Photo via the Associated Press/Mark Humphrey
The Basement East — affectionately known by Nashvillians as “The Beast” - was destroyed by a tornado early on the morning of March 3, just hours after a local Bernie Sanders benefit.
Co-owner Mike Grimes called the venue "pretty much a total loss," and while there were staff in the building at the time of its destruction, "all are safe."
“The tornado hit at approximately 1:15 a.m.," he said earlier. "The Bernie benefit was over, and our conscientious staff of five ran down to the basement with seconds to spare before the roof blew off... We are so fortunate."
The venue was a regular stop for many groups in the live music scene. Just last week, Rich and Chris Robinson performed a sold-out "Brothers of a Feather" gig there. Bands like Fruition, Best Coast and TAUK were all slated to play there this month, and Spafford even had the room booked this summer for a highly-anticipated run of Phish after-parties.
"We are diligently working on each show to either relocate or cancel," the venue wrote Tuesday morning. "We will send updates out to ticket holders, on our website and social media as we determine the status of each show. Please bear with us as this process could take a few days to weeks. Love you Nashville!"
As per an initial report, 19 were killed during the storm and 48 buildings have collapsed.
“Nashvillians are known for our resilience, and now it’s time to show the world once again that we can accomplish a whole lot when we come together as a community and lend each other a helping hand,” Mayor John Cooper said during a press conference.
