Headliners Music Hall is closing until Jan. 8 due to the surge in COVID infections and multiple employees testing positive for the virus recently.
The decision will see four shows postponed until February and March.
On Monday, Headliners canceled Johnny Berry & the Outliers and Tyler Lance Walker Gill, a show that was scheduled for that evening, moving it to Friday, March 4.
The A Thrill In The Ville: Love Jones vs. Everybody, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 28, has been moved to Friday, Feb. 24.
The Arlo McKinley show originally scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 29 has been postponed to Saturday, March 5.
And the New Years Eve Ball, featuring Bendigo Fletcher, Boa Boys and Routine Caffeine has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 12.
The venue plans to reopen on Saturday, Jan. 8 for a concert featuring Mood Ring Engagement, but Headliners co-owner Billy Hardison said they will reassess the situation over the next several days.
Hardison said the companys employees have been largely healthy since the venue re-opened in May, and that everyone on staff is fully vaccinated, but from Dec. 19-23, during a week of no shows, nine staff members felt symptoms and tested positive.
Everyone is OK, but it definitely shook us up, Hardison told LEO.
We couldn’t run the risk of not having the staff to operate and having to cancel day of, Hardison continued. Instead we thought the best chance we had to help these shows survive was to move them. Equally important we needed to try to get a handle on this and stop our internal spread. And, as we’ve said since the beginning of this, we recognize that our business of mass gatherings can work against public safety and the wellbeing of our staff. We don’t want to be a reason for an increase in hospitalizations or our employees getting sick.
Headliners has engaged in several Covid protocols since reopening during the pandemic, including being a member of the coalition Louisville Operating Venues Safely and requiring fans to provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test to enter shows.
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This article appears in December 15, 2021.
