Many NYC Performances Cancelled This Week Due to Rising COVID Concerns

Mammoth WVH opened for Guns N' Roses at MetLife Stadium on August 5. Vaccinated and unvaccinated fans were allowed to mosh together in the pit in front of the stage.

Limp Bizkit was supposed to headline at Irving Plaza this coming Friday. It was a big deal for a popular arena band to return from the COVID era and perform in a small venue. Yesterday the band cancelled that show and all the remaining dates on its North American tour. Limp Bizkit joins the ranks of the many musicians who in the past week have cancelled shows in New York City due to COVID concerns.

Limp Bizkit released a statement which read, "Out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of the band, crew and most of all the fans, the Limp Bizkit show this Monday and the remaining August tour is being cancelled. Refunds are available at their points of purchase. All tickets purchased online will be automatically refunded."

Circles around the Sun was supposed to reopen the Bowery Ballroom tomorrow night. The Los Angeles-based band announced today that it was cancelling that show and the next scheduled tour stop. The band posted the following announcement on social media.

"We hate having to make this announcement, but we have to cancel our 8/10 show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC and our 8/12 appearance at the Catskill Jubilee Festival. It’s just an enormous bummer and it breaks our hearts to see the current resurgence of Covid. Unfortunately, someone in the immediate family of a band member, who is vaccinated, has tested positive for Covid and we can no longer travel to NY. We want nothing more than to be playing shows right now. Having to cancel after all we have been through the last few years just feels awful. Nonetheless, we feel like we're making the right decision on behalf of both the band and our fans’ health and safety. We are excited and looking forward to our September tour. Stay safe and healthy, and we hope to see you in person soon. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the continued love and support!

Last Wednesday, Fall Out Boy cancelled hours before its concert at Citi Field after a member of the band’s organization tested positive for the coronavirus. The band was supposed to play between Green Day and Weezer. Fall Out Boy also cancelled a date in Boston, Massachusetts.

Jr Jr was scheduled to headline its first-ever show at the Bowery Ballroom on August 27. The band has cancelled its tour. The following message appeared on social media on August 3.

"Hey guys, this is about the least fun message we could have to deliver this week but with the recent developments related to the delta variant in the US we feel the situation around live concerts (especially indoors) is once again feeling too unpredictable for us to move forward with our scheduled August shows. As such, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the Detroit, Chicago, NYC and DC 10th Anniversary shows which we had scheduled this month. When we first began to plan these dates we had an idealized view that these might be joyous returns to seeing live music for many, and to performing for us (which is something we’ve missed greatly). However, the vibe has certainly shifted in recent weeks with a number of people expressing various levels of discomfort about attending indoor shows and we don’t want to ignore that this might not be the right time to celebrate.

"Our hope is that this is a temporary setback and that there is light at the end of this tunnel in the coming months. We’ve always had amazingly enthusiastic and empathetic fans, and if you’re willing to wait a bit longer so are we. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to look after one another and maybe grab a vaccine if you’ve not already, as it seems like the quickest path to us not having to type one of these messages again in the future."

Blues Traveler at the Rooftop at Pier 17 on August 4. Neither musicians nor audience need to show proof of vaccination at most outdoor concerts in New York City.

A Windfall of Tour Dates Were Cancelled Last Week

The four cancellations in one week in New York are alarming, yet the sudden windfall is worldwide. Numerous concert dates are being postponed or cancelled across the country as concerns rise over performer and fan safety.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival yesterday announced its 2021 cancellation, including shows by the Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters and Stevie Nicks. This is the second year the festival was cancelled, along with its Rolling Stones show. “As a result of the current exponential growth of new COVID cases in New Orleans and the region and the ongoing public health emergency, we must sadly announce that the 2021 edition of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, scheduled to take place October 8 – 17, 2021, will not occur as planned," read the announcement. This cancellation impacted many local travelers, including Charles Kibel, the founder of the New York-based band Crazy Mary, who has traveled the world following Rolling Stones concerts.

"I may be out a lot of money for my house rental but the owner seems amenable to rescheduling my reservation to next year's jazz fest minus the Stones," Kibel told The Manhattan Beat. " I'm 0 for 2 trying to see the Stones in New Orleans. I did not imagine the Jazz & Heritage Festival show would be cancelled less than two weeks after tickets went on sale."

Cancellations abounded this past week. Michael Bublé postponed his August concerts to October due to the new wave of COVID-19 driven by the Delta variant. Counting Crows cancelled two concerts this week after a member of the touring party tested positive for the virus. Lynyrd Skynyrd cancelled dates when guitarist Rickey Medlocke tested positive for the virus. Tesla postponed dates when guitarist Frank Hannon reportedly contracted the virus. REO Speedwagon cancelled dates because, according to vocalist Kevin Cronin, "members of the REO touring family tested positive recently." Shinedown drummer Barry Kerch, who was vaccinated, experienced symptoms and tested positive for the virus; he is quarantined and is missing a few concerts.

American musicians are cancelling shows outside of the United States as well this week. Aerosmith announced today that its European dates will be postponed until 2022. James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt cancelled a co-headlining tour of Canada for a second time due to "the current COVID-19 challenges and restrictions on gatherings in some provinces."

Waxahatchee at Forest Hills Stadium on July 31, an outdoor venue where attendees so far do not have to show proof of vaccination

New York City's Response

New York City will be the first major city in the United States to respond to the rising infection rate by mandating that all indoor restaurants, fitness centers and performance spaces require customers show proof of vaccination starting on August 16. The pilot program will be monitored and reviewed for four weeks and then enforced on September 13. Outdoor venues will not fall under this new legislation.

Although the five free NYC Homecoming Week concerts that the city is sponsoring next week will be held outdoors, including at Central Park's Great Lawn and the Forest Hills Stadium, these events will be for vaccinated people only. While the new vaccination policy will apply to indoor venues only, outdoor venues including Citi Field, Forest Hills Stadium, SummerStage Central Park and the Celebrate Brooklyn shows in Prospect Park can require vaccinations also. None of these venues have made such an announcement yet.

Anti-vaccination protesters outside Radio City Music Hall on August 3

Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre are among the larger venues that have required proof of vaccination from all ticket holders since reopening this summer. Anti-vaccination protesters held a loud demonstration outside Radio City Music Hall on August 3 as vaccinated ticket holders entered for the first of two Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga shows. The speakers repeatedly said through their public address system that they had nothing against Tony Bennett but were protesting the venue's entry policy.

The Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge have new policies beginning immediately. Guests must be vaccinated. Masks are encouraged.

"Given the rising COVID-19 counts and breakthrough cases in the NYC metropolitan area, Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge’s policy now requires guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This policy will be in place until further notice. Upon arrival, all guests must present a photo ID along with proof that they meet the CDC definition of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination may be given in the form of a paper copy, excelsior pass, Key to NYC Pass (upon release), or digital image of a guest’s vaccines card. In addition to the vaccination policy, New York City continues to encourage masks for all indoor gatherings, except while you are actively eating or drinking. We will continue to monitor regulations and local cases to inform our policy and keep events as safe as possible for our fans, artists, and staff."

North Mississippi Allstars at City Winery NYC on July 30; the venue requires all guests to be vaccinated or show a recent negative Covid test result

City Winery NYC is among the smaller venues that already enforce the vaccination-only rule. Reviving an earlier policy, City Winery is asking everyone to wear masks when not seated at their tables, even though all in attendance are vaccinated. Other venues that reopened with safety protocols and then relaxed their guard will have to re-establish the same rules that impact all other restaurants and performances spaces on August 16.

Many smaller venues like the Anyway Café, Baby Brasa, Café Wha?, Groove, Marshall Stack and Rue-B have viewing areas outside. Presumably, the vaccination-only regulation will apply to their indoor spaces only. Clarification will come when the regulation is published in September.

Bryan Stephens outside Café Wha? on July 28; outdoor establishments will not require a vaccination check

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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 August 2021 calendar.