Return of live entertainment remains uncertain
Exactly when live music might return to popular city venues is, well, complicated
For a few days last week, it seemed like things might return to some semblance of PRE-COVID normality for the loyal regulars at Mikey’s on 12th.
On May 25, its Facebook page announced the bar would be reopening the following Friday. Not only that, but it would be featuring singer-songwriter Jay Bowcott for a solo happy hour show, followed by (Howlin’) Pete Cormier.
Owner Mike Clark was set to perform on Saturday and singer-songwriter Tom Phillips would play a solo show on Sunday. All of the performers are longtime favourites with Mikey’s crowd, so the prospect generated considerable excitement online after more than two months of live-music drought.
Unfortunately, it was not to be. When Clark checked in with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, he was told that no live music, including solo shows at half capacity, would be allowed in venues during the first phase of Alberta’s reopening. Mikey’s on 12th reopened last week, but only to serve food and drink.
“There wasn’t anything hard and fast from the outline,” Clark says, referring to the Alberta Biz Connect Guidance for Restaurants, Cafes, Pubs and Bars. “It didn’t specifically say anything about live music.”
Part of the confusion stemmed from the fact that the “guidance” is actually quite specific on other activities. Under “Amusement,” it states that recreational activities within bars, cafes or pubs are not allowed before going on to specify dancing, VLT play, billiards, pool tables, karaoke, shisha, hookah, water pipes and “other activities.”
Live music has apparently been lumped in with “other activities.” For venues that have traditionally relied on this activity, it’s yet another question mark about the future of presenting live music in the short term. It’s a business venture fraught with uncertainty at the best of times. Clark said he would have liked to have seen a little more consultation.
“Ask us our opinion, we’ve been doing it a long time,” Clark says. “In my opinion, having a single act on my stage, or even a four-piece band, we could socially distance pretty easily. I even went so far as buying Plexiglas to put in front of singers and stuff like that.”
When contacted by Postmedia, a spokesman for Alberta Health clarified that only table service is allowed in restaurants, bars and other dining establishments during Phase 1 of the economic relaunch. So far, no decision has been made about when live music could return, but would “most likely be considered at the same time as opening theatres and small concert venues,” the statement read.
Tom Mcmillan, assistant director of communications for Alberta Health, wrote in an email to Postmedia that safety remains the top priority and that “singing as part of live performance can cause respiratory droplets to expel at greater distances, which can infect nearby people but also contaminate surfaces and objects.”
There’s also an increased risk of “shouting among patrons” during live performances, which can cause the same problems.
Andrew Brassard, co-owner of Broken City, said he also contacted officials at Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis for clarity on what was and wasn’t allowed at the Beltline-area bar, which presented music and other types of performances most nights of the week PRE-COVID.
“I asked ‘Can we do comedy? Can we do trivia?’” Brassard says. “They said no to any sort of entertainment, which isn’t clear on the
Government of Alberta site.”
For now, Broken City will only open its patio to patrons from Thursday to Sunday. They’re just going “week-by-week” beyond that.
Even if the ban on live music was lifted, there are other complications when other restrictions remain in place. Since bar service is not allowed, he doubts his staff would be enthusiastic about having drink orders shouted at them from patrons as a loud band blares behind them.
Hiring a band, sound person and staff to work the door are expensive if bars can only operate at half capacity. He has contemplated having a band play the patio when restrictions on live music lift, but isn’t even confident about that.
“We’d lose a lot of seating if we put a band up there,” he says. “Is it worth it? It’s such a hard time for businesses right now. Personally, I’d love to see a band up there. But then I look at the business side of it. Is it financially feasible?”
The Ironwood Stage and Grill in Inglewood, where they traditionally presented live music seven nights a week, hasn’t reopened, although it did live stream a multi-performer tribute to Bob Dylan from its venue on May 24. Owner Patrick Macintyre said operating most live music venues at 50 per cent capacity isn’t feasible. In the short term, he could see presenting music from Thursday to Sunday to a limited audience, once live music is allowed, while continuing to offer livestreaming to help garner revenue for performers through tips and donations.
Down the street, the Blues Can has also kept its doors shut. It has livestreamed performances from its stage as well, but owner Greg Smith said even if live music was technically allowed in some form, the venue wouldn’t be able to present it while operating at 50 per cent capacity with no dance floor or bar service.
“There is a possibility we will open for takeout and we’re doing our livestreaming, but in general, we don’t feel we can open for live music until we can open completely without restrictions,” Smith says. “For us to come back as the Blues Can the way we used to, we can’t do it at half capacity.”
Of course, all that is moot since it’s now clear that no live music or comedy or trivia or any other performance is allowed until further notice.
But Andrew Mosker, CEO of the National Music Centre, says presenters of live music should be consulting with Alberta Health officials about taking “baby steps” to bring back live music.
That could include negotiating for a compromise that would allow instrumental music during Phase 1 of the economic reopening.
So far, the NMC has kept the doors closed at the King Eddy, the historic live venue it purchased in 2008. But he said it will begin livestreaming performances for private events and offering takeout food soon. The next step is to open the King Eddy for dine-in based on current restrictions on capacity, and he hopes, find a way to present some sort of instrumental live music.
A single act on my stage, or even a four-piece band, we could socially distance pretty easily. I even went so far as buying Plexiglas to put in front of singers.