If you ask me it’s been one of the few bright spots over these grinding months of the pandemic: live music at a couple of local restaurants, mainly Reade Street Pub and 1803. Not only was it a draw for customers, but even passers-by would stop to listen and the whole scene added some energy to otherwise listless days. But my guess is upstairs neighbors might have felt differently.
(I did wonder how the restaurants were able to get away with it, since after running concerts and events in Washington Market Park for 15 years, I know that all amplified music must be permitted with the NYPD.)
So, 1803 was summoned to an appearance for March (though oddly the night the received it, they did not have music) and Reade Street was given a warning. The Department of Transportation said they do not issue fines or tickets, but this is part of the Open Restaurants rules:
There may be no amplified sound and no ticketed performances.
Of course with winter set in, playing an instrument on the street would have been a bit challenging. Still, it was good while it lasted.
Yes, I understand how it did make the street seem lively for a passer-by, but having to wear headphones with the volume higher than I like, in order to block out amplified music, not of my taste or choosing, for 4 – 5 nights a week from 6PM -10PM was not pleasant. And we have really good triple pane windows. I can’t image what it was like for neighbors with old ones.
I’m near the Reade Street Pub as well, and it is not too intrusive. They usually stop earlier than allowed, say 9:30 instead of 10:00, but 10:00 on Friday and Saturday. It is a very small price to pay to have the restaurants survive. Good luck to them all.
Was the music at 1803 even amplified? I’d think live jazz like that in a small setting doesn’t need to be amplified at all. So if the restriction if only on “amplified” music, maybe they can still have live acoustic music.
I also don’t understand the ban of ticketed performances, even during the times when indoor dining, religious services, and bars were allowed to serve indoors. As long as the music performance event enforced proper social distancing, masks, etc., it should have been allowed along with the other activities.
Their liquor license did not allow for any live music – so it doesn’t matter if it was incidental or not, loud or not, amplified or not. They knew this too. There were so many complaints that the SLA got involved. They are lucky their liquor license wasn’t immediately revoked.
We live two blocks away from 1803 and could hear their loud, recorded, amplified music through closed windows. It was almost always the same, annoying play list. It was fine the first night, but every night gets old quickly.
We could hear it a block and a half away through closed windows and over the TV.
They must have had a friend at the precinct because after a call to 311 they would go quiet pretty darn quickly, then start up again a half hour later. Glad it was shut down for good.
I have seen music at both these places since covid started and although some of the bands were not my taste i go to music before covid 5 nights a week in nyc…its what makes this city and makes alot of people happy. if you pay attention to anything in the news so many small venues have closed because they got no respect from this city or goverment and finally got something on the last stimulus after millions of people have begged for help. YOU are worried about a little music goign to 9pm at 1803..you joking…you know how many musicians, venues, sercurity, engineers, sound, lighting, etc are out of work….Why dont you read this below and then think how annoying some great jazz is that is totally free….post this tribeca tribune instead of silly BS becasue this city needs money and all this scumbag mayor is doing is keep putting restaurants out of business day by day…nothing left really down in tribeca its sickening….22 year resident and have seen the ups and downs…this up is not coming for a long time. Read below…I dont think a little music to keep these places open and these musicians from making a few bucks hurts anyone…
Look at the numbers….
More people work on Broadway than in the entire coal industry.
92,000 vs. 52,000
More people work in live entertainment than the entire airline industry. 12 million vs 10.2 million.
Other industries are getting all the attention. American Airlines said they would lay off 20,000 employees and it was front page news. We are behind the scenes so crickets…
– Live events employ over 12 million people.
– Live events Contribute to over 1 Trillion annually to the US
economy
– 77% of people in the live events industry have lost 100% of
their income, including 97% of 1099 workers
– 12 dollars gets contributed to local economies for every dollar
spent on tickets. Hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.
– 95% of live events have been cancelled due to COVID-19.
– 96% of companies have cut staff and/or wages.
You would be SHOCKED if you knew how many people it takes to put on your favorite show. MOST tours have more people supporting it than on stage. Broadway is now remaining closed through May. Meaning they are offering refunds for everything up until May 30. Likely they will be closed through September. ANOTHER YEAR! This ‘likely’ means large touring acts will not start until then as well.
OUR INDUSTRY IS STRUGGLING.
It was not good while it lasted.
There were hundreds of complaints from neighbors about the live music on the sidewalk. Sure it may be festive if you only walked by once in a while, but having to endure it nightly for half a year was torture.
1803 never had a permit for live music even before Covid, not even for their indoor shows. They were violating their liquor license from the start.
The first precinct and community board had addressed the issue with 1803 multiple times, they ignored any advice to self police. They decided to ignore that advice.
I assure you, if you lived within hearing distance of the live band and had to hear it nightly against your wishes, you would have wanted it shut down as well.
Glad this issue finally got some attention. As life moved outdoors, noise of all kinds also followed, from restaurants to rooftop parties to terrace gatherings. All unchecked in 2020. For every transgression there was a Covid sympathy voice to counter complaint. If it’s true that all the outdoor dining is going to be permanent, the city really need to come up with a comprehensive plan. Right now it’s still a free for all, unregulated building frenzy, not sustainable in the long run.
Given that I’m a musician who lives two blocks away from Reade Street Pub, I certainly can’t agree with this situation. Especially since the bands stop at about 9:30pm or so. Before regular bedtime hours. Also, since I’m an opera singer who performs without a microphone, but plays accompaniment tracks through two Bose speakers. Does that still put me in the ‘amplified’ category and prevent me from performing legally on the street?