Moonrunners Valentine's Day Special
Josh Nutting was a booker pre-Covid for the infamous music venue we all know and love- Reggies Live in Chicago, Illinois. Josh started the MoonRunners Music Festival 9 years ago that took place every May at Reggies over the first weekend of the month. The venue would be packed with bands and fans from all over the states. It was a reunion that those in the roots music scene who made sure to not miss this event.
Many forget all of the nuts and bolts that held the music industry together. Venue owners, bookers, security, sound engineers, riggers, promoters, merchandise sellers, bartenders, artists and of course- the fans. As a booker, Josh was one of the working parts that held the music industry together in a microcosm perspective at Reggies. MoonRunners became so successful that he had booked a secret second Halloween weekend festival making the fest a bi-annual event-but Covid shut both festivals down. This gave Josh time to focus on his band Last False Hope and pivot the festival to the virtual world.
MoonRunners Valentines Day Special coming up this February 12-14th of 2021 will be Josh’s second virtual festival this year. The virtual fest will host all of The Goddamn Gallows in either their solo or side projects. The Valentine's Day Special will comprise of a line up with: Jesse Wagner of The Aggrolites, Run Rabbit Run, Johnny Terror, and many more artists. This festival will have an eclectic variety of genres from Folk Punk, to Reggae to Country.
Josh is hoping to do an in-person music festival at Reggies this upcoming October 2021 if it is safe and legal to do so. In the meantime make sure to see how you can support MoonRunners and for upcoming festival dates at the MoonRunners Website. You can stream this upcoming Valentine’s Day special from their Youtube Channel.
May this long period of time without live music teach those who wouldn’t go to a show because of the ticket price or the mere fact that it took place across town from their homes die with Covid. May the music fan find appreciation for this art form and never take it for granted again. May we all come together and allow our heart strings to be plucked by the strum of our favorite musicians' hands, while we pack the house for every single show to come in the future. Till then, be safe, wear a mask and check in with your music industry friends.