"As the Canalside project continues to take shape, nearby development is increasing. Business First reports a partnership fronted by developer Sam Savarino will open a two-level music club at 49 Illinois Street across from the First Niagara Center parking ramp. The venue will be able to seat 800 people."
Now I know what you're thinking. "'Friend' my ass. Parks is a WBEN listener!" And to be perfectly honest, I do occasionally tune in for a few minutes of Rush Limbaugh, but only for laughs. No really. The guy is HILARIOUS (and an evil mastermind). He spends the majority of the time telling his listeners how smart he is, and they totally believe it. It's a brilliant and profitable racket (Rush lives in a... kingly manner that would make Elton John green with envy). Anyway. A friend really did give me the skinny (and believe you me, in due time I'll be getting to the bottom of why they were at the WBEN website) about a new downtown music venue, and I was entirely unexcited by the news.
The Buffalo music scene took a real ding with the closing of the Mohawk closed month when it lost that magnificent 300 person capacity venue. In addition to being the nucleus of the local music scene, it was perfect for up and coming national and international touring bands for whom playing to 200 people is a good night, with the near 1000 person venue the Town Ballroom a future aspiration. This is where it's at, and this is what we want, so I was initially unenthused by news of a 800 person venue in the Cobblestone district. Even though I'm rather keen on the revitalization efforts underway down there and down with music being part of it, I'm pretty sure this is not what we want or need.
But then I Googled the address from every angle, and got a warm and fuzzy feeling because it kind of reminded me of the old Icon. God how I loved that place: it's three levels of tasteful awesomeness, the non cheesy people non cheesily dancing in the cages, the Guinness on tap before it was cool, that De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest show... and it's decayed, urban post industrial coolness. It was kind of perfect (especially the chilled out third floor), until bullets started flying and it closed down, but damn was that a fun place to see a show. Of course, like the Mohawk, we'll never get another Icon, but 49 Illinois Street has possibilities, even though the 800 person capacity downright worries me.
Thus, I beg the intrepid entrepenuers involved to borrow a page from the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, and have a smaller space to go along with your 800 person seater to cater to the indie crowd eager to give you their money. A 200 person venue within your venue would be a serious moneymaker for you, in fact I daresay you'll almost certainly get more use out of it than the larger space. This is what the Buffalo music scene needs post Mohawk Place... and did I mention that we're eager to give you our money? Also, please don't overdevelop it; keep some of that wonderful post industrial decay. You can't go wrong with a little tasteful post industrial decay.
I think if promoters started booking more shows at Soundlab (Dan Smalls Presents, are you reading this?) it wouldn't be an issue. Buffalo has spaces comparable to Mohawk Place that just aren't being properly utilized.
When I read the news about this new venue on BRO the other day I had almost a completely different reaction. I think the competition of having 3 similar sized venues in Town Ballroom, Babeville, and 49 Illinois will ultimately be good for the Buffalo music scene. Town Ballroom has had a monopoly on those sized shows for years, and having more options is ultimately a good thing.
plus, the roof probably doesn't leak onto the stage at 49 Illinois... so that's a positive.
oh hey, it's my Zola Jesus video