NIVA 2022: Developers Key to Thriving Music Venues, Including DC Concert Halls

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town and tagged Art Place at Fort Totten, Ben Lovett, City Winery DC, Michael Dorf, music venue, National Independent Venue Association, tvg hospitality.

Michale Dorf
Michael Dorf addresses NIVA 2022 while Ben Lovett (right) listens during a panel on July 11, 2022.

At the inaugural conference of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) in Cleveland, Ohio, this week, venue proprietors emphasized the importance of real estate in sustaining concert halls.

The driving forces behind two DC venues — City Winery DC and not-yet-opened Art Place at Fort Totten — agreed that becoming a developer rather than relying on outside developers was a potential key to long-term success for music venues.

NIVA 2022: Independent Venues Set Advocacy Priorities for 2023

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town and tagged advocacy, Music Box Supper Club, music venue, National Independent Venue Association, Save Our Stages.

NIVA Advocacy Co-Chair Adam Hartke (left) addresses NIVA 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 11, 2022.

The city of Cleveland, Ohio, hosted this week the first annual conference of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), fresh from its massive victory in the fight for a federal grant program to compensate shuttered entertainment halls for more than two years of pandemic closures.

Several sessions of the NIVA 2022 conference focused on the Save Our Stages campaign to assist venues forced to close to support social distancing mandates and stop the spread of COVID-19 as well as the resulting Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program established by the US Small Business Administration in response.

Around Town: DC’s Empty Stages by Ben Eisendrath

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town and tagged 9:30 Club, Ben Eisendrath, Black Cat, Lincoln Theatre, music venue, Showtime, Songbyrd Music House, The Anthem.

The Lincoln Theatre stands in silence in this stark photo by Ben Eisendrath. (Photo by Ben Eisendrath/ Instagram+Twitter: Insomnigraphic/ GrillworksBen)

Ben Eisendrath has one of the greatest assets of a photographer: a persistent curiosity.

When Ben carries a lens, he is intently searching for something to capture. You can see it in his eyes: What’s that guy’s story? What’s happening here? Or in this case, what’s behind those closed doors?

Around Town: DC Clubs and Bars Can Reopen June 11

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Parklifer in Around Town and tagged music venue.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser participates in the annual Funk Parade in 2018. (Photo by Joe Flood)

In a press conference today, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced she would lift reopening restrictions on the city’s nightclubs and bars on June 11.

The city will continue to enforce the wearing of masks to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus after that date, but otherwise bars and clubs can choose to open and return to normal operations.

Planning for most national concert tours are still underway, so Parklife does not expect to see consistent bookings at most music venues until later this summer. Still, this is welcome news indeed!

Webinar: How the American Rescue Plan Will Impact the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged American Rescue Plan, Bailey Glasser, grants, music venue, webinar.

The Anthem in DC (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Join a free 30-minute webinar with law firm Bailey Glasser on how the stimulus bill passed by Congress may help shuttered concert venues. The webinar occurs on Friday, March 12, at 1pm ET via BlueJeans!

Around Town: Congress Passes #SaveOurStages Act

Posted on December 22, 2020 by Parklifer in Around Town and tagged #SaveOurStages, music venue, National Independent Venue Association, NIVA, Save Our Stages.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) calls for support for music venues outside Brookyn’s Baby’s All Right on Aug. 18, 2020. (Photo courtesy NIVA)

Congress on Monday passed a pandemic relief bill that includes $15 billion for independent venues and promotors, providing a vital lifeline to music venues such as DC’s 9:30 Club, Black Cat, DC9, and others.

Poll: What Is the Best Music Venue in DC for 2020?

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Parklifer in Around Town and tagged 9:30 Club, best of the year, Black Cat, City Winery, DC9, music venue, Pearl Street Warehouse, Pie Shop, Songbyrd Music House, Thrushie Awards, Union Stage.

A band on stage! (Photo by Montecruz Foto)

Welcome to the 2020 Thrushie Awards!

Parklife DC will name the DC best local music venue of the year with your input. The Thrushie Awards are open to DC-area music venues that host touring bands. These venues must be occupied by its owner-operator and not a “for-rent” concert hall operated by an independent agent.

Learn more about each nominee by clicking on their name in keywords. Or name your own candidate!

Vote for the best music local music venue in the DC metro area now through Dec. 11.

Around Town: Farewell, U Street Music Hall

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town, Local Spotlight and tagged DC, music venue, U Street Music Hall.

Walking up to U Street Music Hall (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Today, U Street Music Hall announced it is closing its doors effectively immediately due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Although primarily a DJ club, Parklife DC covered a number of exciting live shows at U Hall, as it was affectionately known. For much of its 10-year run, U Street Music Hall hit the sweet spot as a space for upcoming touring bands with its 500-person capacity and easily accessible location.

Around Town: Campaign to Pass DC Music Venue Relief Legislation

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Parklifer in Around Town and tagged #SaveDCVenues, #SaveOurStages, Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation, DC, Listen Local First DC, music venue, nonprofit, R&B, Save DC Venues, Save Our Stages.

The Paul Pieper Quartet perform at the now-shuttered Twins Jazz in 2012. (Photo by Timothy Forbes)

A coalition of DC musicians and music advocates launched a grassroots campaign recently to advocate for government relief of the city’s music venues. The #SaveDCVenues campaign, which has accrued hundreds of signers within a few days, urges the DC Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser to adopt a version of the 2020 DC Music Venue Relief Act: a piece of draft legislation that provides direct relief to businesses who rely upon (now-absent) revenue from live music.

Around Town: Senate Heavy Hitters Back Coronavirus Relief for Music Venues

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Parklifer in Around Town and tagged Amy Klobuchar, Congress, John Cornyn, music venue, National Independent Venue Association, NIVA, Save Our Stages.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) speaks to the Brookings Institution in 2016. (Photo courtesy Brookings Institution)

U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) last week introduced the Save Our Stages Act, which would provide Small Business Administration grants for independent live music venue operators affected by COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. These grants would provide six months of financial support to keep venues afloat, pay employees, and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across America.