Creating a space

The Hive serves as a blank canvas for creativity and connections

by Alex Vick

In my work as creative director at The Hive, I’ve been fortunate to witness special moments. I’ve seen a kid with a learning disability drop into the mini ramp for the first time and engage with his peers. I’ve seen a local metal band composed primarily of Durango High School students light up the venue with their talent and head-banging solos.

I’ve seen a youth from Farmington express the importance of his performance and gratitude, presenting his own original music that took three years to create. I’ve witnessed the evolution of Farmington punk band The Mommy Milkers, from playing some of their first shows at The Hive to opening for Grammy-award winning metal/punk band Gwar. I’ve seen local and regional hip hop acts – names unknown to the Durango community – move the room.

I’ve played some of my first shows with new projects in this multi-use space. I’ve been present for a night of punk and hardcore featuring all Indigenous-led bands and felt the power of their message and emotion. At The Hive’s first allages drag show, I saw a woman show so much vulnerability in sharing her coming-out story that it left the crowd empowered and in tears. It was a moment where myself and our executive director caught eyes across the venue and wept together in joy that our dream space for openness and connectivity was serving the community.

Like many businesses in Durango, we have felt and been subject to the highs and lows of operating. In a town so influenced and driven by tourism, our organization, which strives to serve this town’s and region’s residents, has had its bumps in the road. Coming into summer, we are looking forward to a packed show schedule. We will be hosting bands and performers from across the nation and even around the world. Our unique skate park/venue will house music from drum and bass to black metal, from hip hop to alt-country.

At 8 p.m. Friday, you can experience a night of musical landscapes and ethereal theater featuring Violent Scenes, a psychedelic indie art rock group from Apulia, Italy. Supporting Violent Scenes will be locals DJ Recess and Josie Loner. This will be an audible experience not to be missed. On average, The Hive will run four to six shows a month through the summer. The cost of entry to these shows will be just $5 – the intention being that we can offer the most affordable and accessible music and performance-based experiences. Opening up these shows to all ages furthers accessibility.

In the venue’s beginning, bands often donated their talent to help support The Hive. As we’ve grown, I felt it my obligation and privilege to support the performers supporting the space. I created a model that divided the door profits in which the bands could walk away with the lion’s share of the earnings: 70% of what is raked in from ticket sales, which consists of everyone from high schoolers to aging rockers.

As a result, The Hive needs support more than ever to keep its goal of accessibility and be able to guarantee $200 to bands and acts with three people or more. This, frankly, is less than what they deserve, but it’s a start. When paying a musician or an act, the venue is paying for more than just time on stage. They’re paying for time spent working toward mastering a craft, drive time, loading and unloading. In my personal experience, setting up and breaking down a gig can feel like –and be as taxing as – operating a moving company.

With these goals in mind, The Hive is extending an invitation of sponsorship to any and all corporate names, local businesses and individuals. If you see value in expanding possibilities and opportunities for musicians, performers and those with talent, please express this passion in attendance to shows and monetary sponsorships.

Special, priceless and extraordinary moments happen at The Hive daily, and on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., rare performance moments can be witnessed and enjoyed. The Hive hopes you will come, take part and be moved in such a way to financially support these musicians and performers who travel from across the Four Corners, the nation and now the world to breathe new life, sonic waves, perspectives and culture into our town. If you already feel compelled to support this space and the talent, local and afar, that comes through the venue, or you are interested in more details, please reach out by email at alex@hivedgo.org. And if you have not yet experienced a show at The Hive, come this Friday for an art rock experience. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and you could walk away with extraordinary moments to call your own. ■