Mary Janes gets so many national acts because it's pretyy much the house venue for the Hands Up Houston booking collective. I agree that sound is horrible there. I've seen maybe 50 shows there, and only one band ever has sounded good in that venue. My favorite venue ever was Notsuoh downtown. Downstairs was a coffee house, which i didn't care about, but bands played upstairs in an abandoned shoe warehouse. It was really cluttered and had old furniture all around, but it was such a cool atmoshphere and neat place to see a band. I remember seeing Cave In play there about 3 years ago, and it was so crowded that a friend and I had to climb about 10 feet on top of allthe crap they stored there to get a good view. It was also BYOB, which was a huge plus with me. The Engine Room sounds awful because it's always so empty, and it's owned by Clear Channel. I also used to enjoy seing and putting on shows at the Oven, which was a little pizza joint on Westheimer near #'s. I liked the owner a lot, and he really appreciated the business we brought. It used to be the HUH house venue before Mary Jane's. Other great places of the past also include the original Axiom, Deep Phat, and the original Zelda's.
Nah, they ended it about a year ago. It was a great one. Thursday nights, blues based jam, hosted by Teri Greene. It's where I met the harp player for the blues band I play in, the Dukes of Houston. It was a great jam while it lasted.
Tex: Good call on Continental Club. Completely forgot about that place. Mary Jane's isn't horrible. I haven't been to Sidecar Pub, but I understand that they are great to musicians and work hard to put on good shows. I would mention Fitzgerald's, but...I don't like to have to pay to play somewhere. Nope, not that place. http://www.nextdoorcoffeehouse.org/ Note the "coffee house." No alcohol. Actually, they make a TON of money off of small national acts playing there. Maroon 5, Rooney, Beth Orton and many others have been through there. I don't have a problem with Mitch (he reherses right next door to me), but I know some people do. Actually, I've played both places numerous times with quite a few different bands. Ovations is a b**** to play because you cannot play loud but it is a GREAT venue for singer/songwriter or jazz because of the way it is set up. Mucky Duck is a similar type deal. No loud rock, really, but for folk music or anything of that ilk, there is no better place in town, particularly because they are the only place in town that has non-smoking shows. I've played there quite a few times and seen people like Sarah Hickman and David Rice there. I know you are a fan of the Axiom, but I have to admit that I have always really disliked that place. I've played there probably a half dozen times and it was always a disaster. Hot (or cold) as hell, noisy, dirty and my truck got broken into TWICE when I was there. Plus, it is just rare that a band comes through there that I really like. Just not my kind of music for the most part. It is the cool hangout for total underground stuff, but it just is NOT for me. Max: You get in free to the next show for that post!
sweet!!! mission: accomplished!!! it's funny seeing friends in different contexts...my wife jokes that she knows i'm a lawyer but she's never seen me in court... i knew you were a musician...but it was cool getting to see you do your thing the other night. good stuff. looked like you guys were having fun, too.
Say, whatever happened to the old Urban Art Bar location that was more or less in what's now known as Midtown? I can't remember exactly where it was, but it had a decent-sized room for bands, and I seem to remember a totally different bar being next door. Where the hell was that and what happened to the space? I assume it's now prefab condos.
I swear, if you even mention the words "open mic" or "blues jam," when you turn around, Teri Greene will be standing there! He is such a great guy and I played a TON of blues nights with him over there. It's just hilarious how that guy is ALWAYS nearby when a jam commences.
Actually, the original was near the Specs Liquor Warehouse. It is now a parking lot. The second location was about two blocks from the Spaghetti Warehouse right around the corner from La Carafe. I knew the owner. He got out of the club business - wisely.
Yeah, that is weird, isn't it. I'm always a bit hesitant to invite people who know me in other contexts to shows. It is a totally different vibe from other things. I NEVER invite people I work with because I'm just not sure I like them knowing me that way. You see, there is relationship Jeff, but there is also independent Jeff...
A great guitarist and a very nice guy. I once saw him sit in with TSU's jazz/stage band, playing nothing but Kenny Burrell licks. Unbelievable!
Yes, and Rockafeller's as well. FSL is now a hair salon and Rockafeller's is now a banquet hall. In a perfect world, Washington would be Houston's version of 6th Street. I always thought it would be pretty cool if all the music clubs in H-town were located on the Washington strip. People could just park and walk from club to club like the glory days of 6th Street. Doesn't look like that will ever happen. RMT, know of any good open mic's around town these days?
Were you watching Seinfeld last night too? I played some shows at the Oven, and it was incredibly difficult to get a good sound there. However, it was way easier than getting a sound at the Mausoleum. The stage was about the size of a drum kit so all the sound emanated from about a four square feet area. When they moved the stage upstairs, that was somewhat cooler (the vibe was really Twin Peaks), but then they stopped having bands. I also hoped that Washington would turn into an entertainment district, but I think that's a dream. Still, it's pretty cool to have festivals at Pamland where you can go from one club to another. If just a few more (2-3) clubs could open in the area, it would make a great scene.
stage and sound did suck at the Oven, but it was great for punk shows. 200 kids packed in that place singing at the top of their lungs was so great.
1. rudyards (sound guy / rbi recording joe omelchuck you are a god) 2. the proletariat ( sound guy chad...leave him alone. he does the best he can with the nature of the beast that is the proletariat..which isnt bad...isnt walter's or axiom bad) 3. mary janes (when big bands play hear and play loud...the sound ok) 4. The Axiom. Its a'ight. go where the good shows are 5. Silky's. uber small cozy feel. NO SOUND GUY! but so small that when its packed to the gill everybody soaks up the sound and it sounds good. 6. Walter's. location...pam land...and the shows that are there from time to time. 7. Commerce Street Art Warehouse. damn they should have another party / show 8. a distant 8th is Super Happy Fun Land. only used as a last resource but still i hope that place doesnt go under.
Nice to hear Terry Greene is still in good shape. How about Ardis turner? New York Mike? As for clubs, Continental Club for sure, home team. Rudyards is nice -- the room works for what it is supposed to do. God, does anyone remember the glory days of Fitzgerald's / Zeldas? That stage is my favorite in town -- too bad no good bands have played there since the 1980s. Tones was nice. Micky's Mardi Gras. Local Charm. Live Bait. RIP. Udder Delight. Guitar Gallery. Lucky Burger. help
Live Bait....I had totally forgotten about that place. I saw the PC Cowboys there the first time I caught their act. They're pretty darn funny.....they're playing their last show with the original lineup this weekend at The Old Quarter. It should be a good drunk fest.
I played my first gig ever at Zelda's in the 9th grade. And yes, we had to pay to play there but we were just dumb kids so we didn't care. Now I live just a few blocks from there and I won't go near it. I hear it's kind of a punk club now? Too bad. It used to be the place to be. There's a certain band from Denton that I used to see there all the time. There were five guys with two hands each...
