By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, March 19, 2021
The 2020 pandemic threw us all for a loop as Social Distancing was introduced to us. We all hunkered down to stay safe as we all hoped for the best. As we waited for a solution to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we all wondered what's next... Since we couldn't all be together because of the COVID Pandemic, spreading out was the name of the game.
Outdoor Social Distancing with the Nat Adderley, Jr. Trio featuring Alvester Garnett (Drums) and Chris Berger (Bass)
Live music is a creative outlet for the performer and can be soul-saving and mentally uplifting for the audience. Big town or small town, one of the best things about live music is that all you need for a good performance is a place to perform and a place for the patrons to listen. Enter social distancing, and the live music along with the benefits disappeared. We all talked and wrote about surviving coronavirus and social distancing because this time there was no doubt we were all in this together. Here in South Orange, New Jersey, local folks, government and business folks got together, got very creative in helping small businesses thrive and came up with a few different ways to keep the music alive around South Orange throughout this ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.
Spreading the Music All Around South Orange, NJ
A quick look around South Orange Holiday Open Air Markets, with music by Forget The Whale.
Normally inside and at two locations, it was time to get creative, and a key part of the mission was keeping people safe and helping businesses survive. South Orange Village Government and South Orange Village Center Alliance (SOVCA) joined with Gregory Burrus Productions and figured out how to start spreading the music all around South Orange, NJ. We found a new stage and a very wide open parking lot, and an agreeable South Orange Village Government that invited the restaurants to move outside with outdoor seating. Local business venues were in agreement, community folks were receptive, and then we proceeded to spread the music all around South Orange, NJ to various restaurants, storefronts and parks.
We started in July under the warmth of the sun, wearing short sleeves and t-shirts, and made it all the way in our outdoor settings to Christmas Eve with heaters while wearing coats and jackets. What a blast we had. I should mention that the South Orange Holiday Open Air Market shown above was very much appreciated by its patrons and was recognized with a 2020 Downtown New Jersey Placemaking award that went to SOVCA.
Live Music Venues Around South Orange, NJ
As the mission was to keep the music alive, provide more open spaces for musicians to perform, allow our audiences to come out and gather safely, and help small businesses survive and thrive, we came up with a number of outdoor locations. Hopefully, as the new 2021 live music season approaches, we are back at these spaces this year, too. Following is a list of the instant COVID Pandemic live music venues, their quick business descriptions from their websites, and some of the music performed at these locations.
Grid Iron Waffle Shop
Harmonic Convergence band led by Alex Desrivieres on the Grid Iron Waffle stage
Grid Iron Waffle - From the Streets of Liege and Brussels, Belgium, we bring you the most delicious authentic waffles to enjoy any time of day. For Foodies - A world class menu including breakfast, lunch and brunch. Specialty Coffee - Superior Fair Trade beans blended and roasted just for us!
The Fox & Falcon
Jamming at The Fox & Falcon led by Leonieke and Nick Scheuble
The Fox & Falcon’s elevated contemporary American menu reflects a continual reinvention of classic and new American cuisine, resulting in approachable, yet bold and exciting dishes where the purity of its ingredients and flavor profiles shine. The Fox & Falcon’s multi-level space offers several rooms, each reflecting its own mood, personality and purpose, from the traditional Irish pub setting of the Snug to the well-appointed dining room located on the main level, as well as an array of entertainment ranging from comedy shows, live music and weekly trivia.
Inkosi Cafe
Harmonic Convergence Quartet featuring Vocalist Destiny Tucker
Inkosi Cafe - Chefs specialize in authentic and delicious food. The staff at Inkosi Cafe is devoted to serving customers mouthwatering dishes that feature the highest quality ingredients available. Chicken Cutlet Sandwich, Crispy Fish Sandwich and are all prepared quickly and delivered to you right away. Inkosi Cafe uses only the freshest ingredients around, ensuring that every dish is of the highest possible quality.
Papillon25
Kyle Younger Quartet featuring Drummer Meredith Foreman and Sax man Claudius Washington
Papillon25 -Sophisticated restaurant & martini bar serving New American fare in a modern space with live jazz. The restaurant color scheme stimulates the appetite for the culinary delights of Executive Chef Yanick Ranieri. A butterfly insignia, crafted by architects Sussna and Matz of Princeton, floats above the martini bar illuminating the various hues of cocktails offered. The martini bar also boasts a menu of more than 50 martinis and a wonderful selection of wines. This extensive offering compliments Yanick’s uniquely exotic cuisine and adds to the air of elegance, grace and nostalgia reminiscent of the supper clubs of the ’40s and ’50s.
The Dancing Blender Smoothie Company
Gabriel Plotkin at the Dancing Blender Smoothie in South Orange
The Dancing Blender Smoothie Company provides a casual, social and comfortable atmosphere coupled with a distinctive menu of freshly-made and delicious Smoothies, Juices, Wraps, custom-made salads, and other healthy snack products while using the highest quality nutritional ingredients. We offer these services affordably, consistently and with the ultimate focus on service–service to our customers, service to our vendors and respect for the environment.
Outside Bunny's Sports Bar & the Parklet
Bunny's Sports Bar is a local favorite for great draft beer, thin-crust pizza and an array of Italian-American specialty dishes. Visit us on Facebook! We are a family restaurant / Sports Bar and our longevity can certainly be attributed, in part, to dynamic crowds, ever-present drinks, and wonderful employees who pride themselves on guest services.
Tito's Burritos & Wings
Tito’s Burritos & Wings’ slogan is, “It’s all good,” & that motto applies to the whole philosophy we built our business on. In other words, we are 100% committed to giving our customers nothing but goodness; the tastiest food, prepared & served in a casual & easy-going manner, always at a good value.
Cafe Word Book Store
Cafe Word is a spiritual-based bookstore and gift shop located in South Orange, New Jersey.
Jackie & Son
Bossio Band with Daniel Perrotta at Jackie & Son in South Orange
Jackie's lineage of extraordinary cuisine is on full display at Jackie & Son. Whether you are in a rush and need to grab take out, seeking a great vibe to work or hang out while chowing down, or looking for the ultimate dining experience, Jackie & Son will hit the spot every time. Jackie sees Jackie & Son not simply as a restaurant, but instead, as a beacon of love, flavor, creativity and most importantly, a place you can count on and be inspired by each and every day.
1 Sloan Street The Village Diner Circle
Hal Keshner at The Village Diner in South Orange
Located in the heart of the downtown business district and literally under the South Orange, NJ transit Train Tracks, The Village Diner serves up fresh & healthy American cuisine. Choose from our selections of breakfast items, soups, salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, entrees and much, much more!!!
BGR S.O. — D&I Fitness S.O.
Band of Strays in front of D&I Fitness in South Orange
BGR - Fresh steakburgers made to order & grilled to perfection over an open flame. Create your own - choose protein. Choose bun, wrap, or bowl. Choose topping. Signature sides. Kids meals.
D&I Fitness provides a terrific place to exercise, but it is a community of people that truly cares about each other. Dynamic Classes. Energizing Trainers. Inspiring Community. Personalized training attention within a class atmosphere. Train Hard. Train Local.
Toro Loco Mexican Restaurant
Jamming Led by Leonieke Scheuble at The Fox & Falcon next to Toro Loco in South Orange
Toro Loco Mexican Restaurant - serving up Mexican meals & margaritas in casual, festive quarters with an outdoor patio. The goal of El Toro Loco has always been to ensure that customers come in and out the door smiling. This positive energy is only amplified by the restaurant’s delicious food menu and expansive drink selection. El Toro Loco truly brings the tagline “Modern Mexican Kitchen” to life with dozens of authentic Mexican dishes available for customers to enjoy.
Sloan Street Gazebo
Jazz On Sloan with Meant To Be band and MPAC in South Orange
Jazz On Sloan at the South Orange Gazebo is showcasing the wealth of Jazz Talent around South Orange Village. Enjoy Free Live Music Concerts under the stars with your friends, neighbors in the community, every Friday and Saturday evening.
Spiotta Park - Village Plaza
Mama D and the Vexations in Spiotta Park South Orange, NJ
Spiotta Park - Downtown After Sundown is dedicated to showcasing the wealth of Live Music and Talent in and around South Orange Village. Free Live Music Concerts under the stars with your your friends, neighbors and community members, every Friday and Saturday evening, 7:30 - 10 PM from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Explore our very walkable town, our vibrant assortment of unique shops and delectable restaurants, our architecturally significant buildings and more while listening to some of the best professional jazz musicians in the Northeast. Check in and use #DAS.
South Orange Musical Walk Way
New Jersey DJ Services LLC in South Orange
Music Walk Way Entertainment. South Orange Creates a 'Music Walk' in its Downtown. Yes, South Orange Village Center Alliance was Awarded a Transformation Grant from the Main Street New Jersey program. With this new grant from MSNJ, SOVCA will also transform the pedestrian alleyway leading from South Orange Ave to the Sloan Street parking lot into an interactive “Music Walk” by installing new murals, flower instruments, benches, overhead bistro lights, lighting, landscaping, and a custom bike rack. Music will also be piped in. The walk-way was designed in a way that allows the space to transform and host new art with changing themes in the future.
Since there is nothing like a good meal and some great food along with nice drinks, a great time was had by all at the many different live music spaces, and many folks came in from other towns and enjoyed the venues that participated. Hopefully, we will be back soon. With the new season approaching, we hope you come on out and discover all the great live music that is all around South Orange, NJ.
About the Writer Gregory Burrus
Gregory Burrus with Mayor Sheena Collum during Get Out the Vote Day
Gregory Burrus is writing about his first love, the creative people, towns and events all around South Orange NJ. Gregory continually observes, participates in, reports and writes on local community news, live music and the arts and entertainment scene of the Jersey NYC landscape and beyond, right here as JI blogger Gregory Burrus. Contact Gregory Burrus to promote your business or nonprofit across various social media and blogging platforms. http://gregoryburrus.me