Local Hardcore Venues

The hardcore scene is a beautiful place, my friends, filled with wholesome people and music that makes you want to absolutely destroy something, What isn't to love about it? Sadly, spaces to host shows like this one are closing faster than they can pop up.

Hardcore house shows previously held in basements like this and garages around western North Carolina are quickly dying out due to mistreatment and lack of funds. In just 2017, three venues, including this one, have stopped hosting shows in Western NC.

Due to the nature of the music played and the general tone of these shows, many commercial establishments are hesitant to allow these types of shows to take place, and those who do often have rules restricting moshing and things of that nature. They also do not offer the same type of treatment to touring bands or bands in general, as houses often do.

Houses like this one not only host shows but also often help out bands that play there. Touring bands are even allowed to stay overnight to rest and use showers as needed. Touring is hard in general as a band just getting out there, and sleeping in a van with five other people is less than desirable, especially when none of them have been able to shower in a week; it's July, and they have been playing steaming hot venues every night.

Finally, how can we save these venues before they close down, and how can we fund the start of new ones?

The first step is to respect and take care of the venues that are already standing. Often property damage occurs in places like this one and nobody has the decency to own up to it. Yes, the occasional broken light bulb is to be expected, but for the love of God, please don't spray lighter fluid on your shirt and set it on fire on the floor of someone else's house (I'm looking at you, Jimmy).

Removing any trash you may create helps so much. These houses don't have a paid staff and make almost no profit on these shows, so before you leave your three half empty beer bottles on the floor, imagine the owner of the house cleaning them up after midnight by his or her self after just hosting the show you had so much fun at. Man, it's just rude.

On the profit note, DONATE WHAT YOU CAN! The venue owners or booking agents almost always lose money on shows. I can't tell you how many times my boyfriend (bless his heart) has had to pay bands out of his pocket because of a lack of turn out.

Share event pages. Share event pages. I will say it one more time: Share event pages. The turn out at these shows pays the bands. If the turn out isn't enough, someone almost always has to pay out of pocket for these bands to play. Bring your friends along, carpool, share the heck out of the event pages, and please, for the sake of everyone involved, do not show up to a show with intent to get in without paying for it. Every penny is important.

These venues support a genre of music that does not get enough recognition as it is. It depends on the people of the scene to provide places for it to thrive and with the way venues are shutting down, there wont be many left in the future. We need to step up and help them continue to host shows and the music we love.