Alan Cumming's Club Investigated For Live Performances

EAST VILLAGE, NY — Alan Cumming's eponymous East Village bar is in hot water for hosting live shows and performances, which the bar is not permitted to do under its original license.

Club Cumming, located at 505 E. Sixth St., was granted its state liquor license after it applied as a bar with no live music or DJs when the club opened in September. The State Liquor Authority began investigating the club in February after receiving complaints.

"The SLA opened an investigation after receiving complaints from the local community board that the licensee was not complying and charged the bar with failure to conform on February 23, 2018," a State Liquor Authority spokeswoman said in a statement. "Club Cummings can submit an application to change their method of operation to allow for live music/DJs."

Cumming took over Easternbloc, a popular local gay bar, last year to create a permanent installment of his pop-up clubs that he first started hosting in his dressing rooms. Cumming's dressing room-turned-club has been famously documented through celebrities' Instagram posts and is known for its brand cups, napkins and neon sign, the New York Times reported in 2014.

The Broadway actor and performer partnered with Easternbloc's current owners, Benjamin Maisani and Darren Dryden, and club promoter Daniel Nardicio to launch the bar's newest iteration, Nardicio told Patch last year.

Nardicio said in a statement to the New York Post, which first reported the news of the SLA's investigation, that theirs was a "rookie mistake."

"Due to rookie mistakes Alan and I didn’t apply to have live music, but we feel this is just an oversight," Nardicio told the Post. "When the Community Board sees just how much Club Cumming brings to the area culturally, we’re pretty confident they’ll ok the change of method of operation."

Club Cumming can apply to change their license to allow for live music and DJs, but must go before the Community Board 3, which covers the East Village, before their application is reviewed by state authorities.

Nardicio and Cumming had long planned for Club Cumming to be a destination spot for live performances and music.

"Alan's obviously known as a live performer, so we want to bring that Broadway element downtown," Nardicio told Patch last year, before the club opened. "We're thinking of doing more shows in the early part of the evening and then turning into the sexy bar later in the night."

Cumming pleaded with fans on Instagram to sign a petition in support of the club before it goes before the community board.

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