In the mythology of ancient Egypt, the god Osiris died
in the autumn, only to be reborn in the spring. In a cultural
epoch lasting centuries, that's a damn lot of death and rebirth.
So it goes with the building at 215 SE 9th Ave., the former
site of the much-mourned rock club LaLuna, that's
now slated for resurrection in March in its fourth (or fifth,
depending on who's counting) incarnation in one year's time.
When the Monqui production impresarios pulled the
plug on the longtime scene epicenter last April, the club's
passing inspired a wave of instant nostalgia for the Days
When Giants Walked Among Us. (Alas, Spinanes, we
knew you well!) Since then, the venue has been in and out
of business more times than Poland.
The space-cadet all-ages techno club The Womb failed
to make much of an impression beyond bafflement before expiring.
Seattle Weekly and Willamette
Week annexed the building for their respective North
by Northwest after-hours parties, both jam-packed affairs.
Through early fall, the wide-open spaces hosted a series
of shows promoted by rock-scene mainstay Mike Thrasher,
who explored (and abandoned) the possibility of taking over
the place permanently.
Now, the former LaLuna has another new name and another
set of hopeful operators. While full details are not available
at press time, a fresh effort called The Paradigm
looks set to launch in early or mid March.
Monqui will apparently use the venue for some concerts
it promotes, but the new club will be operated by Lori
Maxwell. According to booking agent Thomas Anderson,
the Paradigm will assemble an aggressive docket of live
acts after a thorough remodel.
"We're definitely in a competitive mode," says Anderson.
"It's a triple-A venue to start with, and we're only going
to make it better."
News of the Paradigm's birth comes at a time when live
music enjoys a signal moment in Portland. While out-of-control
property values and hostile governments have music under
siege in supposed meccas like Austin and Seattle, Portland's
overall live-music scene has quietly slipped into the clover.
Undoubtedly, the rocketing economy plays a role. Then again,
no one turns out on a Wednesday night to dig prolonged,
post-mod, Middle Eastern-flavored improvisation (accompanying
a surrealist Armenian movie, no less) just because they
have a few extra dollars to burn. Hochenkeit's luscious
set two weeks back, part of the new monthly Improvisers
Collective series, fit that description--and drew a
solid late-night crowd at the Tonic Lounge.
The success of such defiantly non-commercial fare is only
part of the picture. Electronic and experimental performances,
like the well-established Hypnotica series at the
Jasmine Tree, crop up constantly. Even though the
trendoid furor has subsided, swing shows attract hordes.
More adventurous jazz packs Jimmy Mak's and other
like-minded establishments. Beyond rock standbys like Satyricon,
Berbati's and EJ's, new venues ranging from
the Medicine Hat on Northeast Alberta to the Crystal
Ballroom's new Lola's Room serve a scene so far-flung
that its constituent artistic cliques barely need to take
notice of each other.
It's quite possible that the club scene is ripe for something
of a market correction; Paradigm will be just another finger
in a crowded pie. Still, informal shows in living rooms
draw crowds any bar manager would kill for, and enough people
bought $50, non-refundable passes to keep the hiatus-cursed
Glass Factory afloat, even though the would-be all-ages
joint hasn't hosted a show since fall. Portland's music
scene, in general, enjoys broad, deep, active support.
Even Union Jack's, a venerable strip joint on East
Burnside Street, has started booking shows, ranging from
unhinged punk to freaky electronica, several nights a week.
Tony Mengis, the promoter who orchestrated the short-lived
all-ages scene at the nearby Chinese Teahouse this
summer, says his move to the burlesque is still something
of an experiment.
"We're still figuring it out," he says. "It sounds right
now like we have until March to find out if it's working.
Having dancers going at the same time as the bands can be
a little awkward, and it's cut into the dancers' tips a
little bit. Having a cover charge at the door keeps some
of the old regulars away, but when a band has enough of
a draw, there are plenty of customers."
Any era when bands draw as well as full frontal nudity
is rare indeed. Savor.
Paradigm's general manager, Lori Maxwell, used to
work for local production company Double-Tee and
still works for the national concert outfit House of
Blues.
According to Anderson, Lori Maxwell has reached an understanding
with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. The OLCC's
refusal to grant LaLuna a hard-liquor license played a big
role in its demise.
Speaking of the OLCC, action on a proposal to reform rules
governing minors' access to venues serving alcohol
isn't likely until March, according to commission rules
coordinator Katie Hilton. Big-time Portland promoters--notably
the McMenamins chain, owner of the Crystal Ballroom--lead
opposition to an outright ban on minors in dance halls.
Rock in strip clubs is nothing new. The Beatles
won their spurs playing long sets in sleazy Hamburg dives.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Willamette Week | originally
published January 26,
2000
|
