Wow, the universe is funny like that. I mean, Tuesday was an interesting day to say the least for Western New York music fans with the announcement that Club Infinity was closing and The Waiting Room was opening. Talk about perfect equilibrium... that was as close to a straight swap as you can imagine and a near perfect illustration of the scientific fact that matter can neither be created or destroyed. For my part, I could care less about Club Infinity; yes I've been to good shows there, but really, the venue wasn't very good and it was in a terrible neighborhood. Seriously, the intersection of Main and Transit is a No FUN ZONE, and Club Infinity was not immune, thus it's closing isn't that big a loss, at least in my book. By it's very nature, our type of fun isn't supposed to happen out there at Main and Transit. It can't.
But with The Waiting Room, it's going to be a different story, and news about it's opening is provoking an entirely different reaction. Fun can be had in downtown Buffalo, and it's going to fill a vital hole in the Buffalo scene in the wake of the late Mohawk Place, in more ways than one. Of course nothing will replace the Mohawk... but... if you could perhaps transfer part of it's soul to a new spot ala Spock's katra, well that could be almost as good, and that's exactly what seems to be happening with The Waiting Room. Plus, it will the have the virtue of being new, something we can all get in on the ground floor on; plus, it won't have that funky smell. Me, I've smelled far, FAR worse in my day job so it never rubbed me the wrong way, and I always loved that downtown grime, but for some folks it was a turn off for the Mohawk. Now everything will be sparkly and new... while some of that old Mohawk soul remains, and this could be exactly what the Buffalo music scene needs.
After a phenomenal 2012, Buffalo's music scene's karma hasn't felt right since mid January. Everything has not been in it's right place since the Mohawk closed, and the Waiting Room could be what gets us right. It, along with Babeville across the street could become the nucleus and epicenter of a scene that could sit alongside a burgeoning arts,cultural, and food scene that could redefine the city and region. Or not. We'll have to wait and see, but there's tremendous potential; certainly more than what was out at old Club Infinity in Nofunsville. We lost a lame venue and we're gaining a potentially fantastic venue. I'd almost say we're Even Steven but I think we might have won on the deal. Sometimes that's just how things work out. Thank you Universe.
I'm going to play devils advocate Cliff. I actually think Infinity was a pretty decent venue. Yes, it was a bit inconvenient for the city-dwellers, and yes, that area of town is, as you put it, "nofunsville". But the sound was great, and they did get some quality shows there over the years. It survived longer than most, and had a spacious club feel that (thankfully) the Waiting Room will now be surpassing. Just my two.