Independent Venue Speak

In this episode of the Independent Venue Speak podcast, we’re heading to the heart of Nashville’s Rock Block, with EXIT/IN founded in 1971. If you’ve seen the wall of fame at EXIT/IN, you know it has hosted many iconic artists -  we’re talking John Prine, X, Jason and the Scorchers, Garbage - it’s an impressive history. 

Now, we have a recent announcement that the landlord has sold the building. The legendary EXIT/In will be closin...

Head to the heart of the Santa Cruz mountains with us and learn more about Felton Music Hall. Formerly Don Quixote’s International Music Hall, the building was bought by Ineffable Music and has been operating under its new ownership as Felton Music Hall for the last three years. 

Ineffable Music, founded in 2006 by a group of independent artists, promoters, and managers, produces over two thousand concerts and festivals per year. L...

When Tim Mays started promoting shows, he used the somewhat obvious moniker “Tim Mays Presents.” That all changed in 1989 when he opened up the Casbah, a 75-capacity venue, in San Diego. Today, Mays is the owner of the new Casbah, holding more than 200 people, standing right down the road from the original location and famously at the very end of San Diego International Airport’s only runway.

Mays is joined by John Reis who perform...

Tipitina’s has been a New Orleans stable since 1977. Described by some as the “Madison Square Garden of New Orleans,” the venue has fostered generations of New Orleans royalty including Ivan Neville, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Big Freedia, and Trombone Shorty. 

In 2018, Tipitina’s was facing imminent closure, when the news broke about new ownership: New Orleans funk superstars Galactic. Referring to themselves exclusively as “st...

In its 37 years, the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre in Detroit has hosted iconic artists such as Abbey Lincoln, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, Maxwell, Kendrick Lamar, and the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. The venue was originally named the Chene Park Amphitheater, but when Aretha Franklin passed away in 2019, the city of Detroit renamed the stage in her honor.

Behind ‘The Aretha’s’ continued success is Shahida Mausi, owne...

For the past 30 years, The Crocodile in Seattle has welcomed artists like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Macklemore, and Lizzo, cementing its status as an iconic venue. In 2020, in the midst of an already devastating pandemic, the building owner refused to renew The Crocodile’s lease.

But extinction was never an option, and when a 30,000 square foot space became available just five blocks away, The Crocodile decided that it was time to evolve...

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Butcher Brown interpolates jazz, hip-hop, funk, soul, and more into their distinct sonic signature. Hosted by multi-instrumentalist Marcus “Tennishu” Tenney and bassist Andrew Randazzo, this episode delves into the backstory of how the band met each other and The Camel venue owner Lucas Fritz at college, before becoming co-owner of the space in 2016, at the age of 26. 

Lucas Fritz, co-owner of The C...

The town of Wichita would look wildly different without the contributions of two venue owners and promoters named Adam and Jessie Hartke. Their work has imbued Wichita with a verve and vibrance that has permanently altered the town and musicians that call the two family.

Today’s episode is a story of two prolific songwriters from the literal and metaphorical heart of America, both by the name of Rudy Love.

Rudy Love Sr. was on tour...

With a string of hits out of West Philly, legendary MC Schoolly D laid the foundation for West Coast rappers like Ice-T and the gangsta rap movement that shook the world. Following his success in the 80s, Schoolly built his very own loft “Batcave” in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia; right around the corner from a venue now known as The Fire. 

Then known as The Philadelphia Bar & Grill, The Fire didn’t start pr...

Rising star Bartees Strange got his start playing DIY clubs in the Oklahoma City area. As a Black kid from Mustang, it wasn't until visiting the 9:30 Club that Bartees saw representation on stage. "How are you supposed to be a doctor, if you don't know a doctor?" asks #IVW21 Artist Ambassador Bartees Strange. 

As a hotbed for alternative rock music and a focal point for Washington D.C.'s activist community, 9:30 Club has been shapi...

Thursdays at Arlene’s Grocery were once famous around the globe. The Lesson attracted world-class talent from Kimbra to Robert Glasper, becoming a paragon of inclusivity across musicians in NYC.

The Lesson not only brought a community of musicians to life like no other session in the city, but also created a magnetic environment for a legion of dedicated fans. Hosted by The Lesson mainstay J. Hoard, this episode will delve into ho...