Alan Cumming's Club Rallies Supporters At Community Meeting

EAST VILLAGE, NY — Alan Cumming's club is one step closer to getting the go-ahead to host live performances, which were halted at the bar after state liquor investigators found it in violation of its liquor license.

Club Cumming, located at 505 E. Sixth St., halted all live shows after a probe by the State Liquor Authority found that the Broadway actor's namesake club had been hosting live performers, although its liquor license only permits it to play recorded music.

Now, Club Cumming is working to get permission to resume live performances at the club, which have become a central feature of watering hole since it opened in September. Cumming, who has starred on Broadway and in the TV show "The Good Wife," opened the club with promoter Daniel Nardicio and the owners of the Easternbloc, the bar that was previously located at 505 E. Sixth St. Club Cumming became the first permanent version of Cumming's eponymous parties, which the star began hosting in his dressing rooms but also brought to other cities and venues.

Cumming and his co-owners had planned for the club to host piano nights, karaoke nights and other live performances to "bring that Broadway element downtown," Nardicio told Patch last year. The club's owners described the liquor authority violation as an "administrative oversight" and said they hadn't realized they weren't properly licensed to host live shows.

Since halting live shows in February, the club has rallied its sizable group of supporters to convince Community Board 3, the advisory board that cover the East Village, to allow the club to resume hosting live events. Since opening, Club Cumming has hosted celebrities including Paul McCartney and Emma Stone, as well as up-and-coming performers looking to find an audience.

On Monday night, club supporters made their pitch before Community Board 3's liquor licensing committee. Dozens of supporters crammed an East Village meeting room to show support and rally behind the young bar. The club's owners described live performances as the heart of the club's character and a critical presence in the East Village.

The committee voted to approve Club Cumming's bid for a change in its method of operation, with some stipulation. The committee mandated that the club have no scheduled performances and stop all ticketed sales and cover fees at the venues. The committee's recommendation is not binding, but will serve as an advisory vote for the State Liquor Authority, which will ultimately decide whether or not to grant the bar a revised license.

The club remains open while seeking its revised license, but can't put on live shows without an amended permit.

Image credit: Ciara McCarthy / Patch