Help Save Independent Music Venues

NJ has a lot of fantastic independent concert venues. While LiveNation and Ticketmaster are the dominant forces, there are still plenty of places to catch indie bands, local bands, and smaller touring acts. We've already seen The Saint nearly close, and now other indie venues like The House of Independents, the WonderBar, and others are joining with NIVA, the National Independent Venue Association, to try to save all indie venues!

Here's a handy link to sign up to #SaveOurStages by contacting our local legislators. You just need to add your contact info to a form letter saying:

I'm writing to you today as your constituent, community member, and a music lover. For all those reasons, I ask you to support the National Independent Venue Association’s (NIVA) effort in Washington to protect independent venues and promoters in this time of existential crisis. Please sign on to the Cornyn/Carper letter in the Senate or the Cleaver/Williams letter in the House that supports federal assistance for independent venues.
Every day in conversations, on the news, and especially in our social media feeds we see wildly hyperbolic messaging. But the reality of this one is that if concerts don’t resume in 2020, 90% of independent venues across America will most likely not open again. Ever. Including the venues in our community.
Of course this is terrible for music lovers but this affects so many more angles. Independent music venues are economic multipliers, community builders, and beloved institutions. A Chicago study estimated that $1 spent at a small venue resulted in $12 of economic activities for neighboring restaurants, hotels and retail shops - and we believe that level of financial contribution is consistent in cities and towns across America. What would our communities look like without them? We must ensure their survival.
Thank you for your extremely hard work for our state and our country in these absolutely uncharted times.

You can also amend that text, or write your own plea to help these venues stay alive. I just added my name to the list, and my message was sent to Senator Menendez, Senator Booker, and Representative Kim.

If we can throw a billion dollars at the airlines after one bad week, or keep bailing out gigantic industries, there's no reason we can't give some assistance to the indie venues that bring actual joy to our lives, and help keep them open for the future.

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