Lights out at 400 Bar?
Posted on July 3rd, 2009 – 7:11 AMBy Chris Riemenschneider
**UPDATE: All is fine at the club, Tom Sullivan says, and in fact this new partnership deal with a close friend of theirs could be a boon to the venue when it goes through. They’ll be dark just for a few weeks as they sort through all the licensing and financial paperwork (and take time off in a typically slow month), returning with that Biram gig on July 23. The City on the Make cancellation was over a dispute with the band.
While watching the Roots tear through “Immigrant Song” at First Ave last night, I got a cryptic email on my crackberry from City on the Make singer Mike Massey saying simply that their CD-release party at the 400 Bar tonight had been “cancelled.” No explanation. That, coupled with the fact that no shows are listed on the club’s website, of course suggests that the historic West Bank venue has gone dark.
Let’s not jump to conclusions, though. When I last spoke to Tom Sullivan a couple weeks ago (who has run the place with his brother Bill for the past decade), he hinted that there would be a “new partnership” deal at the club he would be announcing soon. There was no air of finality or regret about it. I know that the bar was late paying some of its taxes to the state last year, and it incurred a hefty construction bill when its exterior wall had to be remade following a modest crumble. But that’s the bar biz. There are a few touring shows listed there for the coming months on Pollstar, including Scott H. Biram on July 23, Slobberbone (doing a brief reunion tour) Aug. 15 and Joe Pernice on Sept. 12. Here’s hoping we’ll indeed see them there. Stay tuned.
And some good news for now: City on the Make, one of many great bands (and probably the best) that the 400 has fostered of late, was able to move its show tonight a few blocks away to the Bedlam Theatre (9 p.m., $7). Massey said of the quick switcheroo, “I’m amazed sometimes that there are good people like the Bedlam who go out of their way to make special things happen.”
4 Responses to "Lights out at 400 Bar?"
We can hope. Why wouldn’t they issue some sort of statement, though?
Good riddance I say!
This is horribly run club that insults the bands and fans by making it difficult to connect the two together. They don’t run ads in the City Pages and most weeks don’t even have any listings. I’m even a fan of the City Pages, I think their music department is laughable, but no one can deny that if you want to find out about upcoming shows, it’s the place to look.
I’ve missed a few shows because I checked out their website too late. I’m sure bands like the Wedding Present would have enjoyed an extra 5 fans and a few more shirts purchased. The club certainly could have found value in a large bar bill… and that’s just me. How many other people will one day say, wow I didn’t even know __________ ever played here. For shame!
Bring on someone who cares. Not someone who cared 10 years ago….
oops, meant to say “I’m NOT even a fan of the City Pages” aka they suck.
Wow, the 400 Bar had a dispute with the band? Thats shocking news.
