Biggest Colorado Music Stories of 2020
Yes, 2020 was a terrible year for live music. After a promising start, the entire industry shut down in mid-March as concerts were canceled and venues went dark; music-industry workers lost their jobs and scrambled to pay rent. But there were some bright spots in the darkness: Industry insiders united, musicians found new ways to create, and much of the scene showed up for the Black Lives Matter movement.
For months, venues have been encouraging Congress to pass the Save Our Stages Act. / Kyle Harris
Independents Unite
The silver lining of the pandemic: The indie venues that once competed came together to fight for their future. Together they lobbied the city, state and federal government; championed the Save Our Stages Act (and in the process threw the Save Our Stages online concert, one of the biggest virtual shows in history); and pushed for the future. With 90 percent of venues reporting that they would likely shut if federal relief didn’t come, this work, headed in Colorado by Levitt Pavilion director Chris Zacher, was urgent. Ultimately, on December 21, Congress passed the Save Our Stages Act as part of a $900 billion relief package.
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