The Coronavirus epidemic has ripple effects not only on musicians whose shows are cancelled or postponed, but on the venue staff, the crew, the merch team, and photographers all of whom rely on the spring and summer tour season to make ends meet.
If we collectively support our favorite venues, bands and their support teams now, we can help mitigate the financial and emotional impact, and make “playing to a great crowd” possible again.
Blue Note Employees Support Fund. The legendary Blue Note jazz club in Manhattan has started a GoFundMe for its employees who have been laid off while the club is closed. If you’ve ever had a smooth whiskey while listening to the even smoother Maceo Parker, drop the $20 (with tip) you’d spend on a drink to help them out.
Sony Hall Employees Support Fund. Another great club with superb sight lines and sounds. Help out the house team — I’m looking forward to Tower of Power in August.
Recording Academy Musician Relief Fund The folks who bring you the Grammys also provide relief to musicians impacted by Covid-19. MusiCares is their foundation that primarily deals with artists’ rights and addiction recovery, but now also extends to mitigating impact of this disaster.
Dance Gavin Dance Honorary Crew Tee. I was really looking forward to this tour, with Animals as Leaders opening for DGD. The band has made their tour’s crew tee available for public purchase, with all of the funds going to the crew. And it’s fierce bear.
Pavement Coffeehouse Rathskeller Blend Not directly musician supporting, but what are the arts without coffee houses? Pavement Coffeehouse is a new entrant in the Boston market, and their brews are delicious. Plus, they have a house blend that tips the spiked hair to the Rathskeller, the Kenmore Square club that left musical and mental scars on many of us.
Violent Gentlemen “Enforce” Tee Violent Gentlemen is my go-to brand for hockey related shirts and such. Their Humbolt Broncos fundraiser was fantastic, and now they’re using proceeds from this tee to buy meals for healthcare workers. Two levels of indirection removed from the arts, but they always find the art in a violent game. If you can’t have Cam Janssen, Brian Boyle, or Scott Stevens throw a check to separate crowders from your space, then at least advertise your intent to do so.
[Note: I’m going to keep editing this post as I learn of more and more opportunities to support venues, musicians, artists, photographers, and their crews]