An oral history of Save Our Stages Fest Heart of Business

In Fall 2020, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) teamed up with YouTube to produce the SaveOurStages Festival — quite possibly the biggest virtual music festival of all time — to raise money for the Save Our Stages Act: life-saving federal aid for the nation’s independent music venues. They were the first businesses to close due to COVID-19 and they’ll be the last to open. Nothing exemplifies the heart of business more than artists, legislators, corporations, and fans coming together to save live music.
And there’s so much to talk about, from the logistics of organizing such an event with 30+ major artists, the technology to stream it around the world, and the ultimate goal of lobbying the US Congress to get involved and pass this legislation.
Many venues still haven't received financial assistance, so the emergency relief fund is still accepting donations to distribute to the most at-risk venues. Please consider donating here: https://www.nivassoc.org/
Watch SOS Fest on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCD5tcuAKGw&list=PL30kw0f7AkXqfLRKTnf9-ZB3p5uaQrYZc
Subscribe to Front Page for new episodes, bonus content and much more: front.com/blog