Show goes on sans musicians at Radio City

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NEW YORK -- Disappointed musicians clutched their instruments outside Radio City Music Hall as thousands of ticket holders streamed past them yesterday for the annual "Christmas Spectacular," where recorded holiday music replaced the usual live orchestra in a bitter labor dispute.

The musicians pulled down their picket line and returned to work yesterday morning after a one-day strike. But they wound up stranded outside Radio City as the first show of the season went on with taped tunes.

"We are ready to play unconditionally and immediately, but apparently we've been locked out," said David Lennon, president of Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians. "We took the picket signs down, and we did it for all the audience members and all of New York."

The dispute did not affect the world-famous Rockettes dance troupe, one of the major attractions in the holiday fixture of the last seven decades. But the labor dispute raised questions about this year's show, particularly after stagehands conducted a one-night walkout Wednesday in support of the musicians.

Radio City Entertainment, which produces the show, denied that the musicians were locked out.

"We told the musicians in no uncertain terms that until there is an agreement, and there is no possibility of them walking out on future performances, they remain on strike," management said in a statement distributed outside the music hall.

Negotiations were ongoing, said management spokesman Barry Watkins.

The lack of a live orchestra did little to dampen the enthusiasm of many patrons leaving the first of two shows yesterday.

"It was just as great without the orchestra," said Dorothy Weed of Norwalk, Conn. "It was fantastic."

Wednesday's strike forced cancellation of a preseason performance that night, stranding hundreds of disappointed ticket holders as several dozen musicians picketed outside the Manhattan landmark.