Two local blogs I follow doggedly now are Plan Philly and Brownstoner’s Philly branch. I really got into the former when I started noticing bylines from my online buddy Brian James Kirk. I noticed that the site really picked up steam and was on top of all the cool development issues and the not-so-cool ones, too. Same for Brownstoner. They do the thankless work that green reporters do: attend zoning hearings and watch real estate transactions to see who’s buying what and why. I’m realizing in this moment that this is why I love Foobooz’s restaurant deathwatch so much.
As I’ve said like 1,000 times before, I got a degree in urban political economy before I found myself getting a steady paycheck for knowing things about folks like Beyonce and Rihanna. Stuff like this, boring as it may seem, really excites me. And sometimes those worlds collide!
Such is the case with talk of a new music venue not so far from my home here in Port Fishington or Olde Richmond as our silly neighborhood association likes to call it. It strikes me as a complete non-starter, not only because that stretch of road is some of the most desolate within walking distance, but also because why in the hell does Philadelphia need another music venue that size? Do they know the live music business is cratering all around us? Is Live Nation really that desperate to find a new and creative way to lose money in a market they already lost?
Aesthetically, Grasso’s design looks like World Cafe Live! on steroids, which is to say, a venue I don’t visit often on steroids. (For the record, I’ve been to World Cafe Live! twice and I’ve never paid.) I’ll grant that there’s an off chance it succeeds if artists like Rihanna, et. al. feel like the Borgata is insufficient to their “premium experience” demands. But I have a hard time believing that the hard luck crowd hitting SugarHouse is going to schlep up Richmond for a big bucks concert later in the evening.
It’s interesting to read David Grasso’s own comment on Philebrity, where I’m sure many folks hip to the scene heard of this for the first time. Grasso addresses the gauntlet he allegedly threw down at the Electric Factory, the venue most likely affected should his new project go forward. You can read his defense here.
I’ve been in Philadelphia and on the music scene for a solid seven years. I’ve seen the rise and fall of great music venues, including the North Star and the Khyber. I’ve seen the resurrection of the Tower. I’ve watched as Clear Channel struggled once they lost their monopoly on the market. I’m honestly surprised to see Sean Agnew having the success he has, and I’m happy for him. Does that mean that Grasso deserves to build a music emporium that would directly compete with a venue like the Electric Factory? Hardly.
I know lots of folks think that the only solution to “save” the Philadelphia waterfront is to develop it as intensely as possible, without care for sustainability. I strongly disagree. I think that if there are areas worth preserving, or even reclaiming, as public space, then that should be the rule, rather than arbitrarily auctioning tracts of land to developers who don’t seem to understand the future of their business. I’d hate to see this become the fanciest dollar store in Port Richmond in five years.
Well J.T., I hear you, but I must respectfully disagree with you. I grew up in the Philly music scene and was going to the Khyber, the Northstar and the Electric Factory many years before you watched them rise. I have been to hundreds of shows in this city in my lifetime and many more in other Cities around the country and what has become clear is that most other major cities in this country have Philly beat by a mile in terms of places to enjoy a live music performance. D.C. has the 930 Club, New York has the Nokia Theater and the Roseland and several others, Chicago has the House of Blues and LA has too many to list. I could go on and on. Further, my understanding is that Live Nation’s club division (small venues) and Philadelphia specifically were bright spots on Live Nation’s financial statement last quarter. Philadelphia music fans deserve the same as other cities.…especially with its amazing music history. Seems like a NIMB based article to me artfully crafted to sound like facts.
Well J.T., I hear you, but I must respectfully disagree with you. I grew up in the Philly music scene and was going to the Khyber, the Northstar and the Electric Factory many years before you watched them rise. I have been to hundreds of shows in this city in my lifetime and many more in other Cities around the country and what has become clear is that most other major cities in this country have Philly beat by a mile in terms of places to enjoy a live music performance. D.C. has the 930 Club, New York has the Nokia Theater and the Roseland and several others, Chicago has the House of Blues and LA has too many to list. I could go on and on. Further, my understanding is that Live Nation’s club division (small venues) and Philadelphia specifically were bright spots on Live Nation’s financial statement last quarter. Philadelphia music fans deserve the same as other cities.…especially with its amazing music history. Seems like a NIMB based article to me artfully crafted to sound like facts.
I think what you’re not getting is that I don’t have anything against the
Philadelphia music scene being vibrant. I have doubts about whether or not
it would be made richer with the introduction of a new venue. The list of
venues you just named are some of the least consumer-friendly I’ve ever
experienced. You’re really going to invoke House of Blues here? I feel the
same way about the Electric Factory, to be honest.
I’d sooner see someone make a legitimate run against Johnny Brenda’s (or,
hell, the First Unitarian Church basement) than I would the Electric
Factory. Sure, the margins are probably tighter, but the ticket prices are
in a neighborhood people can afford. My favorite concerts in Philadelphia,
or New York for that matter, were at the smaller venues. I especially
enjoyed shoehorning some acts into the smaller space and charging $30 to see
them.
I get that you see this radicalizing the Philly music scene. It’s your baby.
You must. But if you’re going to try to make an emotional appeal about “the
scene,” it’d be better spent on a venue that doesn’t look like a Best Buy.
Lastly, I’m flattered that you said this blog post was artfully crafted.
Honestly, it’s not a NIMB hit piece as much as it is a music editor who has
watched interest in music crater, and knows people’s willingness to spend on
tickets has decreased mightily. Also, I’m a runner who’s been through that
area and if people are afraid to go the Electric Factory now, they sure as
hell won’t feel comfortable driving that stretch of desolate road.
Thanks for commenting. Best of luck going ahead.
I think what you’re not getting is that I don’t have anything against the
Philadelphia music scene being vibrant. I have doubts about whether or not
it would be made richer with the introduction of a new venue. The list of
venues you just named are some of the least consumer-friendly I’ve ever
experienced. You’re really going to invoke House of Blues here? I feel the
same way about the Electric Factory, to be honest.
I’d sooner see someone make a legitimate run against Johnny Brenda’s (or,
hell, the First Unitarian Church basement) than I would the Electric
Factory. Sure, the margins are probably tighter, but the ticket prices are
in a neighborhood people can afford. My favorite concerts in Philadelphia,
or New York for that matter, were at the smaller venues. I especially
enjoyed shoehorning some acts into the smaller space and charging $30 to see
them.
I get that you see this radicalizing the Philly music scene. It’s your baby.
You must. But if you’re going to try to make an emotional appeal about “the
scene,” it’d be better spent on a venue that doesn’t look like a Best Buy.
Lastly, I’m flattered that you said this blog post was artfully crafted.
Honestly, it’s not a NIMB hit piece as much as it is a music editor who has
watched interest in music crater, and knows people’s willingness to spend on
tickets has decreased mightily. Also, I’m a runner who’s been through that
area and if people are afraid to go the Electric Factory now, they sure as
hell won’t feel comfortable driving that stretch of desolate road.
Thanks for commenting. Best of luck going ahead.
Thanks for the reply. Happy to discuss this anytime. I think there is a lot we can agree upon and maybe learn from each other.
I agree with the comment about The Khyber…but disagree with the one about the North Star? Have you seen their calendar for the next two months? I consider that a great alternative to a sweaty Church Basement…and to the Mighty Johnny Brendas *gasp*.
I once saw Preston School of Industry open for the Shins at the North Star.
I saw Clinic on the Walking with Thee tour at the North Star. We haven’t
seen the likes of that booking in nearly a decade. I just skimmed the
bookings on the site and I’d say my comment stands.
Apart from the ’90s nostalgia bookings, there’s nothing on there that Agnew
doesn’t have beat hands down, even at the Church.