Cork jazz venues plead with Government not to cut capacity

Uncertainty about any potential new restrictions is fuelling anxiety in a sector already bearing the brunt of pandemic policies.

Music promoters, venue owners, and artists have said the Government should continue with the use of Covid certs, but warned against cutting capacity, cancelling shows or reducing opening hours ahead of Cork’s Jazz Festival.

Today, the Government will announce whether it will scale back its plans to remove most remaining public health restrictions this Friday.

Uncertainty about any potential new restrictions is fuelling anxiety in a sector already bearing the brunt of pandemic policies.

And if the Government now rows back on its promise to allow full capacity at venues, it could break many already struggling venues, the industry warns.

Ed O'Leary of The Good Room, which has booked big names including hip-hop superstar Yasiin Bey (FKA Mos Def), and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble to play in St Luke’s iconic de-consecrated church this weekend, said allowing venues to operate at full capacity is crucial.

“We sold 1,200 tickets for Live at St Luke's for this weekend because we were told that we were going back to full capacity," he said.

“I think the vaccine certs should be kept in place but limiting the numbers is not fair at this stage.

They’re just pulling the rug from under everyone again.

“You can’t cover the costs if you can’t sell the tickets.

“They’ve left it too late. It’s anxiety-inducing, to be honest.

"There’s a real buzz this weekend about the jazz and this could just taint it completely if numbers have to be cut because for a lot of venues, it just might not be viable to put on a show."

Covid certs

Ger Kiely, owner of Cork’s much-loved Cyprus Avenue music venue and the Old Oak bar, said that he would favour retaining Covid certs beyond Friday to protect staff and customers.

“We would, if allowed, continue to check Covid certs on entry simply to protect our workers and people coming into us. 

"Mask wearing has been proven to be effective, I have no issue with that.

“But restricting capacity would be a big problem.

“We invested heavily in big acts this weekend. If our capacity is halved it’s impossible to pay the acts. The Academic sold out the Marquee, our capacity is just 600 and we have the Academic playing two gigs with us.

“From a Governmental and national point of view, I can understand why there are concerns. We don’t seem to know why there’s been this increase in numbers.

But we’ll decimate what’s left of the industry if reopening dates keep changing."

DJ and promoter Stevie Grainger, known as Stevie G, said the biggest irony of the situation for him was seeing people from promotions company MCD working at a vaccine centre.

“These people who organise these massive festivals and events all the time were the people at the vaccine centre. They’re highly trained people and you’re not trusting them to run music events still.

“But hopefully the whole jazz festival will go ahead,” he said. 

“I don’t have a problem with certain measures continuing, like having to show your vaccine cert before entry. But the uncertainty is difficult. It’s an industry that works months in advance."