Massachusetts guitar-rock band Speedy Ortiz are heading back out on the road this fall to continue supporting fantastic spring LP Foil Deer. But when their tour kicks off tonight in Columbus, Ohio, they’ll be also be supporting every person in the audience.
Yesterday, the quartet unveiled a “help hotline,” which fans can utilize by texting the band if they are being harassed, treated unfairly, or disrespected at a Speedy Ortiz show. It is designed to combat racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and other hateful and hurtful messages and actions at their shows. “Texts will go to us and we will work with venue security to try and get you out of harm’s way,” they write on Facebook. “It’s a new system we’re trying out and we’re sure it will require tweaks along the way, but we hope in the long run it can make our shows safer and more fun for everyone. We love you all.”
Check out the full text of the hotline via their posted flyer. After making the announcement to the band’s Facebook page last night, Speedy Ortiz guitarist/vocalist Sadie Dupuis shared additional thoughts on the cause via Twitter. Check those out down below, along with the full itinerary of Speedy Ortiz’ upcoming tour.
This help hotline is a new system we're trying out, but one we hope will make our shows a lot safer & more fun for all. We love you folks.
— sadie dupuis (@sad13) September 7, 2015
sometimes as a showgoer i've felt unsafe & didn't know what to do. as a performer i've always have an easier time getting security's ear
— sadie dupuis (@sad13) September 7, 2015
i'm hoping we can leverage our privilege as performers to help keep our friends in the crowd safer. we'll see how it goes but i'm optimistic
— sadie dupuis (@sad13) September 7, 2015
and if this hotline help system does seem to work, we hope other bands will set them up too. hint hint 😉
— sadie dupuis (@sad13) September 7, 2015
Here is Speedy Ortiz’ full run of fall shows, which begins tonight in Columbus and wraps in November at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas, with some October dates across Europe in between…
Speedy Ortiz Live Dates:
09-08 Columbus, OH – Double Happiness
09-09 Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Back Room *
09-10 Champaign, IL – Institute 4 Creativity *
09-11 Chicago, IL – Riot Fest
09-13 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge ^
09-14 Cincinnati, OH – MOTR Pub
09-23 Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts $
09-24 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl $
09-25 Portland, ME – State Theater $
09-27 Washington, DC – Rock & Roll Hotel $
10-05 Berlin, Germany – Comet %
10-06 Hamburg, Germany – Golem %
10-07 Cologne, Germany – Blue Shell %
10-09 Turin, Italy – Spazzio 211 %
10-10 Bologna, Italy – Covo Club %
10-13 Düdingen, Switzerland – Bad Bonn %
10-15 Brighton, England – The Haunt %
10-16 Manchester, England – Sound Control %
10-17 Dublin, Ireland – Whelan’s %
10-18 Leeds, England – Brudenell Social Club %
10-21 London, England – Tufnell Park Dome %
10-22 Glasgow, Scotland – Stereo %
10-23 Birmingham, England – All Years Leaving
10-26 Brussels, Belgium – Le Botanique %
10-28 Nijmegen, Netherlands – Merleyn %
10-29 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Bitterzoet @
10-30 Lille, France – La Péniche
10-31 Nantes, France – Soy Festival
11-06 Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
* with Palehound
^ with Swervedriver
$ with Doomtree
% with Trust Fund
@ with Mitski