Uptown Athens bars come and go, but when they leave, more than just the former owners are left with a loss.
Kieran Manzi, the press manager for bustedBASS, said he hoped one of the newest additions to Uptown Athens, The J Bar at 41 N. Court St., would provide the area with its newest spot for dance and electronic music. But his hopes, he said, were dashed.
“We looked at J Bar (for live music) because they have a nice open space, but the place is so new that it’s not really ready for something of that sort,” Manzi said. “Luckily, there are other places you can go, but there are still more bands, DJs and comedians than there are venues.”
The local DJ duo tested the new venue twice, and Manzi said the two DJs were disappointed with the atmosphere and conditions for setting up equipment. As a result, the group will stick to the more established venues in town.
That’s not stopping Manzi and several local DJs from branching out and getting their music into different venues, such as Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. The bar and restaurant has a reputation as an established music venue, but it’s better known for hosting folk and rock bands, with the occasional ’80s or Open Doors dance night.
But Thursday night, Casa will feature Athens Happens, the second collaborative DJ experience of bustedBASS, DJ Self Help and Brothertiger.
“People always ask us what it’s like to be in Athens or go to a bustedBASS show, and there is really no way to explain what happens besides it happens,” said Joe “Mad Hat” Sherwood, a member of bustedBASS. “We try to convey to people that you have to be there.”
Sherwood and his musical partner Arthur “Empty Cups” Henke agreed that the small size of the bars and the town cannot be helped.
The two will play with Athens’ own Brothertiger, the musical project of John Jagos, who is coming off his recent European tour.
“Overall, more and more people are amped to see shows,” Jagos said. “I think venues need to be more open to different genres and sounds. … There are still more house shows than venue shows Uptown.”
BustedBASS is releasing new tracks on SoundCloud and is very excited to welcome Jagos back to Athens. Thursday’s show will be one of both acts’ last in Athens.
With The J Bar open and the vacant spot The Blue Gator, 63 N. Court St., used to occupy now being turned into a new bar for next year, local musicians will simply have to wait to see whether those projects flourish into effective venues.
wh092010@ohiou.edu
