Seventeen months after the coronavirus pandemic forced Amityville Music Hall to shut its doors, live music fans and musicians excitedly packed the venue on July 8 to celebrate its long-awaited reopening.
The show sold out, and the small venue was packed with more than 90 people standing shoulder to shoulder, marking the return of a scene that had been missing from the region. Long Island-based rock bands Vinnie Caruana, Innerlove, Victory Garden, Family Dinner, and DJ Beso took the stage for a high-energy show with a crowd that was clearly itching to get back to dancing and singing together in person.
“It’s definitely really weird [to be back]. It still kind of feels like we’re not supposed to be doing it, but it’s a good kind of weird,” said Jennifer Moglia, one of the concertgoers.
The musicians were just as eager to be back at the small venue known for hosting up-and-coming bands and underground acts with strong followings. With dozens of Long Island venues still in various stages of reopening, band members were relieved to finally play live at Amityville Music Hall.
“We’ve all been itching, every band here has been itching to do what they want to do again. It’s great to be back here,” the lead singer of Victory Garden said on stage.
They encouraged people to dance and have a good time as they performed both old and new songs.
“There should be no room, we’re leaving that … in 2020,” the lead singer of Family Dinner said during their set. “No more pre-Covid habits, everybody dance.”
In the small, humid room filled with the familiar smell of sweat and beer, concertgoers made lighthearted jokes and laughed together.
“Boy Covid, huh?” the lead singer of Victory Garden joked on stage. “Feels good, feeling rusty.”
Vinnie Caruana, the headliner of the night, played the last set before the after-party with DJ Beso began.
“This feels right, this feels … amazing,” he said.
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