The past year has been rough on the touring industry, but as the year comes to a close there is some hope for independent music venues across the country with the the passage of the Save Our Stages Act that will provide financial aid to venues during the current shutdown. Getting to this point was no easy task, and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl is voicing his heartfelt thanks to those who helped convince politicians this act needed to be taken.
Shortly after the pandemic started, many of the independent music venues across the country saw the pending financial crisis that would come with an extended shutdown and banded together to form the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). Together, they rallied music lovers to write their state politicians seeking assistance as it became apparent that “large gathering events” such as concerts would be among the last to return and the extended down period could see the permanent shuttering of many venues without financial aid.
NIVA put on the #SaveOurStages virtual festival this fall to give their cause even more of a spotlight with Grohl’s band Foo Fighters serving as one of the headliners playing a set from the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Grohl has played several virtual benefits during the pandemic to help out live music supporting organizations and the singer was truly grateful to see the Save Our Stages Act pass.
His personal “thank you” can be read below:
A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported the Save Our Stages Act, which passed yesterday as part of the economic stimulus bill. The preservation of America’s smaller, independent venues is not only crucial to the millions of concert goers whose lives are bettered by experiencing their favorite artists in the flesh, but to the future of music itself, as it gives the next generation of young musicians a place to cut their teeth, hone their craft, and grow into the voices of tomorrow.
The absence of live music this year has left us all longing for that communal feeling of connection, one that is best felt when joined in a song. The Save Our Stages Act brings us one step closer to sharing that feeling again, one that I hope we can all experience again very soon.
Everyday we’re one step closer.
See you there,
Dave
On Dec. 20, it was announced that Congress had finally struck a deal for a second Covid-19 relief package. In that package, $15 billion had been set aside to help live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions.
According to the NIVA website, more than 2.1 million emails were sent to elected officials expressing their support for the Save Our Stages Act. All 535 Congresspeople heard from their constituents through SaveOurStages.com. The site has also generated a “thank you” letter than may now be sent to your Senators and Representatives for their support if you wish to do so. You can find that option here.
Given that it may take some time for the stimulus distribution to venues, NIVA still has the option to donate to their NIVA Emergency Relief Fund. You can do so here.
Foo Fighters completed their new album early in 2020, but like many acts they initially decided to hold it until they could tour. As Grohl recently explained, they eventually decided it was of greater use for them to put out their album even with the pandemic still continuing.
“Six or seven months went by, and I’m, like, we make this music for people to hear. We don’t just make it so that we can go hit the road. We write these songs so people can enjoy them and sing along, whether it’s in their kitchen by themselves with a bottle of Crown Royal or in a stadium bouncing around, singing the choruses,” stated Grohl to New York’s Q104.3.
He concluded, “I was, like, right now, more than ever, people need something to lift their spirits, something to give them some feeling of relief or escape. I was, like, ‘We’ve gotta put it out. Let’s put it out right now.’ I don’t know when we’re gonna hit the road, but we need to give the music to the people, ’cause that’s why we make it.”
Foo Fighters’ Medicine at Midnight is due Feb. 5 and pre-orders are currently available here (As Amazon affiliates, we earn on qualifying purchases).