Unless you’re in New Zealand right now, the fate of live performance and entertainment is as unsure as it has ever been. Reopenings across the country have been botched and the whispers of live shows coming back in late July are nothing but a faint dream at this point. As a result, venues that regularly held said live shows have their fate’s hanging in the balance of this pandemic as well.
One such venue in LA, The Satellite LA, has decided, in order to save itself, will no longer have live shows and, instead, transform themselves into a full restaurant. The odds of them reopening sooner under this plan is more likely, but they’ll have to completely renovate the establishment before they’re even ready to open their doors.
For a quarter of a century, The Satellite was an independent home to several beloved dance nights and indie bands as well as indie, boundary pushing comedy. Most Sundays were reserved to comedy from the likes of Neil Hamburger, John Early, Powerviolence/Whitmer Thomas, which were some of the most packed indie shows in LA. One of our last live shows was indeed held at The Satellite. The genre bending bits and comedy at The Satellite will be sorely missed.
Other venues in and around LA and the rest of the country could suffer the same fate if relief isn’t gotten. You can support NIVA, the National Independent Venue Association, and their push to #SaveOurStages and get legislators to pass the RESTART Act to help make sure that such an end is less likely to happen.