Rock Solid Gala 2025: How Cleveland is fighting to save independent music venues

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present & Future, the non-profit founded by Cindy Barber, co-owner of the Beachland Ballroom, will hold its fourth annual Rock Solid Gala fundraiser Saturday at the The Treelawn Music Hall.

The sold-out event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. and features performances by Welshly Arms, Navasha Daya and Kid Tigrrr. But while the gala celebrates local music, the challenges facing small live music venues remain.

A recently study by the National Independent Venue Association shows that in Ohio, only 20% of independent venues were profitable in 2024 — 16 points below the national average of 36%.

“I started the nonprofit in 2012 to try to create more of a music community and economy so that Cleveland can go back to being more of a music industry town,” Barber said.

Since its inception, the organization has grown each year, launching initiatives such as a series of a dozen workshops in 2024 and incubator and accelerator programs that local artists navigate the live music industry. Beneficiaries include Thor Platter, Claire Feorene and Jenna Fournier of shoegaze band Niights and her solo project Kid Tigrrr.

“We’re one of three in the country that’s doing (incubator programs) right now to try to get financial backing behind artists and give them the resources they need to potentially do what the record labels used to do for people,” Barber said, recalling the “good old days” when record labels financially backed up-and-coming artists for marketing and touring.

Barber also pointed to the greater economic struggles for Midwesterners and the shift in how younger potential patrons spend their free time and money, as evidenced by an upcoming NIVA national survey of venues.

“It’s showing that because there is less alcohol being consumed these days, younger people are not focused that way because of all the legalization of pot, there’s less alcohol consumption. So that’s causing a problem for independent venues. So you have to try to figure out how to change that business model, too,” she said.

Barber said she would love to return to the days when a city could help “break” bands into the national consciousness, as Cleveland did back in the ’70s for Bruce Springsteen, Rush and David Bowie.

She also laments the loss of a music industry infrastructure in cities like Chapel Hill, Chicago and Seattle, which could attract record labels, national media attention in the ’80s and ’90s.

Other challenges for independent venues include rising artist fees, insurance costs, ticket scalping and inflation in staffing, rent and mortgage costs.

Despite the challenges, Barber sees good things happening for artists. Established local bands, including gala performers Welshly Arms, toured Europe in 2024. Reggae-influenced rock band Tropidelic, who recently released the mellow “Out There,” their second single of 2025, also tours nationally, as does veteran art rock duo Mr. Gnome, who are currently on the road in support of their 2024 album “A Sliver of Space.”

One of the initiatives supported by the proceeds of the gala is the “One Night Live” touring program, a national collaborative effort to provide support for emerging artists and independent venues.

It’s the second iteration of the program, which will send Clevelander Kid Tigrrr on an 11-date tour to cities including Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia and Detroit. The tour provides venues $300 per show to help cover costs while directly supporting emerging artists.

This year’s “One Night Live” is produced Cleveland Rocks with the Live Music Society — which has awarded $4.8 million in grants to 201 venues across the nation since 2020 — and D-TOUR, a network of independent venues and promoters.

Barber noted other ideas to help develop a local music infrastructure and a centered scene, including working with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to establish a comprehensive concert calendar for music and comedy across Ohio, including Akron and Youngstown.

In March, Cuyahoga County announced Cuyahoga LIVE!, a task force dedicated to strengthening the region’s music scene, supporting local artists and making Northeast Ohio a premier destination for live performances. Led by County Executive Chris Ronayne, the initiative includes an artist registry to help venues book local openers for national acts.

At the state level, Ohio Sen. Kent Smith introduced Senate Bill 186 in May to help create a music incubator program offering up to $100,000 in sales tax rebates for qualifying venues.

But as music venues both local and national collaborate to help everyone navigate the challenges, Barber sees some encouraging signs locally, including the multi-year upgrade of the Waterloo District that houses the Beachland Ballroom and Treelawn Music Hall. Three non-profit organizations have also moved into the neighborhood, which received some state funding to assist in further developing Waterloo into a stronger music hub.

“So, there’s wonderful things happening on Waterloo, and we just got named the 24th best arts district in the country,” Barber said, noting that another online survey named it the 15th coolest neighborhood in the country — the only one from the Midwest.

“I think we’re attracting people to move to our neighborhood and buy houses because of the entertainment district and the cultural offerings that are happening. It’s been a lot of work for 25 years, but I feel like we’re finally succeeding,” Barber said.