Eli's Mile High Club, a historic venue in Oakland, faces closure after being red-tagged by city officials, impacting its income. Lead singer of Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, expressed his support by donating to a GoFundMe campaign set up by the owner, aiming to raise $150,000. The club has been a staple in the East Bay music scene since 1974, hosting blues and punk performances. Despite Armstrong's support, the fundraiser has only reached a fifth of its goal, highlighting the urgent need for community intervention to preserve the venue.
As the club's owner Matthew Patane explained during a community meeting, the venue is at risk of closing after Oakland officials red-tagged its back patio, which included outdoor seating, a pool table, a kitchen and a second bar, in November last year. The patio was a vital income stream for the venue, Patane wrote in the GoFundMe; since then, Eli's has had to cut its hours.
Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong posted on social media to show his support, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. 'I just donated,' the singer wrote on his Instagram story, alongside a screenshot of the GoFundMe.
The Oakland dive, which opened in 1974, draws eclectic and loyal crowds for its Monday night blues sets, punk shows and, prior to last year, for pool games on its back patio.
So far, the bar has raised just over a fifth of its $150,000 goal.
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