It’s no secret that the COVID-19 virus has had an impact on literally everyone. From doctor’s serving the potentially infected to grocery store clerks dealing with manic hoarding to all of us embracing self-quarantining, it’s everywhere. This is especially true for those in the hospitality and music industries; professions that generally don’t come with any kind of safety net for closures and cancellations.
DRKMTTR, the DIY-inspired venue over on Dickerson Pike, is not immune to these impacts either. For the indefinite time being, they’ve closed their doors to be mindful of spreading infections among attendees. It’s the right thing to do but it has put them in an incredibly difficult financial position. As a venue that intentionally keeps ticket prices extremely low as a means of accessibility, their profit margins are slim. Having cancelled their forthcoming calendar, they find themselves reaching out to the community for assistance.
The Help DRKMTTR GoFundMe is a campaign to raise $10,000 for the venue and its employees. This will ensure they stay open, pay their bills and keep their hard workers in a good spot. Even more importantly, it means that they’ll survive to re-open as a destination for artists to reach young audiences and get paid on tour.
Back in January of 2019, I sat down for a podcast interview with co-owners Olivia Scibelli and Kathryn Edwards to talk about the history of the venue and the ethos that drives it. They are absolutely committed to creating a safe space for artists and attendees, ensuring shows are affordable and going to great lengths to make sure out of town bands leave with money in their pocket. In short, they get it. Being a musician is extremely difficult and COVID-19 has had an impact on that we can’t even measure yet but once this pandemic clears, they’re going to need places like DRKMTTR to play.
As part of the GoFundMe, indie label Kill Rock Stars is going to match the first $1500 donated. That’s an added incentive to get in there and help them reach their goal.
All venues need support right now and if they request help of this nature, we’ll be happy to spotlight them as well. For now, DRKMTTR needs your help and we kindly request you lend a hand.
UPDATE: There are also GoFundMe’s for The East Room and Exit/In seeking similar help to stay open. Please consider spreading your support.