I may end up not being able to go to any of the "final shows" at Death by Audio it saddens me to not get to experience that space one last time. But the experience that I'm talking about is one that underscores the importance of truly DIY venues like DBA. When I think about trying to get in to this last week of shows, standing in line to see surprise bands I might not be into with people I don't know, I realize that seeing the most popular acts with the most die-hard fans in order to be at *a* show at Death by Audio, though possibly fun, is not what I personally will miss at all. I will miss seeing people play their first show ever, or their first show in the United States, or the show on a Tuesday where 20 people showed up but the bands were amazing (or fuck it, kind of mediocre or just awful sometimes but who cares) and we all had a great night and everyone else missed out. I will miss booking my favorite bands there, and putting on an art show there, and playing my last New York show with the only band I had ever been in at that point. I will miss seeing Shellshag for the millionth time and knowing that plenty of other shows there were for bands I'm not particularly into but a wide range was supported and offered space there just the same. I will miss knowing that there is a place that supports all of those things that is all ages, accessible, affordable and ostensibly non-profit. These are the things that can and do happen when no one is watching, when the blogs aren't paying attention, and whether or not the outside world ever notices. It's not for them in the first place. I don't want to go to a show in Williamsburg (or Bushwick, honestly) ever again - I just want to go to the show. There are many more sides to this story but I am heartbroken to see this venue close its doors and take with it a very real and very necessary resource for so many people just trying to do what they love.
