Back in December when I put out my Best of 2020 list as always I include at the end of it The Worst in Metal for the year. For 2020 that was the lock-downs over the Wuhan Corona 19 Virus. Of course that was a crapper for bands and labels. But it was worse for the small venues who took a huge financial hit by being closed for so long. With that said I just found out that a favorite local venue of mine, The Maywood, is closing down for good over this bullshit.
According to the venue's Facebook page announcement:
"I'm sorry to announce The Maywood is closing its doors for good.
I held on as long as I could, but I just don't see the light. I want to thank everyone that has contributed to our music scene over the years as in bands, patrons, promoters, and of course the staff. We couldn't have done it without you. I especially want to thank all of the people that helped donate and participate with the fundraisers, as in gofundme and The Maywood Mayhem. Keep on Rockin' and Metal Rules!!!"
For those of you who don't know, The Maywood was a 200+ capacity venue located just south of downtown Raleigh, NC. It use to be called Volume 11. I have been to many great shows at that club since they were the only ones who primarily had local, regional and national Metal/Hard Rock touring bands play there. There's too many great acts I've seen there over the years. In fact I saw bands play there that I never thought I'd get to see since they were usually on big stadium package tours. But hey I saw em and remember em fondly.
The Maywood also was the home venue for two major local events. It hosted the Raleigh Death Fest in recent years and KIFFmas each year for a long time. Add to that in the back of the venue the place rented band practice spaces. A ton of local bands called The Maywood their home. And last year in order to give back to the venue those bands contributed to a benefit compilation with proceeds going to the club.
You can listen to and order the comp. below:
The Maywood / Volume 11 was the place where if you went to a show you would see plenty of your friends there. And I cannot emphasize it more, sure there are other venues in town that will have cool shows. But The Maywood was 99.9% metal and hard rock with some punk/hardcore thrown in as well. As of now my outlook is that no other existing venues will pick up that slack.
One final note, since the late 80's when I decided to call Raleigh, NC my home. I've seen at least a dozen local venues, that I use to see shows at, shut their doors for one reason or another. So yeah seeing The Maywood shut down is sad. But it's certainly not the death of extreme music in our town. The local music scene history shows that whenever a void is open it will soon or later be filled by something else.
Now like I've said the presently remaining venues which do have a similar capacity will not take up the mantle. The people involved in those enterprises are too hipster, too caught up in social issues and not true fans of metal. I found out last year that one local venue's future plans is to book bands by committee in order to be inclusive. In other words nothing extreme with a drinking crowd but plenty of safe, sedate crap. Yeah well good luck with that.
But anyways as the past has shown sooner or later someone will open a venue which will cater to us, the fans of METAL and HARD FUCKIN ROCK. But for now we mourn the passing of a friend. Thanks to The Maywood for all the great times. You will always be missed and remembered.
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