Julia DiFerdinando Which do you prefer: panniversary or pandemiversary ? I think panniversary rolls off the tongue better, but the meaning of pandemiversary is a bit clearer. Whatever you want to call it, it s been a year since the pandemic shat all over everything relating to music, nightlife and live entertainment. Also, practically every aspect of day-to-day life. Nearly all of Vermont s music venues and performing arts hubs shut down a year ago this week. Let Friday, March 13, 2020, forever be known as Dark Friday that is, the day when all of our stages went dark. Like so many others, the Vermont Comedy Club closed its doors on Dark Friday. To commemorate the unprecedented 12 months since, as well as raise some much-needed funds, the venue presents a monumental streaming benefit show this weekend.
“Hopefully people won’t hold it against us,” Miller said. “Hopefully 23 (hours) is enough for them.”
Admission to the virtual event is free, but the place that’s been shuttered for a year is accepting donations. Miller said the club is between federal grant periods but still paying electric bills. She and Hartswick plan to upgrade the venue’s HVAC and point-of-sale systems to make the space safer in a post-pandemic world.
“Everything’s got to change at least a little bit,” Miller said. “We’re redoing a lot of stuff in the club to make more space. When we first open back up it’s not going to be 160 people crammed into a room.”