Bristol venues The Exchange and The Louisiana launch joint Patreon page
Two independent Bristol venues have launched a joint Patreon page in an effort to ensure their survival through the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The 250-capacity Exchange and the 140-capacity Louisiana have between them hosted early gigs by the likes of The National, Florence And The Machine, The 1975 and Haim before they went on to stardom.
“The coronavirus pandemic has brought our whole industry to its knees, and the knock on effects are likely to be seen for years to come,” they wrote on their Patreon.
“As we rebuild ourselves to the point where we can deliver the same amazing live music experience you’ve come to expect, and diversify how we can support arts and creatives through online and live streamed shows, every single penny raised will go directly back into allowing us to continue to survive and create opportunities and experiences for the Bristol independent music community.”
The Patreon offers three tiers of subscriptions. For £3 a month fans can offer their support without benefits. £7 allows early ticket access and discounted merch.
A limited number of £20 per month subscriptions have already sold out, which entitle fans to one free gig per month at each venue, among other perks.
At time of writing 53 people have signed up for the platform, with the two venues earning over £500 per month.
Both The Exchange and The Louisiana both featured in IDLES‘ video for ‘Carcinogenic’ last month, recorded live for Independent Venue Week.
The clip sees each band member perform the track from separate venues across their hometown of Bristol.