Brian Slattery Photo
Goodnight Blue Moon.
With the weather warmed up and sunnier by the day, the New Haven-based Americana favorites Goodnight Blue Moon took the outdoor patio at Best Video on Thursday evening while a large audience gathered in the parking lot on Whitney Avenue to listen — showing that an innovation brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic may have become part of the Hamden cultural center’s regular programming.
Best Video began booking outdoor shows in the summer of 2020 after building an outdoor patio in its parking lot for patrons of its cafe. At the time, it was born of necessity. By the spring of 2021, with vaccination rates rising, it became the New Haven area’s most well-attended small music venue. Now, even with every venue in town resuming booking, the crowds have stayed.
“Basically, outside shows were super-popular,” Hoffman said of continuing the practice into 2022, “and we didn’t get any complaints.” Next-door neighbors, Hoffman said, told him that if they liked the music, they’d open the windows; if they didn’t, they’d just close them. “So we decided to start music outside in May.” With protection from Covid less of a concern socially than it was last summer, and state restrictions lifted, Best Video offers its performers the option to play inside if they’d like. Hoffman added that some of the music Best Video books, like more experimental acts, works better inside as well. And, “unlike last year, and the fall of 2020, if the weather is bad, we just move it inside,” rather than cancelling altogether. He recalled moving one act inside in a hurry, in response to a “big, ugly cloud” bearing down on the parking lot. “We actually got the whole thing broken down, moved inside, and set up in under 15 minutes.” A few people were still uncomfortable with seeing an indoor show, which Hoffman thought was “completely reasonable.” But most of the audience followed the musicians inside, and “it was great. So we know it works,” he said.
Besides, when the weather is amenable — which, Hoffman noted, has lately been the case — “these things are like mini block parties. People walking down the street decide to stop and listen to a couple songs and have a beer. Other people bring dinner. Regardless of what the audience is drinking, Hoffman said that sales at Best Video’s cafe “do noticeable better with the outdoor shows.”
“We’re so used to the streets being owned by cars, but it wasn’t always that way,” Hoffman said. “Streets used to be filled with people. And here, we’re not closing off the street — we’re closing off our parking lot — but that feeling of taking over an outdoor public space is part of the appeal. It’s like a festival, on a small, informal scale.”
And, lurking in the background, the reason for Best Video’s innovation persists. “That Covid decided not to go away makes it better that we have this option,” Hoffman said.
Goodnight Blue Moon’s set on Thursday night exemplified what Hoffman was talking about. As the beloved New Haven-based Americana outfit began playing, the parking lot in front of Best Video quickly filled with people of all ages, from couples celebrating someone’s birthday to families with children who ran among the chairs, to music fans who came solo to check the band out. Vocalist and guitarist Erik Elligers remarked that this was the first time the band had played with all six members — himself, Nancy Matlack on vocals, banjo, and cello, Mat Crowley on vocals, mandolin, and guitar, Nick D’Errico on drums, Vicki Wepler on vocals and fiddle, Dan Liparini on guitar, and Sean Rubin on bass — in quite a while. They sounded, however, as though they’d played consistently throughout the pandemic, as the songs breathed with life, whether their tone turned wistful or searching, despairing or joyous.
In between songs, audiences were treated to easygoing banter from Elligers, as when he summarized one song by saying that it was “about a boat.”
“I love boats,” Elligers continued, adding that he didn’t own one.
“The best thing is to have a friend who has a boat,” Crowley offered.
Elligers agreed. “They don’t even have to be friends at that point,” he said.
But he didn’t forget where he was. As Hoffman adjusted the sound early in the band’s set, Eliigers pointed to him at the sound board.
“Let’s give it up for Hank Hoffman,” Elligers said. The audience applauded, and Hoffman tipped his cap.
“Let’s do that after every song,” Elligers added.
