18 Industry Insiders On The (Mostly Bright) Future Of New York Nightlife

The children are going to have to wait a little longer.

Imagining that our "before times" model of operating is coming back in force anytime soon, I think, is a mistake.

Aside from slow roll-outs of state guidelines and resistance to an extension past the 11 pm curfew, we face challenges with food/liquor consumption regulations. While it's true venues will be able to sell tickets again and see modest increases in capacities for some, this crawl back to normalcy is going to take a while.

For folks that rely on tours and top-tier talent programming, patchy nationwide reopening standards are making this moment incredibly challenging and we’ll see its effects as this process continues. Most of the teams we work with aren't planning on meaningful reopenings until these roadblocks are eliminated.

In the meantime, you’ll see venues focus on meticulous client services and communications, inventive local programming, and enhanced value add experiences. It's not all bad; in the end, this will pave the way for a resurgence in a super healthy local scene less reliant on colossal name talent and much more focused on service and guest experience. As for festivals in the fall? A girl can dream.