G.R.i.D. (Get Rich in Dallas)

This weekend saw the departure of the Red Blood Club down in Deep Ellum. Yep, another one gone but hey, Dallas needs room for all the new condos that will eventually populate the area. Although, I’ll never give up that Starbucks in Ellum would be a good idea. When I was at my former job, I had a soft spot for RBC for some reason that I could never put my finger on. It seemed like a total underdog while all the bigger clubs got the attention. Yet, they had national touring acts coming through and at times, they even deviated from their punk/thrash band lineups to put on a hip-hop show or even a comedy bit. And not in a desperate way either. It just seemed like they wanted to do it.

But with all the SUP business going down as well as their tragic stabbing incident last year, the RBC struggled big time. And they gave it a good fight holding out as long as they could which added more to my compassion for this place that I had never been to. That is until just a couple of months ago. And so in honor of their closing, I’m offering my fun times at the RBC…even if it was only once.

It was a decent Friday night and I was all the way up in Plano checking out Love & War for the first time. Good kebobs, big beer and some not-bad country music was enough to have a good time. That was until my friend Shirley texted me that she was at Red Blood Club. My curiosity was piqued. The place I had always wanted to go to but was too scared to go alone. And now I had my chance. And so my trek down to the other side of the spectrum began.

I’m a wimp. I’m a chicken. And I will tell you that before anything else. And their rosters always sounded way too gory and bloody that I just opted against ever going because I had the innate feeling that my a$$ would somehow have gotten kicked all over the place. Silly paranoia I know but nonetheless, it was stuck in my head that I would be in the right place at the wrong time.

Shirley was an old pro at the place so when she mentioned she was seeing JFA, I rushed down their ASAP. A weirdly quiet night, I found parking quickly and walked toward the place with no obvious entrance. What’s more, I was in Plano mode and dressed way too preppy for the place. I remember wishing I had written out my will.

After paying a $12 cover in cash and cursing that I wouldn’t get that expense back, I walk into a patio of black t-shirts, lots of eyeliner, cliched mohawks and a coworker. We chatted a bit before I walked in to find my very short friend in a sea of taller punks. And despite the loud crass music and eerie videos, I was digging the place. JFA (80’s punk legends-Jodie Foster’s Army) took the stage and the place became a weird madhouse of slam dance/mosh pit action and the rest of us just watching. The funny thing was the amount of receding hairlines and wrinkles that were partaking in the melee.

All around me were a bunch of Gen-Xers who hadn’t completely forsaken their old punk selves. They screamed, whooped, slammed, rebelled but with a certain evolved appreciation of the band onstage. They were still hardcore but only mature about it. It was the most fascinating dichotomy to witness. And the young un’s there seemed only to be there to be out. I could almost see the division between the true fans of the band and old punk in general and the new kids on the block who were in a surprising limbo. Emo enough to stand still and watch, perplexed enough to not know where to fit in. It was probably like high school all over again for them.

The concert rocked despite the middle age pseudo-stars onstage. The crowd was no threat. The sound was good. And the place was kinda nice. The brick walls and actual decor totally went against the black sheetrock walls I imagined. It was an appropriate mess which it should have been. And best of all, no stabbing or a$$ kicking.

And ever since then, the place that I had a weird compassion for, lived up to it and has been one of my best nightlife experiences ever. Only now, I can never go back.

Salud, RBC! Ya did good.

Dal-Brian over at Metroblog Dallas tells us what it really means to be gentrified and why that’s not what Deep Ellum is going through. Gentrified or not, I still think a Starbucks should be put up there somewhere, but I digress.

You go, boy.

A chick is suing American Airlines for “involuntarily and unknowingly joining the mile high club” according to Scanner. She was on her way back here from L.A. only to find some extra hair product in her coif. Yipes but kinda funny.

DMN’s Metro Blog leads us to a list of Important Dallas Women here over the past 100 years which in turn was compiled and provided by the YWCA. Mary Suhm? Really? Hmmm.

Bar of Soap owner Charlie Gilder wants to reassure everybody of one thing.

“We are not closing down.”

With buzz going about the bar not filing for an SUP and simply needing scratch, rumors, according to Gilder, began to stir that the 21 year-old Expo Park staple was shutting its doors. Not the case despite a slump of business in the past few months. The Fair didn’t bring in as much money as usual and business stayed slow after the Fair’s run. “People aren’t just coming down,” he said but assures that after Thanksgiving, business seems to be picking up gradually.

But they are short in the wallet hence last weekend’s fundraiser show and art auction. It wasn’t that Gilder didn’t file for an SUP, he just didn’t have the money to do it and according to him, he needs $1175 to do so. “The problem is money,” he said after explaining some of his goals for the bar itself with some remodeling and touch-ups desperately needed. But ultimately, he says, “We’re gonna be OK.”

Despite his feelings about the whole SUP business.

While he’s confident he’ll pass and willing to go through the steps, he calls the whole situation unfair. “I fail to see how it’s even legal. Looks to me like the legal precedent, is once your there and operational that they can’t come and kick you out arbitrarily. I’m confused about this. It’s completely unjust. It’s tyranny,” he vents, “I didn’t think this is the way the United States works. However, I’m not disappointed in the direction the area is going.” He figures with new condos going up that it’s just going to help the business.

So if you missed all the action last weekend, Gilder probably wouldn’t mind you stopping by this weekend to see Darlington tomorrow and The Deadites on Saturday. At they very least, Bar of Soap has their groove on.

Sorry for the late start guys. And I mean LATE. Remember that schedule adjustment I was telling you about? This is it.

OK, so all the SUP business still ain’t over yet. Monkey Bar is going to appeal of course. And all SUP’s have to now go through City Council despite being approved by the commission. So even with approval, they can still get rejected by our elected officials. Sucks, huh? Not to be too pessimistic but I imagine we’ll be seeing which council members are in developer’s pockets. Oh wait, aren’t they all any with the Trinity River Tollroad now voted through? Rest my case.

So tomorrow, D.E.E.P. is having their weekly meeting to discuss their plan of action. I think they were happy with the good size turnout last Thursday for the commission hearing and are looking for some more support. Read on (edited for space):

This week we will still be talking about the SUPs. They are NOT done yet.

At the Plan Commission, somewhere around 100 people showed up in support of Deep Ellum; the whole Ellum community thanks you for your effort–lets show the elected officials those numbers too.

Alan of Reno’s should be at the meeting tomorrow too. He is going to be holding a benefit for Adam and Barry, who were injured protecting Red Blood Club. He is looking for bands, volunteers, and support of all kinds for the benefit this weekend. Come out and hear what he has to say. As a community, lets help these guys and also put a positive spin on this.

We have other events to talk about too…so come out enjoy the new Deep Ellum Association office and BYOB.

You just gotta love important city meetings that are BYOB. And I totally mean that. Head over tomorrow night to the Deep Ellum Association offices located at 2822 Elm St., Deep Ellum (Elm @ Crowdus). at 9pm

Go ahead. Give a damn.

UPDATE - Double-Wide approved too.

UPDATE - Club Dada got approved for five years.

Congrats guys!

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From Misty who corraled a bunch of great info and pleas:

EXPO PARK / DEEP ELLUM NEEDS YOUR HELP
See my blog if any of this is unreadable

I’ve posted about this before, and there is a lot of information going around on the web, but because so many people are extremely upset when they post I think they start from the assumption that everybody knows what they are talking about which is just not the case. I don’t think this has been explained or publicized enough – so to rehash:

The City of Dallas has made new zoning SUP requirements for bars, clubs and tattoo parlours in Deep Ellum / Expo Park district. Their apparent goal, working hand in hand with the Deep Ellum Association and the local landowners, is to shut small business down, to empty and then bulldoze Deep Ellum, destroy its history, and turn it into a homogenous new construction like Uptown and the West Village. A picture of their plans:

http://www.ciphernull.com/Content/DEEP/DeepUptown/Img/DeepUptownLarge.jpg

Expo Park falls in the same zoning district, and is thus required to follow the same new (and under-publicized rules). I have watched the fringes of Expo filling up with new loft constructions. I’m not opposed to new lofts per se, especially when they don’t take the place of historic buildings. It’s just that having a tiny, vastly overpriced McLoft will never be my dream OR my folly. I feel that business and bars are what *made* Deep Ellum / Expo Park attractive to both to residents and to customers who come to patronize these places. Unique business and old buildings ad something special to the city, they give the place character and dignity, and if you take them away you have nothing left. There is no character in the West Village. It’s a temple of commerce, pure and simple. New, crowded, and generic. If you like that, go there, now. Please.

Expo Park on the other hand has a neighborhood feel. I have a small business there, and my husband and I have lived in Expo Park for years. The Gibson lofts http://www.thegibsonco.com which make up the bulk of the area are sensitive conversions of the old pre-existing buildings, and the opposite side of the street is the same store front row that was there at the turn of the century.

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~jwheat/expopark.html

This are is still filled with small, independently owned businesses – the kind of places you want to hang out it - and we need to keep it that way.

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This is what the opponents of some of the businesses who were in the first day of hearings said:

“We feel strongly that this type of business [tattoo studios] is inconsistent with the future of Deep Ellum….we’re spending over fifty million dollars in the neighborhood…if the city approves SUP applications for undesirable uses, such as new tattoo parlors and dance clubs, the city is only perpetuating the negative perception of Deep Ellum….The Deep Ellum neighborhood is an untapped goldmine….only after the city denies the application will landlords attempting to rent to these types of businesses get the message that Deep Ellum is closed undesirable uses.”

–Brandon Henry

“I am here representing two partnerships which own 150,000 feet of land and 75,000 feet of buildings…At some point enough is enough with the kind of uses that are dominating the night, creating fear, traffic congestion, and enormous expenses for the police….The previous speaker [Brandon Henry] is the future of Deep Ellum….”

–John Tatum

“I am a representative for a major landowner in Deep Ellum. We have about 120,000 square feet of retail buildings and apartments in that area. We are trying to turn Deep Ellum into a 24/7, pedestrian oriented, chic, urban neighborhood….we needed a plan to accomplish that goal and that is what the PD [Planning District/SUP] was for….”

–John Hetzler

THESE ARE THE VENUES GOING UP FOR APPROVAL THURSDAY:

MONKEY BAR
Z067-333(RB)
CONTACT - info@dallasmonkeybar.com
408 S Exposition Ave
Dallas, TX 75226
214-827-1129

Didn’t pass.

Monkey Bar in particular is in jeopardy because some residents in the new lofts complained at their first council hearing, and they were not prepared with supporters on their side. PLEASE take a moment to at least write something on their behalf. It simply is not fair to build a loft adjacent to a bar location (that has continuously housed a bar for 10+ years) and then to complain about the aforementioned bar.

THE AMSTERDAM BAR
Z067-334(RB)
CONTACT: Mike — amsterdam@theamsterdambar.com — 469-233-6591
831 Exposition Ave
Dallas, TX 75226
214-827-3433

MINC LOUNGE
Z067-332(RB)
CONTACT: Julie — Julie@mincdallas.com
813 Exposition Ave
Dallas, TX 75226
214-370-4077

Are under advisement.

FALLOUT LOUNGE
Z067-340(RB)
CONTACT: Unknown – Take a letter to them!
835 Exposition Ave
Dallas, TX 75226
214-823-0675

DOUBLE WIDE
Z067-348(RB)
CONTACT: Kim — kim@thedoublewidebar.com / sheltonator@gmail.com
3510 Commerce St
Dallas, TX 75226
214-887-6510

DARKSIDE LOUNGE / ELM ST. BAR
Z067-343(JH) / Z067-344(JH)
CONTACT: Wes — darksidelounge@yahoo.com
Elm St. Bar - 2812 Elm Street
Dallas, TX 75226
214-653-1668

CLUB DADA
Z067-347(RB)
CONTACT: Unknown – Take a letter to them!
2720 Elm Street
Dallas, TX 75226
214-744-3232

THE BONE
Z067-336(JH)
CONTACT: Unknown – Take a letter to them!
2724 Elm Street
Dallas, TX 75226
214-744-2663

Check The Sub-Rosa for more information -

Deep Ellum Enrichment Project – Read their blog!
DEEP has a listing of who the City Council killed last week

Do something NOW.

Like I said, they are rolling out too fast. Here’s the Amsterdam Bar’s take on the goings on as they prep for their council hearing:

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Hey Neighbors… Little help

This Thursday we go before the City Planning Commission to get a specific use permit for our bar. I’m going to skip the full explanation and get to the point. We could use some support from neighbors on the block & residents of PD269. We would like to get a group of residents, preferably on the block or Gibson tenants who will be able to address the CPC panel and let them know we are good neighbors, don’t invite a troublesome crowd to the neighborhood, and are an asset to the neighborhood in which you reside. Though we are not anticipating any opposition to our request to the CPC, It would be better to be prepared than not should opposition arise.

Case in point, Monkey Bar. Gerald underestimated the potential for opposition, and ran across some with his neighbors behind him. They had several letters & speakers opposing his SUP request. Gerald had nothing, as he did not think this was going to be a problem. The CPC gave him a week to see if there could be any compromise made, if not he’s likely gone. The lesson I take from that is one of preparedness.

If you’d be interested in speaking on our behalf, email me at amsterdam@theamsterdambar.com Fallout Lounge & Minc will also have their CPC meeting on that date. I’m sure they’d like some support from their neighbors as well.,This Thursday we go before the City Planning Commission to get a specific use permit for our bar. I’m going to skip the full explanation and get to the point. We could use some support from neighbors on the block & residents of PD269. We would like to get a group of residents, preferably on the block or Gibson tenants who will be able to address the CPC panel and let them know we are good neighbors, don’t invite a troublesome crowd to the neighborhood, and are an asset to the neighborhood in which you reside. Though we are not anticipating any opposition to our request to the CPC, It would be better to be prepared than not should opposition arise.

Case in point, Monkey Bar. Gerald underestimated the potential for opposition, and ran across some with his neighbors behind him. They had several letters & speakers opposing his SUP request. Gerald had nothing, as he did not think this was going to be a problem. The CPC gave him a week to see if there could be any compromise made, if not he’s likely gone. The lesson I take from that is one of preparedness.

If you’d be interested in speaking on our behalf, email me at amsterdam@theamsterdambar.com Fallout Lounge & Minc will also have their CPC meeting on that date. I’m sure they’d like some support from their neighbors as well.

All this SUP stuff is affecting all the bars and clubs in Deep Ellum and Expo Park. Yet nary a peep from other entertainment districts…hmmm. So, The Monkey Bar, which is one of the more funky charming bars in Expo Park, is asking for some help. This stuff is rolling out fast so I’m better at letting them explain the dire straits:

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To All Monkey Bar Supporters and Neighbors, please help us!!

We are in the process of going through a rezoning faze with the city. All appeared well, and we were given a letter stating that the city was recomending we receive out rezoning (special use permit). Well there seems to be 1 or 2 people in the neighborhood who wish that Monkey Bar was not there. So we need your help! If you could please write a letter stating your name, and address if you live near the bar, and if not, please write a letter anyway showing your support. The letter should encompass why you love the monkey bar, and what it means to you. We are unfairly accused of being a “Dive Bar” with less than desirable clientel. Now I think our clientel is great, our bar is great, and you wont find a better patio in dallas. We are also probably one of the safest bars in Dallas. The actual building that the Monkey is in, has been a bar / lounge for well over 10 years, and was there WAY before the residential building started to occur. So please help us out, and write us a letter. You can email the letter to info@dallasmonkeybar.com or bring it by the bar anytime this week after 5:30pm (408 Exposition, Dallas Tx. 75226). Our next meeting with the city council is on Thursday, and with enough support we will be able to keep our bar open. I will keep you posted on when the meeting on thursday is, so maybe all of you can come down there with us, and show unity.

Sincerely,
Dallas Monkey Bar

Club One is for sure having some changes that are going to change its whole personality. Somehow, that club has escaped all the dance club controversy over the past few years in Deep Ellum. It’s old enough now to be legend and definitely a staple. I’m hoping I can still check out Lord Byron’s show as he’s been so nice in inviting me. In fact, he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve talked to about the whole stint down there. He’s got some major love for Ellum and Club One. And he should. He’s been the cornerstone of that club every Thursday night with Panoptikon. And now, he may have to venture on. This is from his blog:

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So, I have received tons of phone calls and messages about the status of Club ONE as it pretains to the SUP occupancy application with the City of Dallas.

Here’s the scoop so far: last Thursday, we went to two City Council hearings. The first hearing took aways our after hours permit. This means, that after Nov. 16th, we have to close at 2AM every night. At the second meeting, the zoning meeting, CityCouncil voted to not allow Club ONE to remian open beyond a certain date. That date is still to be determined.

At this time, we are still in operation. If, at such time, we have to close the doors, I will personally move PANOPTIKON to another venue location. I cannot say any more about another venue location at this time, nor can I really comment on a closing date since I do not really have one at thsi time.

All I do know for sure is that we have made our mark with PANOPTIKON. All our friends & supprters, YOU, have helped to turn and develop one night a week into something that YOU wanted. The PANOPTIKON format has been structured 4over the past year & a half into a music format that you helped to dictate. We have listened, and we all got what we want out of it.

All that to say, I will personally do whatever it takes to keep this format alive…where ever that may be.

Thank YOU for all your support and dedication. Byron