BOWDEN — Musician Charlie Brittain is hoping he and his wife Janice can resume playing concerts in front of people instead of computer monitors -- perhaps later this month -- now that pandemic restrictions are being eased.
Under Stage 2 reopening rules which took effect June 10, outdoor public gatherings such as concerts and festivals are allowed to proceed with up to 150 people. Fixed outdoor seating facilities like grandstands are allowed to be filled to one-third of capacity.
“In June we have a jam here at the house that we’ve had for the last 12, 13 years -- not as big last year because of the whole COVID thing, but this summer we’re having our June Jam like we always do,” the Bowden resident said.
The Brittains play primarily East Coast, country, and gospel music.
“It’ll be a little bit bigger this year than last year because things are starting to lift, people are starting to get out. And I really, really, honestly think people are getting tired of being told not to go out, and they’re just going to start going out,” he said.
“I put out the other day that things are opening up and I said the June Jam is on. Well we probably had 30 messages – maybe more than that – wondering when it was and where it was and how to get there and all this stuff, because people want to go. It’s live music, it’s actual live music, right?”
However, Brittain is aware that not everyone believes the threat of COVID-19 is abating.
“It’s going to take some time to get peoples’ faith back again. I think that’s going to be a big thing,” he said.
He figures some venues will likely wait until fall before possibly booking musicians.
