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Musicians launch Save Our Scene to create dialogue about Boston’s live music venue crisis

Photo: Anthony “Ants” Conley of Endation

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here’s an odd thing happening in the Boston music scene, and it reflects a growing issue in other cities across the country: As local bands continue to grow, in both numbers and stature, the stages that nourish them early on are starting to disappear. In 2013, All Asia in Cambridge shuttered, Radio in Somerville closed indefinitely, and the Middle East Restaurant & Nightclub revealed a need to build residential units atop its Central Square complex in order to remain a viable business.

That last example still hangs in an uncertain balance — one that could drastically alter the Boston music scene — and was enough to inspire a group of local musicians into action. On December 28, Endation guitarist/vocalist Anthony “Ants” Conley created the Save Our Scene community page on Facebook, established as a forum to discuss the current state of live music venues around Boston and create dialogue on preserving the local scene.

“I love our music and arts community,” Conley tells Vanyaland in an interview last week. “I grew up in Dorchester where there weren’t too many people all that interested in local music. I started going to all-ages and basement shows with my older brother in my teens and it introduced me to a whole other world of music. Friends and I used to sneak into 8 Ball Shifter, Cherry 2000, and Roadsaw shows at Middle East and we were in awe! At 17, I finally got to play the Middle East!

Those days seem to be further and further away, especially compounding the lack of all-ages spaces with the closing of 21-plus clubs.

“To get to the point where we both have watched some of our clubs and music venues slowly dwindle — the Channel, the Rat, Local 186, etc. — it made me sad and distraught to hear rumors of Middle East possibly closing their doors, too,” he adds. “Everywhere we look we see this trend towards gentrification. It can be a good thing for cleaning up certain areas, but we also risk losing institutions like Middle East in the process! Can we save it? Can we create other venues or events to boost our music community? What are the ways we can accomplish this? Save Our Scene was a panic button — to raise awareness, create change AND spark debate!”

That debate has already picked up. With nearly 400 users since its inception less than two weeks ago, Save Our Scene has pushed attendance at an Arts & Culture public hearing at the Boston Public Library on January 25, as well as a linked list of local music blogs who are covering the scene. For Save Our Scene, communication is key.

“I wanted our local arts communities to have a place to voice their concerns and ask real questions with out fear, to bring attention to issues and get answers,” Conley says. “We’ve put our heads together to come up with ideas on how to build more venues and avenues for art and music. Whether it be an outdoor festival or some sort of non-profit music and artist resource webpage. This is still in it’s infancy and has a long way to go. Any help or ideas in promoting an open music forum, or a new music venue… a dance space, a webpage… anything that helps the arts community grow.”