When a venue has the word “shitty” in its name, occasional repairs are to be expected.
In that regard, the bill is coming due for The Shitty Barn, the beloved seasonal live music venue in Spring Green. Over the years, the Barn has hosted artists ranging from Kevin Morby to Lilly Hiatt, making it a summer staple for local music fans. Now co-founder Chris Staples is seeking the help of Barngoers to help de-shitify its roof.
“What I know — perhaps better than anyone where the Barn is concerned — is that ‘for-profit labor-of-love’ is not the same thing as ‘makes money labor-of-love’,” Staples wrote this week in an email message appealing to fans.
The Shitty Barn is seeking donations to pay for the repairs, and dangling a preview of this year’s slate of artists in return. Basically, if you give, you get in the form of advanced knowledge; the calendar won’t release publicly until March 27 (tickets go on sale April 1). And given that Shitty Barn’s shows tend to sell out fairly quickly, this is valuable information.
“As an audience, you have always stepped up,” said Staples. “You’ve consumed Hamm’s without complaint. You’ve weathered headwinds emanating from the port-a-potties. You’ve endured my words (including these here). And you’ve given all anyone can expect of an audience — your attention, your money, your enthusiasm, your flexibility of spirit… But we need you again. Like, right now.”
So far, the Barn has raised nearly one-third of its $30,000 goal.
Shitty Barn’s roof issues won’t interfere with their upcoming season, but its organizers are hoping to address a growing problem before it’s too late. “We have to keep the weather out or the place is going to collapse some day,” Barn co-producer Allen DeSchepper told WISC-TV.
Or as Staples colorfully puts it:
“The rainy day is here, but The Rainy Day Fund ain’t.”
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