Independent music venues were among the many small businesses crushed by the effects of the Covid pandemic. Virtually every city can count at least one that was forced to close permanently. Many have only begun to host shows but with strict mandates forced by state or local governments and some still have yet to re-open. But, others have found a way to survive and are back to a regular schedule of live music. Recently, the calendar worked out where Mike and the Moonpies were winding down a tour with a swing through the Deep South all within a few hours of our Birmingham, Alabama home. We were able to catch the last five-night run but this isn’t about the band or those shows. It’s a celebration of the venues where they played.