Save Our Stages’ #SOSFest Raises Nearly $2 Million for Indie Concert Venues

Jem Aswad
·2 min read

Last weekend’s “Save Our Stages” virtual music festival — featuring Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus, Dave Matthews and more than 30 other artists — has raised more than $1.8 million to help preserve independent music venues. The news was announced Thursday by YouTube Music and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), which promoted the festival.

According the announcement, the #SOSFEST funds raised to date are inclusive of donations made via YouTube Giving’s Donate button, the Save Our Stages website, text to donate and #SOSFEST merch. The collective goal is to help amplify NIVA’s Save Our Stages advocacy efforts and raise funds for its nationwide, need-based grant program to provide relief for independent venues as they fight to hold on until the SOS Act is passed in Congress. Fans can continue to donate and support these venues by revisiting the #SOSFEST performances on the participating artists’ official YouTube channels and clicking the donate button on the page.

While the $10 billion Save Our Stages Act is part of the larger Heroes Act, Congress and the president have been playing politics with it for weeks and it seems unlikely to pass any time soon — and some 90% of America’s independent music venues expect to shut down within the next few months if they do not receive federal aid, according to a NIVA poll conducted in June.

But there are several ways that you can help — and while you’re helping, watch these on-demand performances from #SOSFest, including Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus, Dave Matthews, the Roots, Brittany Howard, G-Eazy, Leon Bridges, YG, Finneas, Phoebe Bridgers and many more. (On-demand #SOSFEST Performance Links: FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY)

  • Buy #SOSFEST Merch: HERE To commemorate this weekend’s event, #SOSFEST commissioned vintage-style concert posters for each of the 35 performances created by local artists from each city.

  • Donate to the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund on YouTube and SaveOurStages.com.

  • If a show is canceled or postponed at an independent venue, don’t request a cash refund. It’s better to ask for a credit for a future show or just donate it to the venue.

  • Buy gift cards to your favorite venues.

  • Donate to independent venues directly here: https://lyte.com/covid19relief/

  • Donate to NIVA’s general operation fund here: https://www.nivassoc.org/support-niva

  • Buy merch here: https://www.nivassoc.org/merch

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