What is the Save Our Stages Act and How Does it Affect Grand Rapids?

It's been a hard time as an avid concert-goer to watch all these musicians and music venues cancel tours because of the pandemic. Nationwide venues and their staffs are out of work.

While bigger venues might have a chance of survival, it's the smaller venues that are on brink of closure. Small venues are where you get to see stars before they become stars. It's the place where you get to see your favorite locals play with bands that are on the rise. Some of my favorite shows that I've ever been to have been more intimate places like the Pyramid Scheme or The Intersection.

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is an organization of independent music venues based in NYC pursuing federal support like business recovery grants and tax relief. They've reached out to legislation on behalf of venues nationwide to introduce acts that will help save our venues.

Here's an excerpt from the letter they have to our legislators:

"Venues are experiencing upwards of 90% revenue loss and will be closed well into 2021 due to safety concerns posed by large gatherings. Without support from Congress, 90% of NIVA’s independent venues across America say they will be forced to close their doors forever...

These venues closing permanently would also impact the entire music economy and ecosystem in America – artists, talent agents, stagehands, security, catering, artist managers, tour bus industry, production, radio/social media/tv/print advertising, record companies, and many others...

We are thankful for the support of so many Senators and Representatives that are helping to #SaveOurStages, and we are asking you to support and cosponsor S. 4258, the Save Our Stages Act and S. 3814/H.R. 7481, the RESTART Act. Doing so would ensure that independent venues – arguably the industry hardest hit by the pandemic – receive the financial assistance needed to be able to reopen their doors when it is safe to do so"

This will directly affect your favorite Grand Rapids and Michigan venues.

Here's a list from their website of the venues working with NIVA. If you want to help out you can start at their website saveourstages.com

Michigan

20 Front Street - Lake Orion

Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre - Detroit

Aretha’s Jazz Cafe - Detroit

Atomic Cowboy - St. Louis

Audiotree Presents - Detroit

Black Crystal Group - Ann Arbor

Crofoot Ballroom - Pontiac

Deluxx Fluxx - Detroit

Diesel Theatre - Chesterfield

El Club - Detroit

Elektricity - Pontiac

Elevation - Grand Rapids

eXodos Rooftop Lounge - Detroit

Flint Local 432 - Flint

Fusion Shows - Lansing

Gopherwood Concerts - Cadillac

Grand Circus Media - Grosse Pointe Park

Kalamazoo State Theatre - Kalamazoo

Historic Masonic Temple of Bay City - Bay City

Listening Room - Grand Rapids

Magic Bag - Ferndale

MeanRed Productions - Detroit

Meridian Entertainment - Lansing

Michigan theater - Ann Arbor

Midland Center for the Arts - Midland

Midtown Music Venture - Detroit

MiEntertainment Group - Grand Rapids

Murray & Peter Present - Southfield

National Rock Review - Dearborn

Necto - Ann Arbor

Obscurrus Diem Productions - Kalkaska

Ore Dock Brewing Company - Marquette

Otus Supply - Ferndale

Overdrive - Lansing

Park Theatre Foundation - Holland

PJ's Lager House - Detroit

Sad Summer - Pontiac

St. Cecilia Music Center - Grand Rapids

Seven Steps Up Live Music & Events - Spring Lake

The Acorn - Three Oaks

The Ark - Ann Arbor

The Blind Pig - Ann Arbor

The Block - Muskegon

The Crofoot Presents - Detroit

The Crofoot Presents - Pontiac

The Franke Center for the Arts - Marshall

The Grasshopper Underground - Ferndale

The Intersection - Grand Rapids

The Loft - Lansing

The Machine Shop Concert Lounge - Flint

The Majestic Theatre Center - Detroit

The Marble Bar - Detroit

The Mint - Grand Rapids

The Pyramid Scheme - Grand Rapids

The Robin Theatre - Lansing

The Sanctuary - Detroit

The Sanctuary - Grand Rapids

The Showroom at Younger’s Tavern - Romeo

The Stache - Grand Rapids

The Token Lounge - Westland

The Vault - Saginaw

The Ypsi - Ypsilanti

Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill - Grand Rapids

Tires. - Detroit

Trinity House Theatre - Livonia

Trinosophes - Detroit

TV Lounge - Detroit

Wayside Central - Mount Pleasant

Wealthy Theatre - Grand Rapids

Ziggy's - Ypsilanti