COVID-19 has made it difficult for events such as Bike Night to happen, but Tony M’s, located in Lansing, Michigan, has taken precautions to be as safe as possible.
“I believe everybody takes precautions, “said Brooklyn Milliken, an employee and friend of the owner at Tony M’s, “we have tried to seat everybody six feet apart, just to be careful. Trying not to let too many people gather closely and we hold the event outside so people can have space to be safe and have fun.”
Bike night at Tony M’s started as a way to give the community an opportunity to go out and have fun with live music during a time when events like this were scarce due to COVID-19. It has since grown in popularity, and become a significant part of some people’s lives.
According to Milliken, Bike Night hosts different bands each time starting at the beginning of the summer and stopping at the end of October, leaving just two more weeks to catch the event.
This event is hosted every Wednesday night at Tony M’s. It includes live music, good food, good people, and a good time, said Steve Smith, a regular attendee of the event.
Bike night began in April of 2020. When asked how he heard about the event Smith said, “friends of mine were in a band playing, I came in and they did it again, and I’ve been coming ever since … it doesn’t matter who’s here, I’m going to be here.”
When asked what drew people into the event, the guests spoke about the atmosphere of Tony M’s.
“I would say my favorite part of the event is the music, “said Maggie Ann Godward, a Lansing resident, and lover of live music, “the food is fabulous too, but seeing these different bands every week is really great.”
Godward went on to praise Tony M’s for their choices of bands each week saying they do an excellent job. Universe Band played this week, but regulars seem to show up no matter who is playing because they love the event.
“Bike night started at the end of the COVID shut down as a way to get people out,” said Lou Vosburgh, another regular attendee of the event, “Tony M’s has done a really good job of accommodating the people that show up, they’re fortunate to have been able to have curbside and takeout during the pandemic, and were able to survive.”
“I come to Tony M’s every Wednesday night, it’s kind of a habit, “ said Godward, “I love it here because they have shows every week and you get to see a lot of different bands that way.”
Universe Band was a crowd-pleaser at this Bike Night event, playing a variety of song genres including classic rock, new country, and pop.
“I’ve seen Universe play several times and yes I am a fan,” said Vosburgh, “They’re clean, they’re tight and they are one of the few fortunate bands that have survived the pandemic. They help support places like these patio bars that are able to accommodate them, which is great.”