Japandroids and ANTI- Records are teaming up to raise money for live venues. In an effort to save live venues in the United States, Vancouver band Japandroids has asked their fans to upload a photo or video of Japandroids, select a venue, download and share on socials and then tag @Japandroids, the venue, and use #saveourfuckingvenues. For every post with the hashtag ANTI- will donate one dollar to The National Independent Venue Association.

The National Independent Venue Association, NIVA, is an organization who’s mission is to preserve and nurture independent venues and promoters throughout the United States.  NIVA hopes the help to keep as many live venues open as possible in order to preserve their cultural significance, help local economies and help those who rely on live venues as an income.

In a statement posted on Japandroids socials, the band wrote:

“One of the most amazing things about being a touring musician is how it makes me feel like I’m part of a much larger, global community. There are so many different venues where as soon as we walk in the door we feel like we’re home. We’ve become friends with promoters, managers, bartenders, stage hands and sound engineers all over the world.”

Japandroids released a live album earlier this year called Massey Fucking Hall. It was recorded in 2017 at Massey Hall in Toronto. The album is a strong reminder of the importance of live venues in our communities.

The thought of live venues closing due to the pandemic is a scary one. Japandroids have been one of my favourite bands for a few years. I’ve seen them live four times. Hopefully with the help of organizations like NIVA, live venues across the globe will stay open, so we can enjoy live music well after the pandemic is behind us.