Monday, August 16. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section D · Page 7
Local venues keep the beat bumping in Lawrence
By Rob Pazell
Kansan staff writer
Live music and live music venues make the Lawrence nightlife.
It's no secret that you can find a live show any night.
Lawrence's live music venues offer audience sizes ranging from 1,000 to small bars holding no more than 200. Whatever the size, they veel in a constant stream of acts, both local and national.
For its architecture and auditorium quality sound, Liberty Hall endures as a favorite Lawrence venue.
Located at 644 Massachusetts St. since 1912, it is decorated with giant paintings on either side of the stage and on the ornate ceiling panels.
Capacity ranges from 700 to 1,000,
depending on the act. Acts visiting
Liberty Hall come from diverse musical influences.
"I rent the facility for anyone and everybody," manager Tim Griffith said. "We've done everything from Ice-T to Widespread Panic."
Coming shows at Liberty Hall include Cuban dance music in Los Van Van and bluegrass legend David Grisman.
Formerly a movie theater, the Granada specializes in national acts but also does its fair share for the local community, holding free shows every Sunday night.
When the Granada isn't grooving as a dance club, it is a live-music hotbed.
Recent sellouts at the Granada include Rusted Root and Marilyn Manson.
as bringing traveling acts from around the country.
The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., continues its tradition as the main home of Lawrence's local scene as well
With a capacity of about 500, the Bottleneck is a traditional choice for bands because of its size.
Acts such as Cibo Matto, Moe., and Henry Rollins have packed the place. Coming acts at the Bottleneck include System of Down, Superchunk, and Carl Denson.
Many small bars act as counterparts to their larger cousins.
The Brown Bear Brewing Co., 729 Massachusetts St., is part of the historic House Building, which survived William Quantrill's infamous raid during the Civil War. A restaurant during dinner hours, the Brown Bear clears tables off of a stage at night where a wide range of live acts play to a 21-and-old crowd.
"I try to be as diverse as possible
when I book music," co-owner Ryan Rodenbang said.
Regular acts at the Brown Bear include acoustic folk rock by Celia on Tuesdays, open jam sessions with Mudslinger on Wednesdays and five-piece acoustic rock by Sturgin Mill on Mondays.
The Jazzhaus, 926 1/2 Massachusetts St., guarantees live music Wednesday through Saturday.
Also a 21-and-older establishment, the Jazzhaus features a variety of music from many genres in an intimate, candle-lit setting. Tim Reynolds and Matt "Guitar" Murphy are among the names that have graced the stage.
"The music at the Jazzhaus is never the same," said Brett Pitner, Jazzhaus bartender. "You get something completely different each time."
The Jazzhaus will welcome students
with a back-to-school week of funk and jazz featuring Space Pocket, the Jesse Jackson 5, and Boogle Chylde playing Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The Replay Lounge. 946 Massachusetts St., continues its tradition of hard-edged style featuring punk, rockabilly, or just straight-up rock-and-roll for its 21-and-older patrons.
Local bands like the Teriyakis and Kelly's Heros tear up this joint, which has always had great compatibility with Lawrence
"The Replay pretty much appeals to everyone," bartender Gavin Johnston said.
The Replay Lounge starts its fall music lineup with rock-and-roll from Captured by Robots on Friday.
Classy Lawrence bars beat obnoxious Westport
—Edited by Derek Prater
Commentary
In this area, there are two youth hot spots that everyone knows about:
Lawrence and Westport.
Both offer an inordinate amount of places to get liquored up. Both cater to a similar group, although Westport skews a little older.
Nick Bartkoski
Kansan Columnist
Other than that,
they're similar in the same way that hell is heaven's dark reflection. For everything that's good about the Lawrence scene, there's a grotesque parallel in Westport.
I've actually begun saying prayers to God that he'll be kind enough to strike me down before the phrase "Hey, wanna go out, I know this place in Westport" even enters my vocabulary.
If you go into a bar in Lawrence, one of the first things you'll notice is the really obnoxious guy. Usually he's drunk, but not always. The rule of the night is to avoid the obnoxious guy.
I should know, it felt kind of awkward when even the bartender wouldn't speak to me at the Wheel.
But in Westport it's an entirely different dynamic. You can't avoid the drunk obnoxious guy. EVERYONE is the drunk obnoxious guy. I'm sure in their heart of hearts they've got their redeeming qualities — like they help keep the ground from floating off into space — but everyone there is pushy, rude and, well, obnoxious.
With this fact in mind, one can only wonder how this large a collection of obnoxious people can enjoy themselves, unless of course they enjoy being around other obnoxious people so that they can be more obnoxious.
In Lawrence, there is subtle pressure to hook up and understandably so.
to hook up and understandably so. Ultimately people go out to meet each other. Both men and women will try to gloss over their imperfections and look their best.
However, in Westport, there's a Final
Solution-like impetus to take someone home and get it on.
Women come dressed not to say "I'm worth it," as in Lawrence, but "I'm willing."
The last time I was in Westport I saw a woman with a glow stick in her shirt. The only thing she could have done that would be more audacious would be to walk around with a neon sign with arrows pointing to her chest reading: "My Breasts."
Most of the truly stupid people in Lawrence are much younger, and that kind of forgives them.
The harsh truth is that even at 18, one still has a lot of maturing to do, so when younger adults do something stupid, it's expected.
To be honest, I'd expect people to have their act together by age 26.
I know that expectation only gives me four years to grow up, but who knows, maybe that will be one of the millennium-ending miracles that signals the end times.
I do have to say there's one thing I do like about the people who party in Westport: As a general rule, they don't park in the scholarship halls' parking lot when they go out.
Sure, our parking lot is too far away for Westport, but just close enough for the truly inconsiderate on their way to the Wheel. B
ut as I said before, these people are the crème de la crème of obnoxious people; I could see them walking the 60 to 70 miles just to spite us.
If you're older than 21, go to the Red Lion where there's a good environment and you get free popcorn.
So if you're looking to go out, don't drive for an hour just to go to a really sad parody of Lawrence.
Or if you're under 21, go see a show at the Bottleneck, where you can enjoy both a cool audience and a cool band.
Just don't park in my lot. Unless, of course, you want to be on a first-name basis with Quality Tow.
Barkoski is a Basehor senior in journalism.
If you really want to,check out all the tradition of the Wheel.
Lawrence recording studios rock area bands
Jessica Dawes
Kansan staff writer
Local recording studios give Lawrence-area bands an opportunity to get their music out of the garage and onto store shelves.
Two recording studios in the Lawrence area are Mercy Record Studio and Red House Recording Studio. Also located in Lawrence are smaller project studios.
Red House, 701 Main St. in Eudora is one of the more interesting studios around.
Its building is 160 years old and has been home to a department store, a hotel, a general store and a funeral home.
"Red House has a neat historical feel," said Greg Franklin, Olathe senior. "One of their recording booths is in an old vault that the hotel used to store valuables in."
Because it was formerly a funeral home, some think that the building is haunted.
"Once a client told me that he saw a ghost, but I don't know if I believe him," said Casey Baum, Red House engineer.
Franklin's band, The Believe it or Nots, chose to record at Red House because of the studio's reputation
"We didn't feel rushed, and they made us feel really comfortable," Franklin said.
The average time that local bands spend in the studio is from 2 to 3 days. The
Believe it or Nots spent two full days recording and mixing.
"They gave us freedom to decide how we wanted everything to sound," Franklin said.
Expensive studio time has led some Lawrence musicians to record at home where they are not pressured to produce music under time limitations.
Most local bands pay for their own studio time, which costs from $30 to $60 per hour. Costs vary depending on how long a band spends in the studio, and weekday rates are generally cheaper than weekend rates.
"At home I have control of the music and time to experiment with it, instead of recording under a time
"In Lawrence, we don't have bands come in and spend eight months in the studio and $250,000 on a record to achieve a perfect plush sound. But for under $1,000, any band can make a decent record."
restriction," said Steve Squire, Lawrence resident.
Travis Millard, KU graduate, has recorded at Lawrence-area studios in the past but also records his music at home using a four track.
The four track allows musicians to record several instruments and vocals at different times, mix them and then play all the tracks together.
Matt LaPoint Mercy Record Studio engineer
This permits musicians to edit mistakes without having to start a song from the beginning.
"I basically have a mini home recording studio." Millard said. "There is more chance for discovery with a four track."
University of Kansas students represent about 70 percent of the clients at Mercy, LaPoint said.
Manufactured in cassette and digital formats, four-track recorders are widely available at music stores for between $200 and $500. The digital format uses a home computer to store the recorded music.
"A lot of bands should consider experimenting with four tracks before they come in to the studio to record," LaPoint said. "Bands are overlooking this option, and it gives them a chance to practice arrangements before they come in and pay for studio time."
Matt LaPoint, Mercy Record Studio engineer, agreed.
Mercy, 735 1/2 B New Hampshire St., began as a record label in the fall of 1992.
Mercy sought out new bands, signed them to their label, paid for their recording costs and promoted their music.
In 1995, the record-label disbanded and Mercy became the recording studio that it is today.
"Any music you can think of, we've
recorded here—everything from jazz bands to classical string quartets to hardcore metal." LaPoint said.
Although Mercy is no longer a record label, it still supports coming bands.
"At our facility, we actually have bands camp out with us while they record," LaPoint said, "We have showers here, as well as a kitchenette and sink."
LaPoint said that he enjoyed creating specific sounds for musicians.
"Someone might come in and describe how they want something to sound," LaPoint said. "As a musician and engineer, I can figure that out for them so that they don't have to waste their energy on technical stuff."
Although Lawrence-area recording studios aren't equipped with the same technology as major-label studios, Lawrence studios can still compete, LaPoint said.
"In Lawrence, we don't have bands come in and spend eight months in the studio and $250,000 on a record to achieve a perfect, plush sound," LaPoint said. "But for under $1,000, any band can make a decent record."
Once the recording process is finished, bands may purchase their album on vinyl, tape or compact disk.
Most bands promote and distribute their own music.
Many local record stores allow any band to sell its music under consignment and take only a small percentage of the profit.
"We are more than happy to help any band get their music out," said Bill Corrigan, manager of Alley Cat Records, 717 Massachusetts St.
Kansan classifieds are your way to reach the college market.
SERVICES
An Equal Opportunity
Earn top pay & benefits plus great opportunities for growth. Never An Applicant Fee!
Call Kelly today! 785-749-2782