London’s Black Heart music venue is in its final home stretch of its crowdfunding campaign after having raised 90% of their £150,000 target to secure its future. With just £15,000 to raise and six days left for The Save The Black Heart Crowdfunder, the venue has released details of a new batch of prizes, including a new vinyl set in collaboration with music website The Rock Fix.
Teaming up with six bands who hold a special love for the venue, the vinyl features music from Loathe, Our Hollow Our Home, Immerse, Venom Prison, Bad Touch and Take The Backseat Casey.
The set will be priced at a minimum of £19.99, however buyers are encouraged to pay what they want in addition. £5 of every set sold will be donated to the venue.
Other prizes include a hand-painted Obituary leather jacket, music and merch bundles from several labels including Ritual Productions, New Heavy Sounds and London Doom Collective, a Death n Grind bundle, Test Pressings from Frank Iero's Stomachaches, Lonely The Brave's The Days War and Casey's Darling courtesy of Hassle Records, signed drumsticks from former Lamb Of God drummer Chris Adler, and much more including beer packages and tattoo vouchers.
In conversation over the venue and its importance to the community, the featured six bands have offered their thoughts:
In a collective statement, Loathe said, “The Black Heart was one of the first to open its doors to Loathe during our infancy and grant us with the opportunity to present our show to music lovers from down south. For that the venue holds a very dear place in our hearts."
"Venues much like The Black Heart are essential to the well being and progression of, not just live music but music as a whole – with each grassroots venue serving as somewhat of a booster or platform to present fresh, new art. Please help to not let these amazing places that house amazing memories and opportunities for thousands of music lovers out there go to waste.”
Our Hollow, Our Home vocalist, Connor Hallisey said “The Black Heart isn’t just a venue, it’s much, much more. As upcoming artists, we’ve seen first-hand how venues like this are imperative to the creative industry, and furthermore not just for musicians, but for venue staff, the promoters, and most importantly the fans. The Black Heart will always have our support, and we hope you’ll be able to help them in any way that you can too.”
Tim Brown of Immerse said, “The black heart is one of our favourite venues. We’ve played some memorable shows there and they’ve really helped us gain a better following in London. We love drinking the local beer too! Keeping independent venues like the Black Heart alive is so important to the future of the UK rock scene. They have given us great opportunities and we want the same for other upcoming bands”
Venom Prison said “The Black Heart has served as stomping ground for many artists in this culture and is a crucial spot in our network of venues. We played our first sold out headline show here on our first headline tour."
"Thousands upon thousands of musicians have cut their teeth in those four walls over the years and to lose it would be a crime – other young bands need to experience this in future and there’s no way we can let this pass us by. Please support this worthwhile cause and grab yourselves a hot vinyl while you’re at it.”
Stevie Westwood of Bad Touch said “As a band, Bad Touch have been very fortunate to play gigs all over the UK and Europe, most of the venues have been great, some have been not so great, but what is it that MAKES an awesome venue? It’s not a big PA, a decent stage, or even a well-stocked bar!.. It’s the heart.”
“The Black Heart has all of these things, PLUS a great team who really believe in live music, and it is undoubtedly one of the most important and influential grassroots venues in the UK. It’s a very rare thing for a band to be guaranteed a great show... but for all of these reasons, The Black Heart never fails to provide.”
Ben Crutchfield of Take The Backseat, Casey said “In London it’s nigh impossible to find a place like the Black Heart: A venue so full of energy you feel like you’re playing to thousands of fans, but on the flip side, somewhere you can escape the rat race and find sanctuary with a friend over a pint. It holds a very special place in our own little black hearts 🖤”
If you'd like to get involved in saving The Black Heart visit their crowdfunding page, or if you'd like to purchase the vinyl set, you can find it via The Rock Fix.
