Former Arch Enemy vocalist Angela Gossow, who sang for the band from 2000 to 2014, has taken to social media with the following message:

"I had my very first show with Arch Enemy at The Troubadour in LA in 2002. It's one of my top three memories from my time in Arch Enemy. Now local independent venues like this need our help. They were the first to close, and they will be the last to open. I’m asking (Washington) DC to help them with funding, so they can survive and re-open when it’s safe. Head to SaveOurStages.com to find out how you can help."

Famed Los Angeles venue The Troubadour was the subject of a recent Rolling Stone article by Ethan Millman, an excerpt follows:

West Hollywood music venue The Troubadour has long been one of the most storied venues in popular music. In the 1960s and '70s, Laurel Canyon singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne frequented the joint just a short drive away through the Hollywood Hills. In 1970, Elton John played his first U.S. shows there — the crowd included Neil Diamond, David Crosby and Leon Russell — that helped kickstart his career. Geffen Records signed Guns N’ Roses shortly after catching their set at the venue in 1986. Today, it’s a stop for both established stars and young artists and a popular choice for star-studded Grammy parties.

While the venue has fared well in recent years, regularly hosting special shows for the likes of Billie Eilish and The Black Crowes, they’ve never faced a greater threat to their existence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Troubadour isn’t alone in its struggle; it’s one of more than 1,300 venues that have banded together to found the National Independent Venue Association to encourage government officials to modify legislation to more easily accommodate venues and other businesses entirely reliant on attendance. Many of these venues worry they’ll close by the end of the year if no legislative action takes place to soften the blow, a NIVA spokesperson says.

Karayan spoke with Rolling Stone on her mounting fears for the venue’s future, fighting for legislation to save venues, and the importance of places like the Troubadour for local communities, artists and fans. She had more questions than answers.

"I’m sure everyone across the board is concerned. Every small business is concerned in what their future holds, if there is a future. The question for the independent venues is if we can we safely get to the other side of this, quite frankly. The loans that are currently available, or not available I should say, are not really conducive to the types of business models we have in terms of being able to pay back in the timely manner."

"The question is, 'Are we going to be a footnote in history?' We’ve got no shareholders, no corporate funding and no income coming in whatsoever. But the bills are still coming, and the reality of what I do for the most part is getting on the phone with the landlord, or insurance company, or AT&T. We can’t stand this much monthly payout with zero coming in."

"If this place closed, I would be devastated, my name would be associated with this demise. Even with something like a benefit show, the problem is the uncertainty of when? What? How? Hopefully, God willing, we get to the other side and can call upon a couple favors and say 'Please, whatever you guys can do,' but what to ask when we don’t even know what’s going on is impossible really."

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