The $900 billion stimulus bill that President Trump finally signed into law on Sunday evening includes funding for independent music venues that have been closed throughout the pandemic. The long-overdue $900 billion stimulus deal bill includes “$15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions,” according to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Earlier today, FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl — whose band played a very special acoustic set this past October in support of the Save Our Stages act — took to the FOO FIGHTERS social media to write: “A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported the Save Our Stages Act, which passed yesterday as a part of the economic stimulus bill.
“The preservation of America’s smaller, independent venues is not only crucial to the millions of concert goers whose lives are bettered by experiencing their favorite artists in the flesh, but to the future of music itself, as it gives the next generation of young musicians a place to cut their teeth, hone their craft, and grow into the voices of tomorrow.
“The absence of live music this year has left us all longing for that communal feeling of connection, one that is best felt when joined in a song. The Save Our Stages Act brings us one step closer to sharing that feeling again, one that I hope we can all experience again very soon. Everyday we’re one step closer.
“See you there, Dave“.
Small live music and entertainment venues have been hard-hit during the coronavirus pandemic, with 90 percent of venue owners, promoters, and bookers previously reporting they were at risk of closing without additional financial assistance and an estimated $9 billion in losses.
When FOO FIGHTERS played the aforementioned five-song set at Los Angeles’s iconic Troubadour, Grohl spoke of the importance of Save Our Stages, saying: “It’s crucial that we do everything we can to make sure that these venues survive in order to inspire the next generation of musicians to go on and do beautiful things with their lives like make music. So please donate anything you can, ’cause we’re really hoping that we can save these smaller venues.”
Grohl also shared memories of his own experiences playing smaller venues, including the Troubadour, saying: “As you’ve heard from all the stories we’ve told, each of us has had some pretty amazing experiences in this club, but there are lots of smaller venues like this around the world that need your support right now.
“These memories and experiences that we have here were life-changing and formative experiences that inspired us to play music. I can only imagine there are millions and millions of other people just like us that have done the same and it’s made their lives a better place.”
