Victoria jazz club seeks help surviving latest pandemic wave after 40 years in operation
One of Victoria’s iconic music venues is reaching out, asking for financial help from its loyal followers and patrons.
Hermann’s Jazz Club has been showcasing local, national, and international blues and jazz musicians for over 40 years in B.C.'s capital.
Recent COVID-19 restrictions have forced the jazz club, which has a restaurant and ticketed venue licence, to operate at 50 per cent capacity.
The reduced capacity plus surging COVID-19 cases means in-person ticket sales have been decimated as of late, leaving the club scrambling to keep the lights on.
Hermann’s has been livestreaming concerts by donation since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as hosting live audiences as permitted by B.C. health regulations.
But the club says revenue streams have dwindled in the past two months, and government subsidies aren't enough, leaving management no choice but to turn to the public for help.
"It’s our first and only appeal through the pandemic," says Ashley Wey, manager and artistic director at Hermann’s Jazz Club.
"This wave has hit us the hardest and what we are asking for really is support to help us with operational capital to help us be able to pay staff and get food to serve."
Wey says the appeal is a short-term measure and will help keep musicians working
"We’re all really worried about the artists and how they are going to pay rent, but also the venues have been hit so heavily, it’s really tough to keep going."
Hermann’s Jazz Club is run by the Arts on View Society, which was incorporated in December 2016 for the purpose of preserving the iconic jazz club.
The society’s goal is to enhance the public’s appreciation of jazz music through all-ages live performances.
Wey first started coming to the club at the age of nine with her dad, who was friends with Hermann, and later became a musician and entertainer herself, travelling around the world performing.
She continues to perform at the club as well as mange it, saying it’s like her second home – and for the community, a cultural center.
The cause is close to her heart.
"We aren’t planning on shutting down, but this is a cry right now from us asking the community for support and donations to keep us going."
If you want to support Hermann’s Jazz Club and the musicians that perform there, donations can be made through the Arts on View Society.
For more information on Hermann’s Jazz Club, upcoming concerts, or livestreaming events, visit the club's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
Canadian government proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.