Madame Lou’s Staff Throwdown

W/Linda From Work, Hillside ‘77, Larches, Cruel Machine, Rachel Gavaletz, Andy & Mr. Chatman, Fish Teeth

Dec 13th 2025
Madame Lou’s, Seattle, WA
Photos and Review by Miguel Nunez

I don’t know if there is sound if a tree falls and nobody is there to listen, but one thing I can tell you for certain: if you close a venue and there is an abundance of talented people affected by it, you will hear about it.

This is the story of Madame Lou’s—a cozy venue nestled just below The Crocodile in Seattle, inhabited and managed by the friendliest and most passionate crew you could imagine. Madame Lou’s has hosted its fair share of local bands as well as touring acts and has been a breeding ground for aspiring greatness.

At the end of October, it was announced that Madame Lou’s, along with Here After, would be closing its doors by December 2025. As a way of honoring the legacy of the venue, on December 13th, Madame Lou’s hosted a show with a lineup like no other—featuring solo and band acts composed of the very people who work at the venue. It was beautiful and emotional to see so many talented people pour their hearts out through their performances, as well as their words of encouragement and resilience to one another. The dignity and pride on display was something that moved me like no other show.

I was welcomed by the amazing Carline Anne, who took me behind the scenes and introduced me to the many people who made that night—and countless previous nights—possible: people who are on the front lines of making live music happen, people who keep the dream, the aspiration, and the goal alive for so many of us aspiring musicians.

In a time where we constantly read about thousands of layoffs, it’s easy for those impacted to carry the burden silently, and to that, it was inspiring to see that this was not going to be the story of Madame Lou’s and their brave group of amazing humans.

This should also be a wake-up call to all of us who are passionate about music, especially live music. We are losing a very important part of the ecosystem that makes independent and unconventional music possible. Most rock bands we follow and admire played at venues like Madame Lou’s at some point in time. If we lose venues like this, we are also losing the possibility of experiencing the new wave of musicians—the ones not yet established, the ones still perfecting their sets, the small DIY independent touring acts. As music enthusiasts, we need to be out there on the front lines as well. We need to support our community by attending shows, buying real music, and encouraging the people making it possible. I, for one, want to tell the next generation that I once saw Linda From Work in a small venue.