nightlife
Bottleneck
The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., was the site of the first annual Jayplay Live. Mr. Bilistic entertained the crowd from the stage where many famous acts took their first steps.
Aaron Showalter/Kansan
When you approach the large, wooden, flier-covered front door, you may notice "Lawrence's Live Music Headquarters" painted boldly on the windows that encompass the face of the building. You've just arrived at The Bottleneck. The walls are plastered with framed and signed photos of the bands such as Jewel, Goo Goo Dolls, Good Charlotte and Papa Roach to Martin Sexton, Dexter Freebish, Tripping Daisy and Bella Fleck and the Flecktones. At 7 p.m. Nov. 12, The Sheep Return was prepping the stage for its show. After setting up, the band left to find dinner and sneak in a quick nap before the show.
Over the years, Lawrence has become a must-stop tour destination in the middle of the country, and The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., is the place to stop, says Brett Mosiman, owner of Pipeline Productions. Because of the sound quality, the crowd that it attracts and the history behind the bar, the Bottleneck appeals to many concert-goers.
In early January, The Bottleneck underwent remodeling. More seating was added with a better stage view along with structural changes to improve the look feel and sound. Mosiman says that bands rave about The Bottleneck, and it is known as one of the best-sounding rooms in the country. He says bands even request to do live recordings there.
The owners of The Bottleneck spent several thousand dollars on a new public address system during the remodeling. The PA is flush with the stage to create more room and help with sound quality. Amanda Haase, co-owner of The Bottleneck, says bands know they can come and get good sound. She says the way the stage is angled also helps with the sound. In the back of The Bottleneck, there is a poolroom with
booths and tables around the perimeter. This room was buffered so people could come and hang out and not get blown away by sound.
At 10:30 p.m., Art Alexakis, lead singer for Everclear, takes the stage. As soon as the first light begins to shine and the first note carries out from the guitar, everyone immediately rushes towards the front of the stage. They push together trying to get to that front spot less than 3 feet from Alexakis. The floor of the room is huge but they manage to squeeze into an area about the size of a 15-foot square like kittens trying to get to their mother. All but four people from the back poolroom come to join their fellow fans. The fans begin hooting and hollering like a pack of werewolves.
The Bottleneck appeals to just about anyone in search of some good tunes from any genre. You name it, they've
done it. Indie rock to punk rock to hiphop to metal — there's a little something for everyone, Nicki Geist, co-owner of The Bottleneck, says. This separates The Bottleneck from other places because there's something for every taste, says Haase. Mosiman says that it's not cliquey and all the different crowds can go and have fun. Because the venue is mid-size, Because of The Bottleneck's size, it can have small and large shows Haase says. Geist says that creates a more intimate personal feel when large acts play.
During the show, Alexakis interacted with his fans. Besides the usual singing along to well-known Everclear songs such as "Father of Mine" and "Santa Monica", he brought fans on stage for the opportunity to play music with him and pose as background dancers. About 11:30 p.m. he finished his set but returned for an encore of three songs. Alexakis says he
keeps coming back because of the memories he has made. He pointed out the picture of Everclear on the wall from 1994. "When I think of playing in Lawrence, I think of The Bottleneck," he says.
Mosiman opened The Bottleneck 18 years ago. Brad Sager, productions assistant for 96.5 The Buzz, says at the time The Bottleneck opened, there weren't any alternative radio stations in Kansas City. He says alternative bands would come to The Bottleneck to get exposure and they got a great response. Caleb Skulskie, Lawrence resident, is someone who you could find on any given night at The Bottleneck. He's been a regular for six years. He says that the company that promotes shows there, Pipeline Productions, is known for taking care of the bands. Because The Bottleneck is so well known for having big-name concerts, it has also become a well-known venue. "Most bands know what the Bottleneck is and most strive to play here," Haase says.
When Mike Watt and Eddie Vedder came to play, it was a huge show. Watt had to disguise himself and hide in the dressing room all night to avoid mobs. There were hundreds of people outside trying to figure out how to get in. Concert-goers find this encouraging. Skulskie says that there's a comfort level, for the band and the spectators, knowing all the bands that have played there. "Everyone from the East to West Coast knows about it. Almost everyone plays here on their way up," he says.
When Alexakis finally finished playing, he sat down on the stage ready to bear the horde of people and hang out. He signed autographs and answered questions for fans aspiring to be more like him.
Ashley Arnold, Jayplay writer, can be reached at aarnold@kansan.com.
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