Save the Strand Theater!

Now in case it wasn’t obvious, I love live music! I’ve been to so many shows over the years, with many of them being at the Strand Theater in Providence, RI. The Strand is also now home to Lupos. One in the same!

Due to this COVID-19 business, they now find themselves in trouble and have started a GoFundMe campaign.

According to the GoFundMe page, “We never thought it come would to this. But desperate times call for desperate measure. And the COVID-19 shutdown is the most desperate time of them all.

Three years ago, we poured blood, sweat, tears, and a million dollars of our own money to opening The Strand and revitalizing the spirit of entertainment in the city. From its beginnings as a vaudeville theater in 1915, The Strand has always been at the epicenter of Providence’s love for art and culture. But today, The Strand faces permanent shutdown.”

I don’t usually give into GoFundMe campaigns as there seems to be one for everything and everyone. And if you give to one friend, you have to give to them all. It gets expensive. But this one is near and dear to my heart. If you love live music in RI, this is one the best venues and you should consider giving anything you can. We all gain live music by them staying open. Here are some the bands I’ve seen here over the years (and I’m counting the old Lupos location as well):

• Oasis
• Smashing Pumpkins (twice)
• Garbage
• Stabbing Westward
• Foo Fighters
• Slash (Fucking Slash!!!)
• Smash Mouth
• Third Eye Blind
• Veruca Salt
• Everclear (2nd date ever with my wife)
• Anthrax
• Skid Row
• Fat Ass Vince Neil from Motley Crue
• Steve Vai
• Gravity Kills
• Letters to Cleo
• The Cardigans
• Shadows Fall
• Killswitch Engage
• In Flames
• Creed (they are the worst band of all time, but the tickets were free)
• Big Wreck (underrated and awesome!)
• The Cult
• Clutch
• Our Lady Peace
• Jon Bon Jovi (solo tour)
• Stephen Lynch (comedian)
• and may more that I can’t think of without whipping out the ole ticket stubs