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As the year comes to a close, the world has begun to accept that 2020 will unfortunately not be taking the pandemic with her. Yet as 2021 creeps into our collective reality, the new way of life we've adopted has begun to feel a bit more "normal." From trendy masks to elbow hand shakes, our society has made major adjustments to the way we live our daily lives. But being a blog obsessed with music and the live performance of it, the question on our mind is, quite frankly, what about the concerts? Of course the sweaty sardined festival experience and frequenting our favorite indoor venues must still be placed on pause, perhaps there is a new way to enjoy live music that is safe amid the COVID-era.  

Photos By: Emma Donohue  

For famed publisher Prescription Songs, our wish is their command. Partnering with renowned music venue Winston House in Venice, through the lead of Jillian Rutstein (Director, Creative Synch) and Marlee Kula (A&R), Prescription Songs pulled off a COVID-safe show, providing a first time experience for many attendees.  

Of course it goes without saying that these shows aren't shoulder-to-shoulder like a normal night at Winston House, but set outdoors at The Waterfront in Venice and socially-distanced, following a set of "COVID-19 rules."  These rules include temperature checks, mandatory masks until seated at your assigned tables, maximum of 6 people per table with strict restrictions on visiting other tables, among others. In Jillian's words,

"One of the best parts of working in music is going to shows, so finding an opportunity to have our artists perform live safely again and getting to experience live music in an intimate covid-safe setting gave me a sense of normalcy that I was desperately missing." - Jillian Rutstein

Giving their writers and artists a chance to take the stage once again, Prescription songs presented Sweet Talker and Chloe Angelides to a crowd of distanced, but eager live music enthusiasts last Thursday, November 12th. With the sounds of ocean waves crashing in the distance, warmed by heaters and tables separated by plexiglass barriers, phrases like "I haven't done this months!" and "When is this happening again?" were commonly exchanged throughout the dinner.  

Opening the night was Sweet Talker, serenading the audience solo on the guitar, he played songs from his artist project to All Time Low's "Monsters" featuring blackbear,  which recently spent 8 weeks at #1 Alternative radio and on which he was co-writer.  

For the second set, a calm Chloe Angelides took the stage. Live streaming to her online audience, the girl with the golden vocals wowed the audience with covers of two of her most recent cuts, Selena Gomez's "Cut You Off" and Kygo and Kim Petra's "Broken Glass," closing the night with original "Stop the Clock."

 A cheeky acoustic premiere of the song which would be released the following day, Angeldies shared the story of writing and self-producing the track during the first lock down. Encapsulating the numbness associated with isolation, the languid tone of her voice matched with the sparkling, manic production, presents an intriguing musical  juxtaposition, mirroring the uncertainty of the moment but reveling in it, all at the same time.

Take a listen to "Stop the Clock" below!