MADISON, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- Madison music venues continue to struggle as COVID-19 continues. In one community in particular, the cancelations and subsequent closure led to an abysmal 2020 for the Atwood Avenue icon, The Barrymore Theatre. 

The Barrymore’s general manager and owner, Steve Sperling, says his site received a PPP loan. Sperling used it on repairs and maintenance but says the music hall is still left in a major predicament.

"You're making all these repairs and improvements and doing all this work at the same time, that you have no money coming in. So it's a real catch 22. You have the time, but you don't really have the money," Sperling says. 

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) says 90 percent of music venues across the country may be forced to close for good due to the pandemic. The organization — which was formed to try to save the independent sites — is working with lawmakers for federal support — such as business recovery grants or tax relief.

"So, yeah, I think it is pretty dire. And if nothing happens in the government in the next month I think you will see a lot of venues closing or being put up for sale and people just calling it a day," Toffer Christensen, a concert promoter and owner of the Bur Oak, says.

"I say the smaller venues right now kind of have the leg up, they have more flexibility they probably have a lower overhead. If you have a large room like this a fixed seat room, especially a theater, you can't really space people, I mean you know they can sit for five seats away but that just doesn't really work, and the economics are such in a large room that it doesn't work with 25% capacity or even 50% capacity in most places to even try to do a show," Christiansen says.

Both believe the shows must go back on someday for the neighborhood's survival.

"Restaurants, bars, shops, those things all develop around this [music venues]…and, you know, it's critical to all the businesses around it," Sperling says.

Meanwhile, another popular venue, Liquid Madison, says the site along with the Ruby Lounge will remain closed for the immediate future due to the recent spike in infections.

"Despite our efforts, the recent dramatic increase in COVID-19 infections nationally as well as more locally has us very concerned we might not be presenting shows again until early 2021," Owner Michael Hierl said.

 Learn more about NIVA, here.