan to celebrate its 20 year anniversary this summer over August 20-22, and promoters are expecting it to be “truly special.”
2020 was the first year in over 20 years that the festival has taken a long break from their patrons. Jay Goldberg Events & Entertainment created the festival back in 2000. Since their first year, the festival has always held its place at Three Sisters Park. COVID-19 protocols forced the festival to reschedule their original dates, which was Memorial Day weekend.
We realize that Memorial Day Weekend isn’t going to be feasible, but we’re excited to look towards the future and gather once again in late August to celebrate life, love, and music. We are again happy to say that the vast majority of our lineup is able to join us in August for our 20th anniversary celebration.
The festival’s lineup includes three days of moe. and three days of Umphrey’s McGee across various stages. The camp is known for its spacious fields for shows and late night events with eclectic artists and bands. In 2001, the festival was able to bring in around 1,000 fans. Now, they have thousands of attendees who enjoy the welcoming aspect of the camp grounds.
Through the years, the festival has held performances from big names like The Flaming Lips, Primus, Umphrey’s McGee, Moe. and more. The festival’s website will announce more performing bands and artists over the next coming weeks. Any tickets bought for the previous date will roll over and additional information on new tickets and refunds will be announced soon.
Moe. performing at Summer Camp Music Festival in 2018.
Just as we were losing hope in live music and festivals, it looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Rochester International Jazz Festival is in the planning stages for their nineteenth edition which will be hosted on the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) campus.
Planning is a challenge when we don’t know what the future will bring. We do know that this year’s Festival cannot go on as usual. The way we work and how we live has changed. We are very encouraged that vaccines are becoming more available. And if public health guidelines allow us to proceed this summer, we must adapt to this new environment, which will require a more flexible and spacious festival footprint. The RIT campus meets that criteria.
Marc Iacona, Festival Producer and Executive Director
The original date for the festival was June 19, 2020. Unfortunately COVID-19 brought upon a nationwide shutdown of crowded concerts. Because of this, Iacona and his partner John Nugent had to postpone the festival a few times until their latest decision, July 30 through Aug. 7. Over 200,000 people attend the annual nine day festival, but this year Lacona and Nugent are orchestrating a safe way to go about the event.
Nat King Cole at 100 with Paul Mariano.
“With Covid-19 and health consequences squarely on the minds of all event-goers around the world, we again find ourselves at a crossroads,” said Iacona and Nugent. “We are deeply grateful to our loyal patrons and sponsors and for countless messages of support as uncertainty prevails. Early February now brings us to a critical junction as we explore how to potentially present a festival, secure programming, and put together the plethora of logistics.”
Throughout the course of the global pandemic, musicians have resorted to a different method of live performances. Live-streaming took to the internet in 2020 to provide a safe haven for those yearning to attend a live show. The Jazz Festival is the beginning to a new chapter for live music.
The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival was founded in 2002, with performances by over 1500 artists from all over the world. Through the years, those artists have performed more than 350 shows at 20 venues. Lacona is a community and business leader, while Nugent is an experienced tenor sax player and the artistic brains of RIJF, but their goals for the festival are the same.
“The essence of our Festival has always been to bring our community together, drawn by the majesty of creative improvised music and celebrating as one entity,” said Nugent. “While this new location will be a change for us all, and the first time we are not downtown, we will still shine the musical spotlight on greater Rochester. We are committed to making every effort to include the City of Rochester and many of our downtown-based partners at this new location. We will create a festive atmosphere including a Jazz Street, assure the ability to walk between venues, and offer a shuttle service.”
Anyone can buy tickets from the RIJF website and club members can use their passes.
Musicians Mickey Hart, Yo La Tengo and Bill Frisell are uniting to celebrate The Fall of America: Poems of These States 1965-1971, by beat poet Allen Ginsberg, musically interpreting all the poems from the book.
Cover art to Allen Ginsberg’s The Fall of America: Poems of These States 1965-1971.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the U.S. was involved in what’s often referred to as one of the worst, most pointless wars in history. The Vietnam War sparked hatred across the country, but inspired works of artistic and musical genius. The Fall of America is a collection of Allen Ginsberg poems from 1965 to 1971.
In 1965, Ginsberg began planning an ambitious project, a book of thematically connected poems, a collection that ‘discovered’ America in poetry similar to the way Kerouac’s On the Road had explored the country in prose. The Vietnam War would be a constant presence overhanging Ginsberg’s travel writings like a darkening shadow affecting daily life in the country. It would be a study of contrasts: natural beauty slammed up against an ugliness that rose out of the tensions of violence. The public’s polarized dialogue over Vietnam and, earlier in the decade, the civil rights movement, convinced Ginsberg that America was teetering on the precipice of a fall.
Michael Schumacher, The Fall of America Journals 1965-1971.
The fall of America is a phrase that can be used today because of the treachery our country has been put through in recent times. The racism, the riots, the pandemic and our political divide are all symptoms of a nation falling apart. The Fall of America – A 50th Anniversary Musical Tribute is not only a representation of our nation today, but also all of the proceeds from album sales go to HeadCount, an organization set to spread the importance of democracy and voter registration.
“While most people tend to reflect the brightness of the era, Ginsberg didn’t shy away from the darkness. He writes the scene in all its complexity, the busts of excitements and Dionysian excesses as well as darker images, such as the sculpture of the hanged man. He forces us to recognize the children sleeping in the bed and the police cars parked outside, red lights revolving in the trees,” said Hart.
The Allen Ginsberg tribute album is set to release digitally on Feb. 5 and on CD and LP on June 5.
Digital Track Listing:
1) Scanner – Elegy for Neal Cassidy 2) Handsome Family – Hiway Poesy Painted Desert into Albuquerque 3) Shintaro Sakamoto – Manhattan Thirties Flash 4) Thurston Moore & Lee Ranaldo – Hum Bom 5) Aliah Rosenthal – War Profit Litany 6) Ed Sanders (The Fugs) – Memory Gardens 7) Mickey Hart – Drones Du Jour (First Party at Ken Kesey’s with Hell’s Angels 8) ethereal_interface – An Open Window on Chicago 9) Howie B with Gavin Friday – Death on All Fronts (America is Falling) 10) Disco Pusher – A Prophecy 11) Kaya Project – Wales Visitation 12) Angelique Kidjo – Uluru Song 13) Bill Frisell – Over Laramie 14) Andrew Bird – Easter Sunday 15) Devendra Banhart – Milarepa Taste 16) Yo La Tengo – Bayonne into NYC 17) The Good Ones (Rwanda) – Falling Asleep in America 18) Steven Taylor – Continuation of a Long Poem in These States 19) Lang Lee – Pain on All Fronts 20) Social Animals – Falling Asleep In America (Roses Smell Sweet)
Vinyl Track Listing:
Side A:
1)Scanner – Elegy for Neal Cassidy 2) Shintaro Sakamoto – Manhattan Thirties Flash 3) Thurston Moore & Lee Ranaldo – Hum Bom 4) Ed Sanders (The Fugs) – Memory Gardens 5) Mickey Hart – Drones Du Jour (First Party at Ken Kesey’s) 6) Howie B with Gavin Friday – Death on All Fronts (America is Falling) 7) Disco Pusher – A Prophecy Side B: 1) Angelique Kidjo – Uluru Song 2) Bill Frisell – Over Laramie 3) Andrew Bird – Easter Sunday 4) Devendra Banhart – Milarepa Taste 5) Yo La Tengo – Bayonne into NYC 6) Lang Lee – Pain on All Fronts Bonus download:Youth – Iron Horse (An Epic 32 Minute Auditory Journey)
For the first time ever, the Better Online Ticket Sales Act (BOTS Act) has been able to take legal action against violators of the bill. Three companies in New York allegedly violated rules set in place by the Federal Trade Commission under the BOTS Act by illegally purchasing over 150,000 concert and sporting event tickets, reselling them at an inflated price.
“These defendants are alleged to have cheated the system to the detriment of consumers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s filing serves notice that the Department of Justice will enforce the Better Online Ticket Sales Act in appropriate cases. We are pleased to work with our partners at the Federal Trade Commission on this and other matters important to consumers.”
The three ticket brokers charged in the case are Simon Ebrani of Cartisim Corp., Evan Kohanian of Just In Time Tickets, Inc. and Steven Ebrani of Concert Specials, Inc. The defendants allegedly circumvented Ticketmaster’s limitations by creating accounts under the names of family members and friends of users who have multiple accounts. They were also said to use ticket “bots” in order to fool tests of nonhuman visitors.
It doesn’t stop there, though. In addition to the act of cheating the system, the complaint also alleges that they used programs to conceal what they did. Because of the BOTS Act, the defendants will now have to pay a combined penalty of $3.7 million. the money they pay will go to the U.S. Treasury under the terms of the proposed order.
Those who violate the BOTS Act cheat fans by forcing them to pay inflated prices to attend concerts, theater performances and sporting events.
Acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme for the Eastern District of New York.
President Barack Obama passed the BOTS Act in 2016 to allow the FTC to take legal action against companies or individuals that buy large quantities of event tickets and reselling them at a higher price.
As of right now, this has been the first and only legal action the FTC has had to take against any company.
Over the course of the election, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have gained support from famous musicians across the nation. ‘Team Joe Sing’s‘ was a masterful idea to get people to go out and vote. Now that Biden is about to take residence at the White House and Harris at the Naval Observatory, they have a slew of celebrities and talented artists coming out to celebrate the inauguration, and not just for one night.
President-elect Joe Biden (left) and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (right).
On Jan. 20, Tom Hanks will host, “Celebrating America” Primetime Special with performances from Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, The Foo Fighters and more. The night will also include a performance by the United States Marine Band, who have chosen talented musicians from all over. Kim Archer was selected to compose a new fanfare for the inauguration ceremony. Out of Tacoma, WA, Archer leads an award-winning band, commanding the stage with her guitar in-hand. This virtual event is set to air on Inauguration Day, but it’s not the only one with well-known faces.
Leading up to the special day, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will also host numerous events to commemorate the inauguration and beyond. The Biden Inaugural website says that on Jan. 17, they kick off the week with the “We The People Concert,” which is more of a celebration of the “grassroots supporters who have pitched in to restore the soul of our nation.”
Jan. 18 is the National Day of Service, so while celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Americans will also unite to serve at a time when the pandemic needs the strength of community.
The Biden/Harris administration swept the nation with the promises of changing the nation’s racial injustice and our global climate crisis while also improving our current economic disorder. It comes as no surprise that this inauguration is a complete flip from President Donald Trump four years prior.
Speaking of the hope that the new administration presents, the day after the Inauguration is yet another musical event coordinated by Deep Tones for Peace. On Jan. 21 at 8 p.m., 90 artists are set to perform and will end when everyone has been heard. “Change Has Come” is an event to commemorate the new leadership and the hope that it represents.
Deep Tones for Peace is a performance lead by Mark Dresser and William Parker that includes meditations and healing. The nine-year-old music initiative spent 26 weeks nonstop live streaming meditations for peace and is set to end on this performance.
Whether you’re a Biden/Harris fan or just a lover of music, this week is a whirlwind of fantastic performers and supporters who’s real initiative is promoting peace and unity. “Celebrating America” will air at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
“Celebrating America” Primetime Special (Jan. 20 at 8:30 p.m.) – This 90-minute TV special, hosted by Tom Hanks, will celebrate Biden’s inauguration with performances from Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi and Ant Clemons. Bruce Springsteen, the Foo Fighters, John Legend, Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington will also make appearances. The program, airing on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC and PBS, will also honor American heroes who are serving their communities, including frontline, health care workers and teachers. h/t Variety
Amidst the ongoing pandemic, ‘virtual concerts’ have come to be a familiar set of words. Fortunately, The State Theatre of Ithaca is joining in on the trend with its first virtual concert, “Boogie for the State – A Virtual Shakedown.”
Poster art for “Boogie for the State – A Virtual Shakedown.”
On Feb. 28, The State Theatre of Ithaca will live stream their show on both their Facebook page and YouTube channel. Over a dozen local artists will perform for the concert.
“The Boogie Shakedown” is a backyard party that local musicians organize and perform for their friends and family. From 1998 all the way up until 2020, there’s been an annual “Shakedown” that attendees are always excited about.
“I still vividly remember attending my first Boogie Shakedown back in the late 90’s. It was the first time that I ever saw the Sim Redmond Band perform! We were all just a bunch of kids, getting together, having fun and making incredible music. Twenty-plus years later, I think our children look forward to The Boogie even more than the adults,” said Executive Director Doug Levine.
Levine also states that he intends to start this year off with something people “could look forward to” after an extremely tough year.
Much like the past “Boogies,” this virtual show will consist of seasoned artists who have performed for it in the past as well as talented new-comers. Some of the artists confirmed are Plastic Nebraska, Sim Redmond Band, Johnny Dowd, Maddy & Suave (Maddy Walsh & The Blind Spots), Mary Lorson & Billy Cote (Madder Rose), Common Railers, The Small Kings, The Rungs, Janet Batch, The Sutras, Don Bazley and The Moles.
The State Theatre of Ithaca is a nonprofit organization that owns and operates the last remaining historic theatre in Tompkin’s County. The community annually donates contributions to keep the site alive and well. Their purpose is to preserve history and promote live music, community and performances. Just last month, they reached their goal for “Save Our Seat,” a fundraiser to help with budget concerns during these unprecedented times.
We are excited to partner with The State Theatre to bring the Boogie back to life in 2021. Not being able to hold the Boogie last year, for the first time in 21 years, was unfortunate, and I am really looking forward to helping organize this event, even if it’s being done virtually. The Boogie Shakedown always signified the beginning of summer, of live music festivals, outdoor gatherings with friends and family.
said Brian Fiorello, founding organizer and host of The Boogie Shakedown.
The State Theatre Virtual Concert starts at 7:00 p.m. and is free to anyone wishing to experience a Virtual Shakedown. The theatre promotes the show to “stay home. Tune in and boogie down.”
It’s no surprise that the music industry has struggled to stay afloat since the start of the pandemic. Venues have shut down permanently and performers have resorted to online live streaming instead of in-person concerts. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though. The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is giving out its first set of grants to music venues around the country.
A concert attended by a huge audience before Covid.
Music fans, artists and corporations from all over donated to NIVA’s Emergency Relief Fund. This amounted to $3 million in short term relief for independent venues and promoters in need of economic help. The recently passed COVID-19 Relief Law includes provisions from the Save Our Stages Act, to give financial assistance to the music industry. Unfortunately, there’s still time before they see any of the funds coming through. These grants are put in place to help keep the venues doors from closing.
This aid would not have been possible without the help of everyone who has supported NIVA. Thank you especially to the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund Committee co-chairs, Lisa Gedgaudas, Chris Zacher, and Carl Swanson, who dedicated endless hours to making sure this program could assist as many venues and promoters as possible. We’re immensely grateful to them, but the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund is just a temporary life raft for these small businesses.
Rev. Moose – NIVA Executive Director
NIVA came to fruition when the pandemic forced large gatherings to come to an abrupt halt. Since then they have acquired 3,000 members in all 50 states. NIVA’s goal is to preserve the environment of live music and to focus on separate and supplemental initiatives, such as the Emergency Relief Fund.
The Giving Back Fund administered The Emergency Relief Fund through a panel of third party industry experts.
“It’s hard to imagine our futures without the lively spirit and culture of independent music venues,” said Marc Pollick, president of the Giving Back Fund.
The fund is tax-deductible so that individuals, companies and foundations can contribute. They are currently still taking donations with a goal of $11 million to provide essential business relief to everyone who has applied.
With a maximum grant amount of $25,000, this is only short-term help. And we are pained that we can’t provide grants to all who applied, because our industry’s need far exceeds the donations we’ve collected so far. We’re grateful that Congress passed the latest COVID Relief law, but it will likely take months before the grants are received. We’re trying to help those most at risk of going under while they wait.
Rev. Moose – NIVA Executive Director
For now, NIVA will use these critical grants to help hold suffering businesses over until the COVID-19 law provides more permanent economic stability. This allows them to maintain their current payments in hopes that the industry does not flatline and when everything goes back to normal they can prosper ahead of this economic disaster.
Teachers have been given the enormous and challenging task of teaching their students in person and, or virtually at the ready. Arts education has suffered during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of students would have visited any one of our venues for educational programming during this school year. Opportunities such Black Violin can straddle the disconnect of social distancing, support wellness and foster creative development and critical thinking.
Christine Sheehan, Director of Education at Proctors Collaborative
Black Violin normally consists of Wil Baptiste on viola and Kev Marcus on violin, but for the show DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes will join them. Together, the group describes themselves as a “classical Boom” because of their distinctive sounds of both classical and hip-hop.
Black violin has held strong for 16 years in the music industry. The pair gained notoriety for their mixture of modern tunes and vocals with old school orchestral music. Since their start, they have sold out headline concerts across the country at various notable venues. Performing around 200 shows, many have been for low-income students in urban communities.
“The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture. Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together,” said Baptiste.
Capital Region teachers are able to register for the virtual event starting Jan. 5 on https://school.proctors.org/blackviolin/. Teachers who do want to participate will be given a study guide, link and access code prior to the show.
