The Year Live Music Stopped
The Year Live Music Stopped Pitchfork 12/18/2020 © Graphic by Drew Litowitz On a cold, cloudy day near the end of 2020, I start walking toward my favorite venue. It’s an empty storefront now, with a loving tribute affixed to the door: a white poster with a cartoon drawing of a tombstone. “Vaudeville Mews: 2002-2020,” the epitaph reads. “Born to lose/Lived to win.” Flowers and two empty cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon hang from the bottom. I literally wouldn’t be here without this place. More than a decade ago, family ties and an affordable quality of life lured me and my wife back t...