Live music returns to the Lakes Region

LACONIA — When the state went into stay-at-home mode in March, one of the many things that went away was the opportunity to see live music. That’s back, now that regulations have been relaxed and some music hosts have found ways to put on a show while still guarding against the spread of the coronavirus.

Anthony Santagate, owner of the Tower Hill Tavern in Weirs Beach, has been hosting live music for weeks – ever since outdoor dining was permitted. While other restaurants were setting up tents and tables wherever they could find outdoor space, he was doing the same thing, but with an eye toward live performances rather than just food service. He ended up with a space behind his building that could hold a small audience, all appropriately spaced apart.

“It’s in the parking lot next to the Dumpster,” Santagate said. “I prettied it up with tables, beer banners, corn hole and beer pong.”

It’s hardly like a pre-pandemic show, though. Employees are all wearing masks, and each party of guests must stay seated at their own table. No mingling and no dancing. No standing, even.

It’s not just the audience that has to deal with limited expectations. Because of the restricted size of the audience, Santagate can’t pay bands as much as they usually earn. But, whether performer or fan, something is better than what they had in April.

“Everyone’s just happy to be doing what we love to do,” he said.

Since then, he’s been able to open up his indoor space, which includes two floors. Normally, he said he can fit 500 people indoors, but since he still needs to maintain distance between parties, he can only fit about half of that amount inside. He can make up the rest, though, with outdoor seating.

His biggest act so far this year will be on Friday night, when local country artist Jodi Cunningham will perform with an all-new band. Santagate expected to have a full house for the show, and for subsequent performances – well, at least as full as he can get.

“We’re going to be half-packed this weekend,” he said. Despite the restrictions, Santagate said guests have appreciated the return of live entertainment.

“Everybody’s freaking out, they’re so happy to have live music,” he said, though he added, “It’s hard to stop people from dancing, we’ve thrown people out for breaking that rule.”

This Friday also marks the return of live music at Rotary Park, thanks to the “Arts in the Park” program put on by The Belknap Mill. Tara Shore, operations manager for the Mill, said audience members should be prepared for social distancing measures.

“You will go into the park, there will be large circles, you can gather your party inside (the circle), and it will be six feet from everyone,” Shore said.

The 2020 season will kick off with The Rebel Collective, which Shore described as “Irish-Celtic-American-Punk.”

“They’re very unique, they have a large following,” Shore said, adding that The Belknap Mill has been interested in booking The Rebel Collective for a few years but were unable to get schedules to align. “This year they were one of the first we called.”

The Arts in the Park series will continue with live music scheduled for every other Friday evening, with shows beginning at 6 p.m. Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs or blankets and should bring a mask if they wish to use the restrooms in the Mill.

Then, starting in July, another outdoor performance series will begin. The Canterbury Shaker Village is hosting its Concerts on the Green series each Sunday in July, from 4 to 5 p.m.

While COVID-19 has brought a world of negative outcomes to the globe, it has presented some opportunities, and one of them is that cellist Jan Fuller, a Concord resident, is unable to travel abroad to participate in a music festival. Since he’s stuck here, the Shaker Village is taking advantage by inviting him to develop a series of concerts for the spacious lawn leading up to the Meeting House.

As with the series in Rotary Park, guests at the Shaker Village concerts will be expected to wear masks, and will be permitted to sit within painted circles spaced throughout the lawn.

The Shaker Village concerts are free, with a suggested donation of $10.

“The Village hopes to play a role in providing the healing balm of safe community gathering, beauty and art, during challenging times,” said Joan Brodsky, trustee of the Canterbury Shaker Village.”