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And on the heels of Streetside's demise, CD Warehouse opened its doors just a few blocks north. I ain't checked 'em out yet.
A little south of OSU, Negril Records moved, joining forces with the Groove Shack. I gotta make it in there some day.
And just across the street from the Shack is the hanger that looks like it's finally getting close to opening up as the new Skankland. What's it been? Three years?
Also in the same area, Talamasca has come to the end of it's short life. The gallery near 5th and High featured some truly alternative shows and music, but it just couldn't last. Well, at least proprietor Johnny Rebel (of th' Flyin' Saucers) is still around doin' the band thing.
Bernie's/The Distillery has new owners - Tony & Roma of Burnt Sienna fame. Hmm, Burnt and Burnie's ... The sound system is on the top of the list of things to fix. Tony said he's already done some of the foot work for a new PA - looks like the present system may have seen its last refurbishing, re-coning, repairing, rewiring, re-etc. As for the previous one large room remodeling plans, they intend to stay with the two sided effect. Cool.
While those "wild" Friday night Disco-80's nights at the Newport are gone, they're upin' the number of Frontroom shows (not on the mainstage, just in the bathroom/entry level of the hall. Duh.)
Ruby Tuesday has called it quits live show-wise. It's aiming fer the dance club thing now. Even the comedy has been snuffed out.
There's a new club in the BuggyWorks building called Mekka. Neighbor Anne confirmed that there was a lot of 80's and electronic music & stuff - and a real trendy/yuppie/Short North crowd. Neighbor Anne didn't like it much. Julia says the "NY-style underground/house music" club will soon house a World Record mini-store.
I ain't sure, but it looks like something may be going on in the old 700 High club. Remodeling?
The newly added beer tent Jazz stage at Comfest seemed to be a success for those ensembles loud enough and instrumentally different enough from those on the Main "Bozo" Stage to play over 'em. The jazz/horn acts came through relatively well against the Bozo rock back drop, but acoustic string instrument players got lost in the big stage electric instrument backwash.
The kids are having a rough time of it show-wise. Freak'n's gone and the Neilhouse was inactive fer a bit. The Westside YMCA is leery about letting 'em do more shows (Seems some "uninvited" guests decided to crash & bash the party). The recent 3 day More Than Music Fest at North High School seemed to run into similar problems, so the event was moved to The Neilhouse. Too bad. The kids who are into the music don't seem to be the ones causing the trouble.
Speaking of riotous times, some members of Swivel-Arm Battle Grip claim that that big Earth Day riot near OSU was partially their fault. (And it wasn't due to the length and meaning of their name.) It seems things were fine while bands were playing. They suggest that had they (or anyone) kept the music going, the riot wouldn't have happened. The people just got bored and drunk by Battle Grips's theory. Yet another reason fer me ta hate beer.
And just to back that theory up, the Anti-Fest sponsored by Anti-Racist Action at 16th and Waldeck met with no violence of any kind that I heard of - and there were plenty people and beer there by late evening. The music just kept a-comin'.
Remember the Great Plains? Well, Mr. Ron House is back, this time with Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments. They got to play the second stage at Lollapalooza when it stopped at Polaris. Even SPIN and CMJ have high hopes fer the band.
So what is up with the too-long awaited Eardrop Too High for Lo-Fi CD comp ? Any month now, I've been told. Look at it this way, when it does come out, we'll probably all forget about the wait and just listen fer weeks.
Tony & Bela (Anyway Records) should be releasing the Clay CD/vinyl. The title is Stories of Kirk & his Fiat (& a Buffalo Grass Woman, Hester) . The street date is tentatively set for August 21. Look fer a possible Clay reunion/tribute show featuring artists on Burnt & Spent .
Tony of Burnt Sienna has a few other things on the burner besides Bernie's. All those of you on the BS compilation Burnt & Spent should turn in yer DATs by August 1, 1995. The CD will include the New Bomb Turks, Gaunt, Pet UFO, Hairy Patt, Morning Glories, My White Bread Mom, ff and Joel (Yep, I'm kinda excited). BS is also planning a split 7" with Econothugs and My White Bread Mom soon.
Speaking of the Econothugs, drummer Jeff has decided to focus on his guitar duties with Miss May '66. The guy from Knumskull is the new drum 'thug.
Bugman has reformed. Jabali is back on vocals and bass with Brett on guitar. Steve from Greenhorn is the other guitarist. Bill from Clay is drummin'.
Well, Gaunt broke-up again. This time on a Saturday, only to reunite on Monday - the third day! Sam (V3, Cap Gun, Feversmile, er, Train Meets Truck) sat in on drums and did everyone proud. The band and the audience cheered him on on several occasions. (This is the same guy who started furiously pounding the skins at one of the Greenhorn reunion shows while Greendrummer Pat crowd surfed.) Rumors have it that it may have been staged, but still a break-up. I heard the same rumor when Jim (New Bomb Turks) quit Gaunt a few years back, though I couldn't really tell if that one was staged.
Amanda didn't want me to forget that "Ball-Buster (soon to be changing names to Heart Soup) and Fucktooth are really kool zines which are produced locally by very foxy chicks! (Jen Angel rocks!)"