Happy Wednesday everyone!
Live Music is Back! And here’s who is doing what this week>>>>
We are slowly rolling our way back into a regular momentum here on St. John. I went out for take-out last night and it was great seeing one of my favorite restaurants as full as they could be by current capacity restrictions. Employees busy and smiling behind their masks. Unfamiliar faces at tables and the bar. Tourism has trickled back in. And, as scary as moving forward may seem, it was good to see my friends behind a busy bar again!
Live music was one of the very first things to be restricted. And that’s reasonable. People tend to gather and stay in places longer when there is live entertainment. Just prior to the stay at home orders, we had VI Jam Fest, several nationally touring acts at different venues around St. John, St. Thomas Carnival around the corner. Bars and restaurants were testing the live music game for the first time. Most of the long-standing ones were doing seven days a week with a lot of really fun things on the horizon. And then, just like everything else, it stopped dead in its tracks.
Well, the first to stop and the last to get started. Thank you Governor Bryan for bringing live music back! Beginning on Monday June 8, 2020, in the Virgin Islands, the show can go on! With restrictions…
From the Office of the Governor – Issued and Effective on June 1, 2020:
- No live bands or DJ’s in open public areas
- Event centers and banquet halls must comply with mass gathering mandates of less than 50 people or 50% of their occupancy capacity (Whatever is less)
- No live music or DJ’s permitted after 12 midnight
- Live band shall be set up with space of ten (10) feet between the band and patrons using social distancing principles.
- A clear barrier between live music and patrons may be considered but is not required.
Now that we all know the expectations and regulations, who is doing what?
A few of the staples for live music are taking their time on figuring out how to manage performances with the current regulations. Once again, I want to remind you that the government will shut down and/or fine these businesses if they are caught being non-compliant so, let’s bear with ALL of small businesses while we get through the beginnings of this blue phase.
But, a couple of our favorite venues are jumping right back in! The following restaurants have scheduled performances, but be sure to check their Facebook pages and websites for additional updates.
- Miss Lucy’s – Thursday night open mic starts again on June 25th. Every Thursday at 5:30-?
- Lovango Rum Bar – Evening and Sunset music regularly beginning this weekend.
- Cruz Bay Landing – Starting up this week 6-9PM
Live music is back at Maho Crossroads starting this weekend - Fridays – IslandGirlMusic- Erin Hart
- Saturdays – Artist TBA
- Sundays – Pam and Broheem (Start date on the Sunday shows TBD)
- Maho Crossroads – Starting Sunday
- Ital and Echo People – Sunday 2-3PM
- Mermaid Monday – 2-4PM – IslandGirlMusic- Erin Hart
- Regular afternoon music beginning next week.
If you are not here to check out the tunes this week, Lauren and Bo Magnie will host one more virtual open mic live from St. John this Thursday at 5:30!