Concert venues in Columbus slowly open their doors after a year in the dark

Bryce Hirayama
Tue, 23 Mar 2021 23:19:24 +0000
Arts & Life, Entertainment, Instagram Page, Music, News, a&r music, ace of cups, Buckeyes, Columbus, concert, concerts, Express Live, live audience, live concert, live music, live music after pandemic, live music in columbus, live music near Ohio State, music, music in columbus, newport music hall, Ohio, ohio state, osu, outdoor music venue, outdoor venue, pandemic, promo west productions, promo west venues, promowest, return of concerts, shows [and 3 more]

Live music and concerts, which have been largely absent since March of 2020, will soon be returning to campus as venues open their doors for artists to play in front of an audience once again. Credit: Christian Harsa | Asst. Photo Editor

Scrolling through concert lineups and seeing “CANCELED” and “POSTPONED” will gradually be a thing of the past.

Live music and concerts, which have been largely absent since March 2020, will soon be returning to campus as venues open their doors for artists to play in front of a live audience once again.

Ace of Cups, located at 2619 N. High St., reopened its doors March 12 for artists to play in front of live audiences. With shows currently listed until May 22 on the venue’s website, concerts will be held in a COVID-19-safe setting, with audience members socially distant and separated by assigned table seating.

Isabel Young, a third-year in industrial systems engineering and a concert junkie, said she is happy that venues are taking a safe approach for concerts to return.

“I am glad Ace of Cups is taking proper COVID-19 precautions for people to attend concerts,” Young said. “I am an avid fan of concerts. They are my life, but I want to attend one and not have to worry about other people around me not following the rules.”

While Ace of Cups is returning to the live music scene within the safety guidelines of COVID-19, Newport Music Hall, located at 1722 N. High St., and other PromoWest Productions venues are waiting on updated guidelines and rules from the state before allowing patrons to experience concert scenes again.

“We hope when we open up we won’t have to be socially distant, but that all depends on what the guidelines are going to be,” Marissa McClellan, the marketing director for PromoWest Productions, said.

The last show held at Newport was Allen Stone’s concert March 10, 2020, according to the venue’s event page. Anderson East and Foy Vance’s show, which was scheduled for March 14, 2020, at Newport, was the first show to be postponed due to the pandemic by PromoWest Productions.

Concerts held at The Basement and A&R Music Bar, both located at 391 Neil Ave. next to Express Live!, have been canceled through October, according to the venue’s event page.?

However, McClellan said plans are being drawn up for possible outdoor concerts with the use of another one of PromoWest Productions’ venues, Express Live!, located at 405 Neil Ave.

“I think our outdoor venue will be able to open up sooner due to the fact that it is outside and it’s much bigger than our other three venues,” McClellan said.

Express Live! was the first dual indoor and outdoor venue built in America and can hold 5,200 guests outside and 2,200 inside, according to the venue’s website.

As of March 22, the first available show at Express Live! will be held May 23. Russ, a rapper and singer, will be performing at the outdoor venue with tickets starting at $39.75.

The goal of PromoWest Productions is for all of its Columbus venues to have as many people as possible gather in them safely with great bands coming to play, McClellan said.

“We are definitely ready to be open and are ready to bring people back, so keep an eye out for us,” McClellan said.