Festival seeks to save music venues

GEazy is among the featured performers on the lineup for this weekend’s Save Our Stages festival, a threeday virtual concert aimed at raising money for independent music venues in the Bay Area and across the nation that have been shuttered during the coronavirus pandemic.

The rapper, who grew up in the East Bay, is scheduled to perform at the Independent in San Francisco at 8: 15 p. m. during the first day of performances. The online music festival, also known as # SOSFest, will livestream FridaySunday, Oct. 1618, on the National Independent Venue Association’s official YouTube channel.

“For nearly 17 years, the Independent has played an essential role in the development of artists’ careers and the ecosystem of San Francisco nightlife,” Allen Scott of Another Planet Entertainment, which runs the venue on Divisadero Street, said in a stateOnline

ment. “This shutdown has not only impacted the thousands of workers that depend on live events for their livelihood but has had negative ripple effects on the neighborhood and city economy, creative community and live music fans.”

Produced by NIVA in partnership with YouTube, organizers say the goal of the # SOSFest is to bring awareness to the $ 10 billion Save Our Stages Act currently before Congress.

Hosted by Reggie Watts, # SOSFest will feature 35 artists performing from more than 25 concert venues. It is scheduled to kick off with a performance by Alec Benjamin at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles at 5 p. m. Friday. Others on the bill include Foo Fighters at the Troubadour in Los Angeles; the Roots at the Apollo in New York; Dave Matthews at the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Va.; and Brittany Howard at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

For the full schedule of # SOSFest, visit the Save Our Stages website at saveourstages. com.