Live Nation to drop merch cuts at certain venues, LJG launches petition to end merch cuts nationwide
Live Nation has announced that it will be dropping merch cuts at its club-sized venues as part of an initiative called “On The Road Again” which they have teamed up with Willie Nelson for. Along with 100% of merch sales going to artists, the program will also offer a $1500 (USD) stipend per show to all headlining and support acts to help with gas and travel costs. Financial bonuses will also be given to local promoters, tour representatives, and venue crew members who have worked over 500 hours over the course of this year. It will be rolled out over the next few months at venues including all of the House of Blues and Fillmore locations. This comes after artists, such as Jeff Rosenstock, began sharing breakdowns of how much in merch cuts they have to pay venues while on tour. In response to this announcement, Laura Jane Grace has launched a petition on moveon.org calling for Live Nation, AEG, and all venues and promoters to end merch cuts nationwide for artists and fans. The description for the petition reads in part,
”This week, Live Nation announced it would stop taking merch cuts at some of its venues. While it’s a start, there are nearly 100 Live Nation venues this does not apply to and many, many more venues nationwide owned and operated by other companies. Every venue and promoter must follow suit.
Venues and promoters—often one and the same, given Live Nation’s effective monopoly on the live music industry—do not design, manufacture, ship, transport, load, or unload, and in most cases sell an artist’s or band’s merchandise.
Fans are already price-gouged by junk fees on ticket sales. Taking a cut of merchandise sales from artists not only drives up the cost of merchandise for fans, it also creates a situation for musicians where making ends meet is even more difficult in an already predatory industry.
These cuts have such a negative impact on some artists, they are forced to consider leaving the industry altogether because they cannot afford to continue with their careers. The fans come to the venues for the artists, not for the venue owner or promoter. They buy merchandise to support the musicians they love, not because they’re fans of a corporation. Their money should go directly, and entirely, to the artists.”
See a list of participating venues below.
Venues Participating in the ‘On The Road Again’ Program
The Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ
House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
The Parish at the House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Belasco - Los Angeles, CA
The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA
Riverside Municipal Auditorium - Riverside, CA
Ace of Spades - Sacramento, CA
Observatory OC - Santa Ana, CA
Constellation Room - Santa Ana, CA
Voodoo Room at House of Blues - San Diego, CA
House of Blues - San Diego, CA
The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
Midway Music Hall - Edmonton, AB
Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
Kee to Bala - Bala, ON
History - Toronto, ON
Opera House - Toronto, ON
Velvet Underground - Toronto, ON
Summit - Denver, CO
Moon Room at Summit - Denver, CO
Marquis - Denver, CO
The Dome at Oakdale - Wallingford, CT
House of Blues - Lake Buena Vista, FL
Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
Buckhead Theatre - Atlanta, GA
House of Blues - Chicago, IL
Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN
Deluxe - Indianapolis, IN
Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY
Parish at House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
The Fillmore New Orleans
The Fillmore Silver Spring - Silver Spring, MD
Citizens House of Blues - Boston, MA
Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI
High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI
The Depot - Salt Lake City, UT
The Aztec Theater - San Antonio, TX
House of Blues - Houston, TX
House of Blues Bronze Peacock - Houston, TX
House of Blues - Dallas, TX
The Echo Lounge and Music Hall - Dallas, TX
Cambridge Room - Dallas, TX
Emo’s - Austin, TX
Scoot Inn - Austin, TX
House of Blues - North Myrtle Beach, SC
Music Farm - Charleston, SC
Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC
The Foundry at The Fillmore Philadelphia
The Fillmore Philadelphia
Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Roxian Theatre - McKees Rock, PA
Brooklyn Bowl - Philadelphia, PA
The Rtiz - Raleigh, NC
The Fillmore Charlotte - Charlotte, NC
The Underground - Charlotte, NC
House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
The Cambridge Room at House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
Bogart’s - Cincinnati, OH
Irving Plaza - New York, NY
Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
Warsaw - Brooklyn, NY
House of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
Rose Park - Columbia, MO
Rose Music Hall - Columbia, MO
Blue Note - Columbia, MO
Uptown Theater - Minneapolis, MN
The Fillmore Minneapolis, MN
Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN
GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, MI
The Fillmore Detroit
St. Andrew’s Hall - Detroit, MI
Shelter - Detroit, MI