CLEVELAND — For weeks, bars and restaurants have been showing off their reopening plans.
But a big part of the nightlife scene is live-music venues, which have been slow to come back to life. The Music Box in the Flats says it’s preparing to get bands and audiences together beginning next month.
”We have invented a new concert series called ‘Table for Two’and it is exactly what it says,” Music Box Co-owner Mike Miller said. “You know the state guidelines call for being six feet apart, but we are going in the opposite direction and are going 12 feet.”
On the club’s smaller stage, Miller will book solo acts or duos.
“And we are going to push them a little farther back on the stage so they will be farther back than what the audience is used to,” he said.
Miller said he expects to feature Cleveland’s many great musicians to start because national acts are not touring. Singer-guitarist Chris Hatton, who covers classic rock and popular songs, takes the stage first on Friday, June 19th.
The larger stage upstairs has room for larger bands to socially distance. A Beatles cover band is booked to play a Father’s Day brunch. Upstairs, seating will be limited to about 170 people, or about half of its old capacity.
Unlike bars and restaurants, patrons have to have a ticket to come inside, which, Miller said, gives the club the ability to manage crowds. Miller said he also plans to sell tickets for seating on the deck when weather is good. A sound system and large garage door that reveals the downstairs stage helps connect the patio to the club.
The club has also designated certain employees, who will wear white masks, to monitor social distancing guidelines by staff and patrons.
“They are going to be a part of what we call the health team and their job is to go around and kindly ask people congregating to get there distancing right and help the rest of our employees,” he said.
Miller hopes people embrace the changes to help re-energize Cleveland’s music scene.
“I feel we have to get going here with music again as part of this whole pandemic,” he said. “Music is one of those eternal joys in life. Ans so yes, smaller crowds, but we can do it safely.”
The Music Box is also continuing its Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties, which feature local storytellers represent a variety of interests. Bobby DiBasio, a senior vice present with the Cleveland Indians, is speaking June 18th.