Troubadour GM paints bleak future for clubs if lockdown drags on
Kevin Bronson on
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*** Updated with new Bootleg Theater information.
Troubadour general manager Christine Karayan painted a bleak picture for the future of the historic West Hollywood club, telling the Los Angeles Times in a story published Tuesday that if the COVID-19 shutdown stretches into next year or if the club’s capacity is restricted, “I can’t foresee being able to ride this out like that.”
Like many other venues, the Troubadour mounted a GoFundMe campaign to help its decimated staff. It’s no surprise that in the 24 hours since the Times story was published, the campaign rocketed past its $50,000 goal, but most other independent venues have not enjoyed such largesse.
The Bootleg Theater, buoyed by artists who called attention to the room’s plight via the #CoverTheBootleg series on Instagram, has surpassed its initial $25,000 goal. *** The venue announced today that, now expecting a longer closure, that goal has been raised to $45,000.
Other venues are not so lucky. The Teragram Ballroom and Moroccan Lounge (both owned by Bowery East), the Satellite, the Lodge Room, Zebulon, Gold-Diggers, and Resident are lagging far behind their fundraising goals. Even worse, Hi Hat co-owner Dustin Lancaster recently told Eater Los Angeles he doubts the venue will reopen.
Some of these wealthy people in the entertainment industry should pony up and donate major funds to save these clubs. I am talking about people like David Geffen and Megan Ellison, and some of those tech billionaire people in Silicon Valley. Elton John got a huge career boost from his 1970 Troubadour performance, and could easily write a check in order to ensure the Troubadour remains a going concern.