There are few buildings that carry as much weight and significance to Atlanta's long musical history than The Masquerade on North Avenue. Since 1988, the Masquerade has seen legendary national touring acts - including Nirvana - grace its halls. In many ways, the venue has become a part of Atlanta's musical DNA.
The venue has three stages - titled Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. On a busy weekend night, you'll often find bands ripping through their sets on each stage, playing everything from punk rock to electro-pop.
As a musician native to Atlanta, playing and frequenting the Masquerade was integral to my musical upbringing as a teenager. The Masquerade has always been generous to local bands in the area - often giving them opportunities open up for national and international touring acts. If it wasn't for the Masquerade, I would have never felt as passionate and positive about music as a kid.
Unfortunately, the Masquerade is now in the crosshairs of the efforts to gentrify and modernize the face of North Avenue. It was recently announced that the Masquerade and its grounds would be turned into a "mixed-use" development that includes luxury apartments and a high-scale restaurant.
The Masquerade may be one chapter in a building's history, but I sincerely believe that the magic of The Masquerade is the building's most important - and necessary - chapter. It is a chapter that should not be closed now.
"The Masquerade is cool enough to attract major entertainment from out of state, and internationally, but accessible enough that a regular kid, like me, can play the same stage as those acts. It feels uniquely Atlanta with how it repurposes an historical building for a modern use. I think it’s responsible for keeping any interest in that area of Atlanta alive." - Kienan Dietrich, Atlanta-area musician.
Sign this petition and urge the developers and Atlanta city officials to keep The Masquerade open - and allow for the music to play on.
