What happens to a music venue after the music leaves?
Marshall is answering that question by putting bands back into three rooms that no longer function as venues. Its new limited film series, The Dead Venue Sessions, revisits the former homes of New York’s China Chalet, Philadelphia’s Stalag 13, and Los Angeles’ London Fog — spaces that have since become a food court and arcade, a bodybuilding gym and a barber shop.
Episode 2 of the series is available to watch below.
Today a gym, Stalag 13 hosted the likes of Refused, Dillinger Escape Plan and Limp Wrist between 1996 and 1999. Named after the fictional POW camp in Hogan’s Heroes, it was part of a row of warehouse venues that included the Fake House and Killtime. There was almost no infrastructure: bands played on the floor, surrounded by the crowd. Around the music was a wider culture of self-organized events, flyers, and fanzines.
The DIY spirit of Stalag 13 still lives in its walls and for one final performance, became a venue once again. And Marshall brought loud punks, Sweet Pill, to resurrect that spirit.
The premise is simple, but the transformed rooms do much of the talking. These weren't just spaces where live music came and left, these venues were places where scenes formed, artists learned how to command a room, and audiences found one another to build a community.
Stay tuned as these videos get released one by one, documenting the ghost scenes that each venue left behind.
Through its Amplify membership program, Marshall directs 1% of qualifying online purchases toward grassroots spaces, funding backline equipment, shows and longer-term partnerships.
Follow The Dead Venue Sessions here.
