The Corona / Covid-19 Blues
Michigan is still in the grips of the pandemic and the new concern is the omicron variant of the virus, which is spreading like a wildfire. Michigan still has a lot of unvaccinated people so it is hard to predict the end of this battle with an everchanging virus. The rules for mask-wearing differ depending on where you live and which establishment you frequent. A new dividing line is forming between the clubs/venues that require proof of vaccination and those that do not. Kerrytown Concert House and the University Musical Society in Ann Arbor, the Wharton Center at MSU, and Orchestra Hall in Detroit have such a policy for concerts, plus masks are mandatory.
Diana Krall was scheduled for an appearance at the Wharton Center in mid-January, but with Omicron raging it has been postponed to a later date. Expect more postponements elsewhere in the near future.
So the immediate future looks uncertain even with slightly increased vaccinations. Fortunately, many venues have put resources in beefing up their digital presence. The Kerrytown Concert House and UMS in Ann Arbor and the Dirty Dog and Orchestra Hall in Detroit are some of the relatively lucky ones, and we hope and pray that the less fortunate venues will survive this rolling disaster. But the end result for musicians who rely on live music is still difficult, so please when you consume their art online please be as generous as possible with your donations.