Live Music Guidelines Allow Colorado Performers Back On Stage -- Except For One Type
DENVER (CBS4) - The coronavirus pandemic has been devastating for music venues and the musicians who fill those establishments with live music. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released a draft of guidance that would allow concerts to return, under several restrictions, but every type of musician won't be permitted to play in Denver.
According to the City of Denver, live indoor music in a restaurant setting is allowed, with these restrictions:
- All members of the entertainment group (band, roadies, stage hands) must wear masks at all times.
- Performers must wear masks at all times, including singers and band members.
- This means that band members who play a wind instrument are disallowed.
- This also means that singers must wear a mask when they're singing.
- The entertainment must be socially distanced from the audience and from each other.
- The entertainment may not touch each other or the audience, and the audience may not touch the performers (eg., strip clubs must not allow patrons to touch the performers to deposit money/tips for the performers).
Performers in a restaurant or bar must also maintain a minimum of 25 feet of distance from the patrons.
"As soon as we were able to reopen, we wanted to get these musicians back to work," said Nicole Mattson, co-owner of Nocturne, "Now I have to cancel on my horn players."
The Roxy, Dazzle and Nocturne have served the city as a model for bringing live music back safely, but after a few successful shows, the city informed them they can't have trumpets, trombones, saxophones or any wind players onstage.
In addition to forbidding wind instruments, the guidance says all members of the band must wear masks, singers included.
"The only thing I can really do is just play the guitar," said Brandon Harris, a multi-talented musician who's been out of work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Brandon Harris, who normally sings and plays the sax, can't afford for these venues to cancel his gigs. The full-time musician is now a starving artist.
"This is as bad as it can be. I've been having to go to the food bank. It's going to be worse once the CARES Act ends," said Harris.
He says more wind musicians will end up going to food banks too, if these reopening guidelines continue to prevent them from getting back to work.
"If restaurants can have people eating and not wearing masks at a distance, then why can't horn players or singers or whoever play a gig at a distance? Everybody needs to be able to work," said Harris.
According to the City of Denver, these venues can allow a maximum of 100 people per room for indoor events and a maximum of 175 people per designated activity for outdoor events (subject to usable space).
Performers are not included in capacity limits as long as they do not join the spectator or patron areas at any time and remain at least 25 feet from attendees.
If performers join the patron spaces, they must be included in the capacity limit numbers.
