In March 2020, the staff at The Cellar on Treadwell at 295 Treadwell Street in Hamden unsurely moved the restaurant’s tables and chairs to the parking lot. The outdoor patio emerged as the new venue for music performances, in compliance with Connecticut’s COVID-19 regulations placed on restaurants and bars.
Owner Pete Mould ingeniously attached hinges to the patio’s fences, enabling them to swing open for a clear view of the patio from the parking lot. Patrons could enjoy outdoor shows while still adhering to safety guidelines.
“I remember hanging up clear shower curtains on the bar so we could have people sit at the bar,” Mould said.
Functioning as both a bar and music venue, The Cellar on Treadwell, like numerous other Connecticut bars, felt the impact of the COVID-19 mandates initiated on March 16, 2020. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont introduced these regulations to reduce the spread of COVID-19, imposing limitations such as a maximum gathering of 50 people and restricting restaurants and bars to take-out and delivery services only.
For Mould, navigating the challenges of COVID-19 extended beyond food service. Promoting music at The Cellar on Treadwell became an equally steep hurdle. Restrictions on gatherings of people and audience size proved to be a significant obstacle in attracting patrons to live music shows, as well as artists.
“We started doing takeout and we were doing live streams from the artist’s homes,” Mould said. “So, we share the live streams and people would come and get their takeout and go home and watch the show.”
Restaurants and bars like The Cellar on Treadwell that offer live music serve as ideal venues for local music artists. Musicians thrive in the atmosphere of food, drinks and most importantly, engaged audience members. However, the absence of live concerts due to the pandemic-induced rules made it difficult for musicians to perform live for people.
“It had a big impact on any musician when you lose the ability to go out and play live in front of a live audience,” Mould said. “You’re sitting at your house in front of a camera, it’s totally different.”
While Mould and his team worked to adapt to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, local musicians like Steve Rodgers faced their own set of obstacles. A longtime musician and promoter, Rodgers has been involved in the Connecticut music scene for many years.
“I started putting on these DIY shows on Monday nights and a lot of songwriters all around Connecticut would come there,” Rodgers reminisced. “It was like a tiny little place. A hundred people would cram in. That was back in 2003.”
According to a small business survey administered by the U.S. Census Bureau, 75% of Connecticut businesses reported being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, Connecticut’s music scene went quiet at the beginning of the outbreak. It wasn’t until Gov. Lamont’s early March executive order provided hope, by expanding outdoor dining options and greenlighting select venues to host outdoor concerts.
Outdoor shows became the lifeline for music promoters and musicians alike. For musicians like Rodgers, organizing and playing outdoor concerts became essential to Connecticut’s music scene.
“About two months into the pandemic, I decided that I wanted to go out and play a bunch of backyard house concerts once the weather got warm enough. And for the next six months into the pandemic, that’s what we did,” Rodgers said. “We went and played all over the place, and you know, it was an incredible time while there was literally no live music happening.”
Another local venue, College Street Music Hall at 238 College Street in New Haven, similarly embraced the options that outdoor arrangements could provide. Unlike The Cellar on Treadwell, College Street Music Hall took a different approach and held concerts at a separate location.
Located near the middle of downtown New Haven, College Street Music Hall finds itself in a different setting compared to venues in Hamden. Due to its urban location, hosting outdoor concerts wasn’t feasible. So, promoter Keith Mahler, much like Rodgers, took the show on the road.
“We did outdoor shows later on in the pandemic,” said Mahler. “Outdoors up in Morris Connecticut on a farm and we quickly developed an outdoor concert plan.”
While many Connecticut venues continued to find ways to adapt to pandemic restrictions and provide customers with food and music services, not all establishments could open during the height of the pandemic. Cantean Coffee & Tea at 1660 Whitney Ave. in Hamden was among those unable to open its doors.
Owner Sarah Borden, a native New Yorker, fell in love with the coffee shop atmosphere she experienced growing up. After a slow start in her new venture as a restaurant owner in 2023, Borden got an idea from her daughter to host an open mic night. Not knowing anything about hosting live music, she contacted Rodgers to host the inaugural live music night after the pandemic had ended and there were no longer restrictions.
“Well, I thought maybe Steve would be interested in hosting,” Borden recalled. “He’s such a great guy, so I asked him, and he was up for it. It’s been really fun; there’s just so much local talent.”
But Borden wasn’t able to host these nights right away. After signing a lease for the building in December of 2021, it took almost another two years until customers were welcomed into the restaurant to enjoy the music and refreshments. Borden felt that the lasting impact of the pandemic on her establishment was how it affected the contractors and other people working on the building itself.
“I feel like it just became the go-to excuse for contractors because I got a lot of that from them,” Borden shared. “We can’t get a plumber in there; we can’t find anybody to do the work for another six weeks because of COVID. They’re not available or this piece of equipment or building material is held up because of COVID and the supply chain.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, numerous businesses faced problems with shipping and product supply. Additionally, 43% of Connecticut businesses estimated it would take more than six months to return to pre-COVID operations.
Cantean Coffee & Tea finally opened its doors in May 2023. Not only is live music now a staple event at the restaurant, but other themed nights are part of the experience including game and trivia nights.
While Cantean Coffee & Tea is newer and struggled to hit the ground running due to COVID-19, Side Street Grille at 15 Dickerman Street in Hamden has served residents since 1996, before and after the pandemic. Side Street Grille offers customers themed nights. Mondays are trivia nights, hosted by a local high school teacher, and the busy Thursday nights are karaoke themed.
“Karaoke started in 2019. I don’t think it actually got off as well as it has now,” bartender David DeNicola said. “I think part of the reason that it took off was because everybody was locked in for so long.”
When everyone was isolating and Connecticut shut down, Side Street Grille resorted to take-out orders, much like other restaurants at the time. Once restrictions on restaurants loosened, indoor seating once again became available while still socially distancing. The tables and chairs were moved to be six feet apart, and the bar remained closed although drinks could still be ordered.
“There was a point that honestly, we were even debating on closing until everyone was able to open. But in all actuality, I believe that we would not be open today if we had done that,” said DeNicola. “I think people would’ve come out still, but I genuinely do not think it would’ve been enough to sustain paying for everything. But the good thing is we’ll never have to know about that.”