The Rocktober Report on NYC's Live Music Circuit

For many in the live music industry, October is the the gauge which determines that state of the touring talent industry. One generalized speculation is that October is the month when college students have the most discretionary time and money to spend on concerts. Whether or not these theories are truths, October has been nicknamed Roctober for good reason.

October seems to have been a healthier month for the live music industry. Generally speaking, the public has been attending music venues and restaurants with music more this October than last October, when virtually all performances were held outdoors, but not yet as much as in 2019. Performers who asked their audiences if this is their first concert since the shutdown generally get a loud cheer in response.

Rather than entire concert tours being cancelled due to someone on the tour testing positive for COVID-19, the industry is finding that touring acts are forfeiting a shorter string of dates. Genesis, Primus and Turkuaz are among the acts that cancelled a handful of dates in October. The Trey Anastasio Band lost members of their touring party due to COVID but did not cancel shows.

On a local level, the live music circuit is weathering a few changes. By now, the public is accustomed to showing proof of vaccination to enter music venues, although some smaller venues are less vigilant than others at the door. Staffing shortages continue to be a problem at many venues; at this point, it seems that almost anyone can get a job at their favorite music venue.

The 2,100-capacity Palladium Times Square, at the site of the former PlayStation Theater, has become the city's newest large live entertainment venue. Jeff Tweedy, the Budos Band, Nathaniel Rateliff, Band of Horses, Jesse Malin, Trombone Shorty and others performed in the opening month at Brooklyn Made, a new 500-capacity music venue in Bushwick. The Iridium, which was scheduled to reopen on November 1, has postponed or cancelled all of its November bookings and will reopen on December 27. Rue-B closed in mid-October due to a failed lease negotiation. 

For the most part, the number of restaurants hosting outdoor entertainment for the non-vaccinated continues to dwindle. Café Wha? shortened its outdoor structure to allow for better transportation access, eliminating its al fresco performance area. Groove and Marshall Stack moved their stages further indoors and closed their windows. Hill Country seems to have ended its outdoor music nights. The Ear Inn, Joey Bats Café, Nomad and Terremoto Coffee Room are among the few downtown restaurants that still host live music for outdoor audiences.

The Manhattan Beat salutes all the venues and music artists that performed in New York City in October 2021. Here are recent scenes from 20 music venues in The Manhattan Beat.

Thrice at Terminal 5 on October 7

H2O at le Poisson Rouge on October 10

black midi at Webster Hall on October 19

Starbenders at Irving Plaza on October 8

Frankie and the Witch Fingers at the Bowery Ballroom on October16

Rick Wakeman at City Winery NYC on October 25

Chip Taylor at the Loft on October 26

The Lighthouse and the Whaler at Mercury Lounge on October 19

The SaRon Crenshaw Band at Terra Blues on October 20

Copilot at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2, on October 16

James Maddock at the 11th St. Bar on October 12

The Arcadian Wild at the Bowery Electric on October 13

Deep C Revival at the Red Lion on October 20

The Carvels NYC at the Endless Party at the Parkside Lounge on October 23

The TarantinosNYC at Otto's Shrunken Head on October 2

Caelan Cardello at the Anyway Café on October 10

Steven Chelliah at Sour Mouse NYC on October 15

Dmitry Wild & the Spell at Marshall Stack on October 16

The Saint Mark's Saints at the East Village Social on October 19

Jill Fiore rocking on her fire escape on October 15

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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 October and November 2021 calendars.