The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) Presents The Live List in Partnership with Paste and The Black List

Written By Maia Olmstead

NIVA’s Second Annual The Live List Elevates Rising, Must-See Artists that Have Launched Their Careers through Independent Venues Across the U.S.

 
The Live LIst
 

January 24, 2024 - The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) presents the second annual The Live List in partnership with Paste Magazine and The Black List. The Live List is a definitive list of independent entertainment industry insiders’ favorite live performers. NIVA aggregated votes from more than 1,000 NIVA members – consisting of independent performance venues, festivals, and promoters – to uncover the most exciting up-and-coming and established artists over the past year. 

The 2024 Live List highlights 47 artists including Alana Springsteen, Bar Italia, Bob the Drag Queen, LA LOM, Liz Miele, Medium Build, Otoboke Beaver, Paris Texas, Say She She, Thus Love, Young Gun Silver Fox, and more.

A year-long celebration of Live List artists will kick off in Austin with two SXSW events:

  • The National Independent Venue Association SXSW official Day Party during the SoCo Stomp at C-Boys Heart & Soul, March 13, 12 noon to 7 p.m.

  • The National Independent Venue Association SXSW official Live List Showcase at Antone's Nightclub, March 14, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The Live List is a survey of NIVA members who identify must-see musicians, comedians, performing artists, and other acts on the rise. The Live List utilizes the expertise of live entertainment professionals who dedicate their lives to live shows and building artists’ careers. 

Through the NIVA, Paste Magazine and The Black List’s partnership, The Live List serves as a catalyst for artists to build sustainable careers and is a definitive source for fans to discover acts.

“Playing shows is my favorite thing to do,” says artist Annie DiRusso. “I have had some of the most beautiful times of my life on the road this past year. I’m honored to be a part of this year’s Live List and I can’t wait to play a bunch of shows in 2024.” 

“Without artists, stages would be silent,” says Stephen Parker, Executive Director, National Independent Venue Association. “Venues, festivals, and promoters uplift up-and-coming artists because they recognize the power of emerging voices finding the resonance they deserve. The NIVA Live List embodies the spirit of every independent stage, providing a national platform for the world to witness the remarkable rising talent experienced by those who put on shows every night.” 

NIVA partnered with The Black List – an online platform that connects writers in film, television, and theater with industry professionals in those industries via its annual list of most liked unproduced screenplays, online writing database, writers labs, and corporate and non-profit partnerships, in 2023 to release the inaugural live list.

“NIVA members are actively booking, promoting, and attending hundreds – if not thousands – of shows every year and therefore have the proven ability to identify talent that can have long and sustainable careers in the live space,”  says Jordan Anderson, Troubadour Talent Booker and The Live List Task Force Co-chair. “The Live List has been the perfect initiative for NIVA to help foster these acts in our rooms and beyond.” 

“We see acts that really have the ability to go the distance and, with that, we believe The Live List is a way for us to continue to help develop and foster these artists as they move forward in their careers,” says Jake Diamond, the Marketing Director for Union Stage Presents and The Live List Task Force Co-chair.

“I am deeply honored and so incredibly stoked to be part of NIVA’s Live List this year,” says artist Medium Build. “Independent venues work so hard to bring live music to their cities, night after night. Every concert you attend is the efforts of a hundred people that you’ll never see. Playing live is my fave part of this whole music thang, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without independent venues. The hugest of thank yous to the countless humans who make live music happen.”

 
The Live List Poster

ABOUT NIVA
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) represents independent music and comedy venues, promoters, and festivals throughout the U.S. NIVA led the #SaveOurStages campaign, culminating in landmark legislation in 2020 that established the $16 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. 

NIVA's mission is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live venues, promoters, and festivals throughout the United States. NIVA is committed to equity in its support and advocacy for independent venues and seeks to create and encourage opportunities for venues, promoters, and festivals owned, operated, and staffed by people of color, women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, veterans, and people with disabilities.

ABOUT PASTE
Since 2002, Paste Magazine has been focused on music discovery and much more. The award-winning website has recorded thousands of up-and-coming and established acts through the Paste Studio Sessions and shined a light on signs of life in music, movies, television, games, books and lifestyle. Paste prides itself on great writing and an audience hungry for authenticity and creativity.

ABOUT THE BLACK LIST
The Black List, an annual survey of Hollywood executives' favorite unproduced screenplays, was founded in 2005. Since then, at least 440 Black List scripts have been produced, grossing over $30 billion in box office worldwide. Black List movies have won 54 Academy Awards from 273 nominations, including four of the last 14 Best Picture Oscars and eleven of the last 28 Best Screenplay Oscars.

Currently, the Black List hosts over 5,000 scripts by approximately 3,700 writer members. These scripts are available for download by industry professionals ranging from agency assistants, to studio and network presidents, to A-list actors and directors. For more information on The Black List, visit https://blcklst.com/.

CONTACT
Lucky Break PR
Kris Ferraro, Kris@luckybreakpr.com 
Mike Stommel, Mike@luckybreakpr.com

 
 
Maia Olmstead
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