AmptUp

04/19/2026

We are loving these behind the scenes photos of Prince who died too young. What a beautiful person and artist. And one of the early victims of the Fentanyl crisis.

Prince, one of the world’s most enigmatic musicians, was an intensely private person. But Steve Parke was able to take photos of him that no one else could.

03/30/2026

😳Nearly 2/3 of independent venues aren’t profitable right now. Not because the shows are bad — because the admin is brutal.

Emails, spreadsheets, missing assets, payout calculations at 2 AM… sound familiar? 🤯 We broke down how better systems turn chaos into actual free time (and fewer headaches for artists too). If you run a venue, this one will feel very real...

At 11:42 PM, after load-out, Ryan, owner of the Lucky Star Tavern, finally sat down to send “one quick email” to a band about next month’s show.

That email triggered a chain reaction: digging up an old tech rider, confirming stage plot details, checking whether the opener was approved, finding the correct contract version, resending load-in times, answering a merch split question… then realizing the hospitality rider was from a completely different band.

Ninety minutes later, nothing new had been accomplished (beyond wrecking their body and shuffling of information that already existed somewhere).

If that feels familiar, you don’t have a people problem. You have a systems problem.
👉Are you running a Venue or is the Venue running you?👈

NIVA - National Independent Venue Association
👉

At 11:42 PM, after load-out, a venue owner finally sat down to send “one quick email” to a band about next month’s show.

03/25/2026

Yeaaaahhhh! Way to go Afroman. At least we see justice somewhere!

03/24/2026

If booking shows feels like rebuilding the same puzzle every week, this is for you. One system change can give your time back. 👉

At 11:42 PM, after load-out, a venue owner finally sat down to send “one quick email” to a band about next month’s show.

03/20/2026

Are you Running a Venue, or being run by it? Nearly two‑thirds of independent venues didn’t turn a profit last year. Hustle is required—but good systems are what keep the lights on. Here’s a real look at how organized booking saves hours every week.

At 11:42 PM, after load-out, a venue owner finally sat down to send “one quick email” to a band about next month’s show.