The Van Buren concert venue. (John Spevacek/DD)
Several bands that come to Phoenix and its surrounding cities to perform do not get to play on big stages. They often play at clubs in the middle of strip malls where the nearest landmark is a fast-food restaurant.
But that is not the case if they are playing The Van Buren– or at least it wasn’t the case. The Van Buren music venue has been closed since March, when the Coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of the entertainment industry in the state and nationwide.
Located on the corner of Van Buren Street and 4th Avenue, it has given bands a place to perform their music since 2017, but the building has been around since 1930, home to the Phoenix Motor Company and various other automotive dealerships until 2016. It has hosted countless concerts, parties, and even Lucha Libre wrestling last year, but the last event to be held in 2020 was a performance by Puerto Rican rapper Ivy Queen La Diva on her ‘Raiz No Rama’ world tour.