In spite of rising coronavirus numbers, the Tahoe Sierra has entered what is predicted to be a banner summer tourism season. With the vast majority of public events canceled, people continue to flock to the sandy beaches and outdoor opportunities plentiful in our mountain region. But with so much uncertainty in the air, many are left wondering: What is happening this summer?
“People want to see their friends again. They want to be part of their community. We’ve always seen ourselves as a place for people to connect. If we can do that in a socially responsible way, then that’s great.” -Rylan Cordova
When it comes to live music, what now remains is an intrepid assortment of approaches to recovering a once-prosperous music scene in and around Lake Tahoe. While every venue has to follow its own state, county and municipal guidelines before opening shop, the bottom line is large gatherings are still banned in both California and Nevada.
“I tried to dance between the raindrops and see what we could do, but even with free or private events for less than 50 people, we couldn’t do that,” says Crystal Bay Casino general manager Bill Wood.
At the moment, Wood has live music booked as early as Sept. 18, though that is likely to change.
“Obviously the most important thing is we get through this virus and people stay safe,” he says. “We are in total compliance with that. Having said that, we’ve talked to a lot of agencies and bands and those bands are really suffering. They want to come and play as soon as they safely can. We’re booking bands out later in the fall going into the Christmas holiday with the proviso that we’re allowed to do so. We may end up having to postpone or cancel shows.”
“The problem that exists when they do allow crowds is will they have social distancing involved?” says Wood. “You can’t really force people to stay six feet away from each other. We’re really built more for standing-room-only crowds. With a seated show, you have to have six feet, side to side and front to back. That’s a lot of room.”
Wood is hoping he is able to book bands for audiences somewhat smaller than what they would normally play.
“It’s going to be something where we have to work with artists and their agents,” he says. “It seems there is going to be some cooperation there. Everybody feels the same way.”
According to music agent Kevin Calabro who regularly brings touring bands into the area, almost everything across the country is still on hiatus as guidelines change and change again.
“Everyone is struggling with it from a financial perspective and definitely nervous about the CARES Act money for unemployment going away in July,” he says. “That said, from a creative perspective, everyone has been inspired and working hard. We’re selling more vinyl than ever.”
When Less Is More
Smaller venues, such as restaurants, cafés and bars where people are seated and socially distanced, have been the first to bring back live music with new protocols. Sometimes musicians are required to wear masks when they aren’t performing. Ensembles are limited to one or two people at a time. The audience is seated in small groups and spaced apart.
It’s putting a few musicians back to work, but it’s not enough to keep some longtime seasonal performers here.
“I hate to leave Tahoe, but with no work starting March 9th or so for me, there’s no way I could justify staying there,” says well-known area musician Chi McLean. “It’s such a bummer. Obviously, I miss the money. It’s how I used to make my living, but I really miss making music in a live environment — the vibes, the fun, the interaction.”
For the past few months, McLean has been hunkered down in Nashville writing and recording new material while trying to stay busy with a number of long-forgotten projects.
“I’m really starting to worry about income or lack thereof and the future of live music,” he says. “Virtual shows just aren’t the same. Here’s hoping the resorts and casinos can open this fall and host entertainment. But I’m not confident they’ll be able to do so safely, which is scary on many levels.”
Although Squaw Valley and other resorts are booking live music for their restaurants, larger events planned for the end of August and beyond are up in the air.
“We’re in the same boat as everyone else,” says Caroline Ross of Squaw Village Neighborhood Company. “We want to do the right thing. But it’s too premature for us to share what we’re doing because we don’t know what we’re doing yet. Everything is constantly changing. ”
South Lake Tahoe’s city council will be discussing the prospects for summer entertainment at its July 14 meeting. Until then, plans for outdoor summer shows like Live at Lakeview are up in the air.
In Truckee, Cottonwood Restaurant and Bar of America are now hosting socially distanced live music. Alibi Ale Workshas reopened with an outdoor beer garden and will be hosting trivia and music this summer with socially distanced table service.
“Since we’ve reopened our mindset has been changing a little bit,” says Rylan Cordova, general manager at Alibi Ale Works. “We’re still not really supposed to encourage gatherings, but we’re doing host-greeted seating to keep people in their six-feet bubbles. We’re trying to do what we’ve always done in a more controlled and seated manner. People want to see their friends again. They want to be part of their community. We’ve always seen ourselves as a place for people to connect. If we can do that in a socially responsible way, then that’s great.”
In South Lake Tahoe and Stateline, Nev., live music events are mostly on hold. Heavenly Village, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Lake Tahoe AleWorX are offering live music and The Loft Theatre is open for magic shows with reduced capacity. Billy Drewitz of Late Night Productions has been booking shows in the area for 23 years, but all of his events are currently posted until next year.
“Everything on a professional level is on hiatus,” says Drewitz. “The only event casinos have considered is [Extreme Midget Wrestling] with a controlled, sit-down audience. That’s scheduled for September, but I don’t even see that happening with the current surge. … Every day I wake up and it looks like I’m further and further from getting back from normal. It’s discouraging, but I’m just rolling with the punches. Things are changing by the day, but unfortunately, I feel like we’re moving backwards. At first, people were being proactive. I think it was helping, but for the most part, people are being irresponsible right now.”
A Time for Innovation
In the face of endless hoops and unpredictable challenges, some music festivals are innovating their approach for 2020 in order to allow live performance to continue in a new form. Even if Classical Tahoe won’t raise its grand pavilion on the campus of Sierra Nevada College this year, the nonprofit will forge ahead with another edition of its internationally renowned music festival. To keep within state guidelines, they are dropping its annual summer gala and orchestra performances in favor of chamber ensembles of 10 musicians. Performances are to be held from July 31 to Aug. 15 at private residences and lakefront gardens in Incline Village, Nev., with small audiences of 30.
“Logistically, it’s not easy to switch venues,” says Sarah Wells, the organization’s patron experience manager. “It’s a lot of production value built from the ground up. It’s a colossal endeavor to consider the new venues in terms of the speed it would normally require.”
While tickets are on not available to the public, the weekly performances will be livestreamed on the festival website and aired as a six-part special on PBS Reno.
“The opportunity to think in different ways led to the collaboration with PBS,” says Wells. “Even though it’s a pivot to who we’re serving, and we can’t offer a sunup-to-sundown experience, the programming through the livestream is extraordinary.”
Big BLUEgrass Benefit Concert at Sugar Pine Point State Park is another music festival that is thinking outside the box in a wish to push forward with its annual event. The Sierra State Parks Foundation plans to hold an intimate 50-person gazebo concert on Aug. 7 at Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, featuring Lost Whiskey Engine and The Well Known Strangers depending on approval from several state agencies. The event will be livestreamed on social media as part of a fundraiser for the park. If it is cancelled, a pre-recorded music special will air in its place.
“We’re kind of between a rock and a hard place,” says foundation spokesperson Denise Tran. “We are a small team, but we just wanted to take on this challenge. A lot of our events are getting canceled and we wanted to keep this tradition alive.”
A Summer of Virtual Concerts
Rather than cancel outright, several local music events are foregoing in-person gatherings in favor of livestreamed events or pre-produced specials. Instead of its annual summer concerts at Kings Beach State Recreation Area, North Tahoe Business Association is broadcasting a five-part series of virtual concerts on select Friday nights. Peter Joseph Burtt & The King Tide kicked it off on June 26 with a concert livestreamed and aired on KTKE 101.5 FM from inside the North Tahoe Events Center.
“We’re doing it to keep the music alive and support our local bands,” says NTBA Executive Director Alyssa Reilly. “The arts are very important in King’s Beach. We wanted to do what we can.”
Each week is sponsored by two area restaurants and Reilly hopes people will consider tuning into the music while ordering food and spending time with family and close friends.
“It’s about helping businesses come back to life and get through this,” she says. “We’re hoping people may order out and put on the radio while they’re having dinner. It’s all this big full circle. I think we are going to learn a lot as we go. This is new to all of us. We can’t bring the people to the music, so we’re bringing the music to the people.”
Tahoe City Downtown Association will be airing past performances from the Concerts at Commons Beach music series on social media and live of KTKE on Sunday nights for its Backyard Boogie Series starting Aug. 2 for five weeks from 4 to 7 p.m.
“Our businesses are hurting,” says TCDA Executive Director Kylee Bigelow. “On Sundays people can go support a local restaurant socially distanced with their households and have a Concerts at Commons vibes at home. We’re festing in place.”
TCDA is also encouraging people to get takeout from local restaurants to enjoy while listening to the sounds from past concerts.
This year Lake Tahoe Dance Festival will be coming to your home with a three-night broadcast of world-class dance performance from July 22 to 24 through its website. This year’s themes include American classical ballet, mid-century modern dance and Europe’s contemporary influence.
In an entertainment industry that has been widely shut down, creative events like these at least bring some hope to audiences and artists as everyone navigates these uncertain times together.
“I think it keeps the live music spirit alive in our hearts and reminds us of the joy we’ve had,” says Brent Dana, a concert organizer. “It takes us back to a happy time. The quality of all the artists that have performed there over the years is extraordinary. We can connect as a community as we look forward to getting back in the good-times business and celebrating together as soon as we possibly can. Hang in there.”
