Meanwhile, as Stephen Colbert likes to dramatically, and regularly, announce on his late-night CBS-TV show ...
A great experiment in, well, crowd control took place at the Simmons Bank Arena on Saturday night in North Little Rock when Arkansas country singer Justin Moore "headlined" a concert there, with several other Arkansas musicians, all of whom were in other places.
It was "And The Beat Goes On Arkansas — A Live Streaming Event," which also featured Tracy Lawrence, Joe Nichols, Adam Hambrick and Heath Sanders.
"There was a little technical blip, where we had started out on YouTube and had to switch it to Facebook," says Michael Marion, general manager at the arena. "We had some 3,200 people online and later we learned that there were 100,000 viewers that had looked at it or checked it out or whatever. We were pleased that we raised $30,000 for the Food Banks of Arkansas.
"We never had more than 10 people on the floor, and they were all wearing gloves and so forth."
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Marion says otherwise, of late, the arena staff has been tending to painting and other fix-it-up projects, reviewing bills and looking at scheduling in the future.
"We're keeping up with what's been postponed, like Cher and Baby Shark, and the cancellations, like Zac Brown. As for what things are like in the future, a lot depends on how people feel about coming together again. All the artists want to tour, but right now, it's a big 'I don't know.'"
The arena's director of marketing, Jana DeGeorge, notes in an email that people can still view the concert by going to facebook.com/simmonsbankarena and donations can still be made by texting FEED to 501501 or by visiting foodbanksofarkansas.org
Here are updates on several other Central Arkansas venues known for their previous extensive performance schedules:
STICKYZ
Chris King, co-owner, with partner Suzon Awbrey, of two of Little Rock's noted clubs — Stickyz Rock 'n' Roll Chicken Shack and the Revolution Room — reports they have been carrying on to some extent, but in only one location.
"We've been really busy, believe it or not," King allows. "(Easter Sunday) was our first Sunday off while keeping the restaurant open, Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. We only scaled back our menu a little; I'd say we have about 80% of our menu that we can prepare for takeout to people in their cars or those who live in the downtown area."
The couple's other venue, the Rev Room, has been shuttered for the duration, and King says there are shows that they would love to book, whenever the "all clear" or something approaching normal returns.
"We have at least one tentative booking for June 4 at the Rev Room, The Steel Woods, an 'alt-country' band that has played twice for us, once at Stickyz and once at the Rev Room. And one of the shows we lost, Amanda Shires, it looks like we will have her at almost exactly one year from when she was going to play this year.
"We miss doing what we do."
SOUTH ON MAIN
Ryan Harris, executive director of the Oxford American Literary Project, Inc., who books shows at the magazine's South on Main venue, finds himself sitting in limbo, as Jimmy Cliff once put things.
"I've had to put everything on pause, sadly," Harris writes in an email. "I had some killer shows booked for the fall and next spring but told all agents to pause. More soon ..."
WHITE WATER
Matt White, co-owner of White Water Tavern, is out of music and has no prepared food items to offer, but he reports that the club is contributing in a different way.
"We're opening up our parking lot from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday for local farmers to sell their goods," White says. "Larnie Hughes, my business partner's wife, who I think had set up the Dunbar farmers market, has led the charge in organizing the thing. This week we have booths featuring Farm Girl Meats, My Family Garden, Wye Mountain Mushroom, Cenark Growers/James Nursery and Cedar Rock Acres. We have lots of veggies, meat, pickled items, jams and starter plants."
But music and beer? Nope.
For more information, see facebook.com/events/2385564710604911/. Farmers interested can text (501) 681-9073. Customers are asked to visit booths, which are 10 feet apart, one at a time.
SPA CITY POETS
Over in Hot Springs, the long-running Wednesday Night Poetry folks are keeping their streak going. They are coordinating the Arkansas Youth Poetry Day Virtual Poetry Day — not on Wednesday, but from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, call (501) 701-4000.
Weekend on 04/16/2020