If you love live music, please help to #SaveOurStages.
As the father of a drummer in an up and coming rock band here in the Tampa Bay area, I know firsthand how much the artists and venues are hurting right now. Their summer tour had to be cancelled because all of the venues were forced to shut down. There are thousands of independent venues across the country that are 100% closed for an indefinite period of time with zero revenue. They were the first to close and will be the last to re-open.
The bipartisan drafted #SaveOurStagesAct, which is currently in front of Congress, would provide six months of financial support to help “keep venues afloat, pay employees and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across America.” Independent music and entertainment venues have been among the hardest hit businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. Even as some portions of the economy begin to re-open, these venues will likely remain closed for some time.