Thursday night, dozens of Pacific Northwest artists will take part in a livestream event to raise awareness and funding for helping independent music venues through the COVID-19 crisis.

Despite allowances as the state moves to the next phase of reopening that would technically allow capacity-limited crowds, most venues remain shuttered under the complicated web of bookings and sales required to support a live music business.

CHS reported on the early warnings from clubs like Neumos and Chop Suey about the unique challenges the industry faced. Those early concerns have only grown even as reopening has accelerated.

Steven Severin of Neumos and Life on Mars is hoping people will get involved with the keepmusiclivewa.com cause and tune into Thursday’s Band Together Washington broadcast:

Hi friends. Maybe you’ve heard about this event we’ve been working on with Keep Music Live and WANMA in WA over the last 6 months and we are finally letting y’all know who’s on board. It’s more like who’s not since everybody we asked said yes.

I’m asking 3 things of you. Watch the event, donate to help Indie Music Venues, and tell every single person you note. Share on socials, email, carrier pigeon, however you tell folks about the event of the year, do that. I thank you.

This is a livestream event showcase feat. many of WA state’s fave artists and friends in conversation about saving our Indie Music Venues. This event is host by Sir Mix-A-Lot and Rachel Flotard. The party will feat. concert rarities, discussion, live performances, and good times with:

Ali Hedrick • Allen Stone • Brandi Carlile • Cedric Walker • Chris Ballew • Clinton Fearon & Boogie Brown Band • Daniel Pak • Duff McKagan • Eva Walker • Foo Fighters • Gifted Gab • Jeremy Enigk • Joel McHale • Karli Ingersoll • Kathleen Hanna • Macklemore • Manny Cawaling • Matt Cameron • Megan Jasper • Mike McCready • Nate Mendel • Neko Case • Pearl Jam • The Presidents of the United States of America • Rainn Wilson • Shannon Welles • The Black Tones • Tomo Nakayama •Tres Leches • Trey Many • Visqueen • Walking Papers • and MORE!

Band Together Washington Event Details

• Thursday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. PT.
• Streaming live on Keep Music Live’s Facebook and YouTube pages, and on Keep Music Live’s website
• Event is free, donations to Keep Music Live are encouraged and appreciated.
• Register to attend at www.KeepMusicLiveWA.com/btwa

There have been other efforts to help. Neumos took out a federal PPP loan for more then $350,000 to help pay employees in a reported 70 jobs while Chop Suey’s loan totaled $86,000 for 15 jobs. The PPP loans are eligible to be fully forgiven if the accepting businesses meet program requirements including keeping or rehiring employees while also maintaining salary levels.

Meanwhile, many venues also received a boost from the King County arts COVID-19 relief fund.

With nearly 30 years since its start as Moe’s Mo’Roc’N Café in an old Salvation Army at the corner of 10th and Pike, Neumos faces an uncertain future. But its fortunes appear a little better than most. The building it calls home is co-owned by Neumos partner and longtime neighborhood investor Jerry Everard.

Without more help and faster recovery, other venues may be less likely to survive.

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