This past week has felt like a year, folks. Tours of all sizes have been cancelled nationwide, and those in the service industry face unemployment as restaurants and entertainment venues are forced to close to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Most (if not all) of Chicago’s wide variety of venues have had no choice but to close their doors for an undetermined amount of time.
In the face of these trying times, it is crucial that we all band together and support our local music scene—especially for those who work backstage, bartend, and work tirelessly year-round to bring us the shows we love. Many of Chicago’s most beloved venues have started GoFundMe campaigns to pay their staff during these closures; If you’re financially able to, please consider helping out by doing any of the following:
✶ Order delivery or takeout. Many restaurants, bars, and even venues are still cooking up some delicious food and need your support more than ever.
✶ If you have tickets to a show that’s been postponed to a later date, consider hanging onto it. Venues are dealing with an unprecedented amount of refunds right now.
✶ Gift cards make great stocking stuffers for friends and family in the Chicago area. It’s an excellent way to pay it forward towards your favorite venue.
✶ Donate to a GoFundMe campaign or other crowdsourcing initiative to help out-of-work employees cover their bills and other expenses.
Below, we’ve organized a list of these crowdfunded campaigns. This list will be continually updated over the next two weeks as more venues add crowdfunding campaigns or open up their menus for delivery.
Thank you all—stay safe, wash your hands, and take care of each other.
COBRA LOUNGE
DONATE HERE
DELIVERY AVAILABLE: Cobra Lounge will be serving up their delicious burgers and beer (including growlers!) via delivery from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. You can order via GrubHub—be sure to tip your delivery drivers.
BOTTOM LOUNGE
DONATE HERE
100% of the money you donate will go directly to all the bartenders, servers, cooks, dishwashers, security and production staff that are currently out of work. If you’ve ever enjoyed a meal, drink or show at Bottom Lounge, please consider making a contribution to help everyone weather this storm. Anything you can donate will be greatly appreciated.
CONCORD MUSIC HALL
DONATE HERE
Concord depends on the live entertainment, hospitality, & service industry to survive. As we continue to keep our doors closed for the safety of our community, we must as you for your kindness in whatever form of donation you can give the Concord staff.
RADIUS CHICAGO
DONATE HERE
To show solidarity with the Radius team, we ask that you donate to our relief fund. If you’re unable to donate, sharing our message + story is just as powerful. The good vibes are keeping Radius #Chicago motivated & positive during this time.
REGGIE’S
DONATE HERE
If you’ve ever had a memorable late night here, seen a killer show you’ll never forget, or gone to a Free Sox Sunday game with us, please consider helping the people that have made that possible. Every little bit helps.
Reggie’s kitchen will be closed alongside the venue, and will be unable to offer takeout or delivery during this time.
METRO / GMAN TAVERN
DONATE HERE
In working to find helpful and creative ways to support our community, we have created a GoFundMe page for our staff, who depend on the gathering of our Chicago community in order to provide for themselves and their families. 100% of net proceeds will benefit Metro, smartbar and Gman Tavern staff.
SLEEPING VILLAGE
DONATE HERE
We look forward to future shows, patio hangs and pints flowing, but for now — for the good of all — let’s stay home.
We will be helping our employees through these tough times as best we can, but they need your help too, so please consider donating to our GoFundMe campaign. Every penny will be distributed to SV employees as soon as possible.
THE HIDEOUT
DONATE HERE
If you would like to help our beloved and charming staff weather this storm, please “tip” the staff if you like at this on-line “Virtual Tavern.” We will be withdrawing donations weekly and dividing 100% of them (after GoFundMe fees) between Hideout staffers as soon as they are received.
Let’s all stay healthy, and take care of each other.
“There is still Kindness and Goodness!”
–Katie, Tim, Mike, Jim, Alice, Sully and everyone at the Hideout
BEAT KITCHEN
DONATE HERE
100% of proceeds raised here will be going directly to our hourly staff to help with rents, mortgages, car payments, medicine, groceries, etc, to help offset the burden of being left unemployed as we work together to protect our city.
We love and value our regulars, our neighbors, our friends who have visited us through rain, sleet, snow, heat waves, BurgerFest and beyond, and thank you so much for your support. We look forward to making you that next drink and catching up. From our family to yours: be safe, wash your hands, we love you, we’ll get through this and we hope to see you soon!
THALIA HALL
DONATE HERE
If you would like to show your solidarity with our staff, we encourage you to donate to our relief fund, which offers some exclusive gifts in exchange for your generous donation. 100% of the net earnings from this campaign will benefit Thalia Hall, Dusek’s, Punch House and Tack Room hourly staffers.
Thalia Hall will be offering rewards for certain donation amounts, including tickets, apparel, and food vouchers for future shows.
EMPTY BOTTLE
DONATE HERE
Along with the health risks that COVID-19 poses, we also recognize the financial hardship the pandemic has caused. To that end, we implore you to show solidarity with Bottle and Bite staffers via this campaign, in which we’ll be offering some special items in exchange for your donation.
The Empty Bottle will also be giving out special items in exchange for donations, including stickers, posters, tickets, and even including donor’s names on a wheatpaste mural.
SUBTERRANEAN
DONATE HERE
100% of proceeds raised here will be going directly to our hourly staff to help with rents, mortgages, car payments, medicine, groceries, etc, to help offset the burden of being left unemployed as we work together to protect our city.
From our family to yours: be safe, wash your hands, we love you, we’ll get through this and we hope to see you soon!
LIAR’S CLUB
DONATE HERE
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO GIVE WHATEVER YOU CAN, NO AMOUNT TOO SMALL, TO HELP OUR MERRY BAND OF MISFITS WEATHER THIS STRANGE AND TRYING TIME.
WE TEND TO MAKE A JOKE OF EVERYTHING, BUT THIS TIME IT’S NO JOKE, AND YOUR FRIENDS COULD USE A LITTLE HELP. LET’S BAND TOGETHER AND BE GOOD TO EACH OTHER. IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DONATE, PLEASE HELP BY SHARING THIS CAMPAIGN WITH OUR EXTENDED FAMILY EVERYWHERE. WE ALL APPRECIATE THAT SHOUT OUT, OR PHONE CALL, OR INVITE.
THE WHISTLER
DONATE HERE
COLE’S BAR
DONATE HERE
From the venue:
All the money will go to Cole’s bar employees for frivolous millennial trinkets like food, rent, utilities, and so much more.
While the staff has a little sick pay, many of us make a scrappy gig to gig living. We love this community so much. And we can’t wait to see your bunker tans once we get through this mess. So if we’ve ever tossed you a free one, gave you laugh, or made sure you had a good night we’d appreciate anything ya got for us. Stay rad comrades.
ALIVEONE / REMEDY / THE OWL
DONATE HERE
From the venue:
100% of the money raised will go to the staffs of aliveOne, Estelle’s, Easy Bar, The Owl and Remedy.
If we’ve put a smile on your face, showed you a good time, tossed you a shot or two on the house, perhaps you can return the favor?
Every little bit helps. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, stay well and we hope to see you all in two weeks!
SPACE
DONATE HERE
From the venue:
SPACE will match all donations up to $10k, and we’ve put together some awesome incentives to help make it even easier to chip in a few bucks.
Thanks for your support, as always. SPACE isn’t going anywhere, and we can’t wait to get back to the business of serving you amazing music in the not too distant future.
In addition to matching all donations, SPACE will be giving away merch, tickets, and studio time with respective donation tiers.
TONIC ROOM
DONATE HERE
From the venue:
We’re asking our wonderful community to help out our staff while we do everything we can to survive through this closure. If you are able to leave a TIP by donating to this fundraiser, we will forever be grateful for your kindness and generosity. All Tips will be shared immediately to our staff.
THE BURLINGTON
DONATE HERE
From the venue:
Hey all, as the bar is doing our part by shutting down for the forceable future, that leaves our amazing staff in a tough position. Many of us don’t have other jobs or the ability to apply for unemployment. Any help to get our team through the upcoming rough weeks ahead would go a long way! This is a great staff who love serving our neighborhood and community. If you’re able to help, please do!!!
CAFE MUSTACHE
DONATE HERE
From the venue:
The current health crisis will have a significant affect on service industry workers as their employers are forced to close their doors. Please consider making a donation to help support the amazing, kind and talented staff of Cafe Mustache so that they are able to pay their bills while we are temporarily closed. All donations go directly to employees.
THE VIC / RIVIERA THEATRE / PARK WEST
DONATE HERE
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago’s new live event mandates, The Riviera Theatre, The Vic Theatre, and Park West have made the difficult decision to close their doors until May. This has created a harsh reality for our crew members including box office workers, security, and bar servers whose livelihoods are directly affected by this decision. We would like to show solidarity for our staff and encourage the public to support them by sending them a virtual tip. We want them to know how much we appreciate their hard work and hope to help support them during this trying time.
CHOP SHOP
DONATE HERE
From the venue:
Maybe you have rocked out to a show here? Attended a wedding or Donut Fest? Cooked up one of our butcher steaks at home? Watched the Cubs win the World Series here? Sipped bottomless mimosas on our rooftop patio? Or enjoyed dinner and laughs at our award-winning restaurant. Our staff have enjoyed being a part of your community and memories. 100% of these funds will go to our staff to help them pay their bills while they wait to return to work. Please consider making a donation today, every little bit helps. And if you’re able to share this to spread the word, we would appreciate it.
Chop Shop will also be giving out some goodies in exchange for donations, including posters and gift cards.
DELILAH’S
DONATE HERE
In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, Delilah’s is shutting the door for regular service to the general public for the first time in 26 years through the end of the month. In the interim, the staff that has helped make our bar what it is today would greatly appreciate any support or assistance that you can provide.
THIRD RAIL TAVERN
DONATE HERE
We are humbly asking our community to help our staff get through this difficult time. If you would like (and are able, we know this is a difficult time for all) to help our beloved and charming staff weather this storm, you can use this “Virtual Tip Jar”!
The Related Rabbit Hole
