Union Stage

Around Town: Emergency Relief Funds for Music Venue Staff

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2020.03.16 DC People and Places in the Age of Coronavirus, Washington, DC USA 076 05012
A sign announcing a coronavirus closing (Photo by Ted Eytan)

DC has closed its music venues to efforts to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19). As such, staffers at concert halls around town are out of work.

Management at several music venues have established relief funds for their workers, allowing the public to donate directly to efforts to provide money directly to venue staff.

Should you ever have enjoyed a show at any of the venues below, please consider a donation to thank the hard-working staff who helped make it a great experience. Parklife has compiled a list below of music venues administering support funds, along with a statement posted by the management of each.

Parklife will udpate this list as relevant. Feel free to add info on relief efforts for music venue staff in the comments.

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Live Review: Wire @ Union Stage — 3/9/20

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Wire @ Union Stage, Washington DC, 03/09/2020
Colin Newman performs with Wire at Union Stage on March 9, 2020. (Photo by Paivi Salonen)

For over 40 years, Wire has been one of the most innovative bands to come out of the United Kingdom, if not the world. Since their 1977 debut, Pink Flag, they’ve shifted their musical style with almost every album. Beginning as a stripped-down, breakneck-paced punk affair, Wire has embraced new textures and sounds, including electronic music.

The band’s recent show at DC’s Union Stage began with a 45-minute DJ set of electronic music, with one notable composition that sounded like a fusion of Ennio Morricone and ambient electronics.

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Live Review: Sloan @ Union Stage — 2/22/20

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SloanUnion11 Sloan rocks the Union Stage on Feb. 22, 2020. (Photo by David LaMason)

Okay. So, I admit that I’m a fan, so saying that Sloan is one of the best bands around and that next to the term “power pop” in any reputable encyclopedia are the names Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, Jay Ferguson, and Andrew Scott is a little biased on my part. Four songwriters and musicians who have been writing and performing for nearly 30 years and right on the heals of releasing their twelfth LP, aptly titled 12, the band is in the midst of celebrating the 20th anniversary of their fourth record, “Navy Blues,” with an extensive tour.

And Saturday night at the Union Stage the quartet rocked the roof off to an awestruck audience.

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Preview: One Way Out @ Union Stage, 2/28/20

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One Way Out
One Way Out (Photo courtesy the band)

Make no mistake: young DC rockers One Way Out can fill a room. Not only can they pack a room full of fans but they can play like seasoned champs, filling a space with the sound of rock ‘n’ roll.

If that weren’t enough, the gents open for the incredible Cat Janice at Union Stage on Friday, Feb. 28, to celebrate the release of a new single, “Black Walls.”

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Live Review: Fruition @ Union Stage — 2/6/20

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Fruition 2
Fruition performs live (Photo courtesy Partisan Arts)

For 13 years, Portland band Fruition has been playing Americana that looks back to great bands of the ’60s and ’70s while being wholly contemporary. Influenced by the Beatles and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Fruition splits its lead vocals amongst Jay Cobb, Kellen Asebroek, and Mimi Naja, and they feature fantastic three-part harmonies. Their remarkable chemistry was on display at Union Stage in DC recently.

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