The summer we could have had is gone. Here’s how to enjoy what’s left.

With the July 4 weekend, the unofficial mid-point of summer, at hand, let’s take a moment for an update and a bit of a reset.

Specifically, the holiday break signals it is time to look at the latest list of concert and festival events now officially off the books, cancellations that continue to make this summer unlike any we have known. But while it is easy to despair over the loss of live events as we know them, there continue to be numerous live steams and other surprises offering a different kind of a seasonal music fun.

What’s gone

Okay, first the bad news. None of this will come as a surprise since every major live music event – tours, festivals, stadium shows – has fallen victim to the COVID-19 outbreak. The latest cancellations to the summer calendar revolve around Lexington’s three most prominent August gatherings: Crave Food + Music Festival (Aug. 8 and 9 at Masterson Station Park), the 14th annual Chamber Music Festival of Lexington (Aug. 18-23 at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center) and the sophomore edition of Railbird (Aug. 22 and 23 at Keeneland).

All three events are making plans for next year. Railbird has already confirmed Aug. 20 and 21 as weekend dates for the festival’s return in 2021.

That pretty much does it for summer festivals. The Moonshiners Ball, which used to be one of the season’s initial events, is now presented in the fall. As of now, it is still a go for an Oct. 8-11 run at Rockcastle Riverside in Rockcastle County.

What’s new

While Railbird is out of commission this year, the festival’s presence is being felt in a new series of streaming concerts presented from the otherwise silenced stage of The Burl. Aptly titled “Railbird Sets at The Burl,” the series has already offered Friday evening performances by Magnolia Boulevard and Grayson Jenkins. We will detail the origins and intent of the series next week. For now, tune in for the third Railbird Set at The Burl at 7 p.m. June 3 on the Visit Lex Facebook page, facebook.com/visitlex. Performing will be DeeOhGee, the newly christened moniker for the Nashville trio formerly known as the Blackfoot Gypsies.

What’s old and new

Since the beginning of the pandemic, two veteran guitarist/songwriters – Jorma Kaukonen, 79, and Richard Thompson, 71 - have given frequent streaming concerts to compensate for obliterated touring schedules. This weekend, though, both have special events to share.

Kaukonen staged, hi-definition, multi-camera “Quarantine Concerts” from his Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio for 11 consecutive Saturday evenings before taking a two-week break starting June 19. But he’s back on July 4 with a major pal – bassist Jack Casady. The two served as the engine of Jefferson Airplane for its entire history as well as founders of the more blues-rooted Hot Tuna, which continues to this day.

Start time on July 4 is 8 p.m. The performance can be viewed at youtube.com/user/FurPeaceRanch.

Thompson’s online performances have been more sporadic, perhaps because he has been using some of his at-home time to record a new six-song EP album titled “Bloody Noses.” The record, a collection of new solo acoustic songs (with vocal harmonies from partner and fellow songsmith Zara Phillips) will be released through Bandcamp on July 3. Thompson will play all of the new songs at 4 p.m. on July 5 on his Facebook page, facebook.com/RichardThompsonMusic.

What’s not completely gone

Lexington already lost one of its prime live music venues, Cosmic Charlie’s, to the pandemic when the club officially ceased operation on May 30. Initially, it looked like one of Louisville’s most prized indie venues was going to close, as well.

The fuss began when Headliners Music Hall was listed at being for sale on June 17. And, in fact, it is – the building, not the business. While the property on 1386 Lexington Rd. is seeking new ownership, the producers of the many shows presented at the club remain at work. In short, the business is still in business. The producers hope to lease the building back from its future owners and keep Headliners as their performance home base.

Still, the news points to the state of limbo independent clubs and theatres find themselves in. With no reopening dates in sight for most venues, live music will likely not return in any prominent or ongoing form until 2021.

What’s on TV

The longest running national television broadcast honoring Independence Day celebrates its 40th anniversary this weekend. But expected PBS’ “A Capitol Fourth” to be a little less Capitol-centric this year.

With public concerts sidelined due to the pandemic, this year’s “A Capitol Fourth” won’t be broadcast live, as per tradition, from the West Lawn of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. It will instead offer a scrapbook of pre-recorded performances from New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and, yes, Washington.

The bill-of-fare, however, will remain refreshingly diverse. The artist lineup for this year’s “A Capitol Fourth” includes Patti LaBelle, John Fogerty, Renee Fleming, The Temptations, Yolanda Adams, Lauren Alaina, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Trace Adkins and others. John Stamos and Vanessa Williams will host.

The program will air at 8 p.m. July 4 on PBS.

This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 4:07 PM.