As an avid concertgoer and musician who also happens to be a small business owner, I have found myself increasingly worried about the state of the music industry. Independently owned music venues, the heartbeat of local music scenes, and the lifeblood of underground touring bands are struggling. Courtesy of a handful of sold-out shows per month (if they’re lucky), some patrons have the misguided notion these spaces are thriving. Few people understand how difficult it is to break even on these shows, let alone be profitable. The venue owners are often avid music fans who keenly understand their vital role in the music industry. They carry gratitude for their ability to make personal ends meet and keep their fingers crossed that they can keep everything afloat month-to-month.

Financial insecurity and limited free time plague our communities. How do we sustain the lifeblood of the underground?

The relative silence around this issue is becoming more ominous, with the real threat of closure due to financial constraints is a reality many small businesses face. These closures impact the local economy and community. These venues are not just stages for the up-and-coming artists and the unknown. They infuse life into the local economy beyond their employees; it includes the vendors and subcontractors they support. Moreover, they serve as community hubs by hosting events that bring people together. In the face of the extreme division that plagues many countries, but especially here in the United States, fostering social connections and forging a sense of belonging is more needed than ever.

Governments could play a vital role in helping our venues by offering subsidies and tax breaks. They could take steps to make it harder for larger industries to price gouge, especially when it comes to areas of food and healthcare. They could also address stagnant paychecks. Our efforts as a music community need to extend beyond the obvious and start to address the root cause of the issues that plague a variety of small businesses.

I’m not going to pretend to have all those answers, I would just like to see a shift in the discourse in the artistic spheres before they are gone. My hope is by working together, we can ensure that our local music scene is preserved for future generations. As we navigate this rapidly changing landscape, it is essential to remember that the loss of independent venues would not only silence many local acts but significantly impact touring bands. Further concentration of ownership in the music industry will not be good for bands, local economies, or wages. We have seen that play out in every industry, and the ones we thought were safe are being swept up by conglomerates.