|
Nightwatch -- Live
Hosted by Eric Brace
Washington Post Nightwatch columnist
Friday, Oct. 5, 2001; 3 p.m. ET
Where's the best karaoke joint in town? What's the best brewpub around? Who was that band that rocked at the Black Cat last week? For the answer to any going-out-in-Washington question, just ask Eric Brace -- our resident nightwatchman.
This week, Eric's guest is Dante Ferrando, the owner of the Black Cat nightclub. The Black Cat just relocated to a large new space, and if you have questions about the move, the bands who play at the Black Cat, or even Dante's old harDCore bands Grey Matter, Ignition or Iron Cross, please submit them before or during the discussion.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Eric Brace:
Bear with us, folks - Dante is running a little late.
Dante Ferrando: Hi gang this is eric here.. sorry for the delay..
We're here with Dante, the man. Send us your questions and we'll get right on 'em.
Clarendon:
Eric,
What the hell happened with Now Music? They just up and left over the weekend to some spot a mile west of Ballston on Wilson. There's a note on their door saying they're "only 2.6 miles away." Sorry, dude, but that's not nearly as convenient as 2.6 blocks....
Dante Ferrando: Eric here:
Now! was sadly not making the big bucks to make its rent over there in hot hot hot clarendon. Mr Days has leased its space and will be opening a club/lounge/restaurant.. maybe called Mr Nights (clever!)...
The spot Now! has moved to is better in one respect: parking.. it's ni a little strip mall between Ballston and seven corners, on wilson blvd. There used to be a little mexican place there that made the world's greatest tamales, but alas.. that's gone. If you have a car, Now! is still da bomb. If you were subway-ing it, you're outta luck. But give them a chance!
Dante Ferrando: Hi there: Dante here:
Washington, D.C.:
Hey, Dante -- I remember reading an interview with Sab on the 'net, and he said there are plans to put out a "complete works of Iron Cross" CD. Any idea when it's coming out?
Dante Ferrando: Dante; Yes,it's out. The compilation CD came out on GMM records a couple of months ago. They f***ed up the liner notes, which will hopefully be reprinted so we won't look so stupid..
It's an atlanta label. it's got all the released IC tracks plus 5 unreleased tracks.
Bethesda, Md.:
First, I have been very impressed with Black Cat. I saw Mr. Bungle and Mudhoney there I thought it was a excellent place to see bands. I have two questions: how do you book those big name acts? And second, what is the status of Grey Matter?
Dante Ferrando: the bigger acts usually come through booking agents who call us when they have someone on tour. Sometiems they pick a specific club they want to play at, sometimes they put the night up for bid .. letting the rooms in town put in offers.
as for Grey Matter, we're all living in different cities now, so any reunion would be hard. hey Geoff just got married! (for anyone who cares...)
NJ:
As a frequent visitor to DC (My girlfriend lives here), I do keep up to date with club openings, new bars, etc in the city. Modern opened, what, four or five months ago and you are just now writing about it? I've read your column a few times when in town. My girlfriend says there's never anything in it of interest to her and she lives here. Not good. My suggestion, write about clubs when they open, not four months later.
You seem a little old to be writing about nightlife in the city. Do you ever feel like it's time to pass the buck?
Marv
Dante Ferrando: Eric here:
I like to spread things around.. sorry your gf doesnt find anything to interest her. I like to let clubs settle into a location before writing about it, often.. having said that, in the past month I've written about Fluid and the Black Cat within a week of their opening, so keep readin.. eventually there'll be something that speaks to you (I sure hope)... but the demographic of the Post readership is very wide, so i cover all kinds of stuff....
If you need info ASAP please check out the listings and reviews Fritz Hahn keeps under the nightlife/bars & clubs page of washingtonpost.com
U Street:
Love the new digs, and the sound system's is sweet. I've heard some folks grumble that it "just isn't the same" as the old Black Cat, but that sounds like saying you don't like apples because they're not oranges. It's a different club and I know it will succeed on its merits. I'm just glad you didn't move to Herndon.
Dante Ferrando: so far, i like the new place better than the old place too. We still have a lot of finishing touches to do. I think it'll get that broken in feeling, get a little more comfortable, a little less new over the next couple of months.
D.C.:
Hey Dante. Love your new club. Looks terrific, sounds terrific.
One major question: how about a non-smoking section? Yes, I know the kids love to smoke and God bless the tar in their lungs, but isn't there at least a chance that you'll bring in more fans than you alienate by cordoning off a section of your concert hall? I mean, just a section? Ok, it wouldn't be smoke free, but at least there's a chance that listeners could leave the building without red eyes and clothing that stanks of Marlboros for a week.
C'mon Dante. You can do it! You're the man. You KNOW you're the man. You singlehandledly could add weeks, if not months, to the back end lives of the hundreds who will regularly spend hours at the Black Cat. Many will thank you now, many more will thank you later.
Pretty please?
Dante Ferrando: Dante here (and last one too:
The new Food For Thought coffeehouse is smoke-free, and a little quieter than the rest of the club, so now you have a good room to chill out and breathe in.
We're working on additional ventilation in the upstairs concert hall too. That should help.
DC:
Dante-
Can we still get any of the wonderful food at the new Black Cat? (You have NO idea how much I miss both Food for Thought and Dante's - especially the salsa melt.)
Dante Ferrando: Dante:
see previous answer...yes the Food For Thought coffeehouse serves food too.. The menu's not as expansive as the old food for thought menu, but has a lot of your favorites. Open 'til 1 a.m. weekdays, and 2 a.m. weekends.
Check out the cool 1967 RockOla jukebox. Quarters only.
Washington, DC - 20009:
Hi Dante...
The new space is great - congrats!
I live around the corner and have seen a
zillion shows at the old spot. The BEST one
being Jeff Buckley solo, acoustic on the back
stage, maybe 5 (?) years ago. His first DC
appearance, I believe. Got to buy him a pint
after that set. Any recollections from that
evening at all? Your favorite live act that
came through -- so far?
Dante Ferrando: Dante:
Thanks.. that show WAS pretty great.. I'd probably put that one on my top ten list..
others.. wow that's hard.
Would it sound too jaded to say that after 8 years of an average of 3 bands a night, the good shows and the bad shows are starting to blur together..?
I might be able to pick my favorites after a few more cups of coffee.
sw, dc:
hi dante and eric,
have you entertained the idea of having dismembermet plan play a new year's eve show? it'd be a hell of a night. i'll volunteer to help pass out champagne bottles for the crowd!
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
we'll try to do the traditional "weekend before new years" with dismemberment Plan if we can make it work with all our schedules...
We've been doing Peaches O'Dell & her Black Cat Orchestra on new Year's Eve in the past, and we'll probably do that again this year.
Dupont:
Dante, what's up with the 9:30 Club booking all the bands that used to play at the Cat and then doubling the cover charges? I appreciate that you try to keep it (relatively) cheap, but I'm not looking forward to playing $25 + service charges the next time Belle and Sebastian come to town and play at the 9:30.
Do you ever worry about the 9:30 stealing all the bands that played at the Cat last time they were in town?
Or are you just being priced out?
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
bands have been starting to ask a lot of money lately, especially as they get bigger.. get a little more noticed. 9:30 usually gets bands when they're big enough to sell out black cat.. bands can't really afford to do two nights at one club when they're on tour, so they might go to the bigger venue.
The money that bands ask for is often based on a ticket price that they decide they're worth in a particular market, so sometimes, there's not much a club can do about ticket price if that club really wants that band to play there.
I've always tried to keep tickets at under $10.. like $8 or $9.. but now, even smaller bands are asking for paychecks that are based on me charging a $10 ticket.
D.C.:
Hi Dante and Eric,
I've really enjoyed the new Black Space so far. I've been to a couple of shows recently...Ted Leo (my hero) and Rainer Maria and then last night's Mates of State and Bealuh show.
Two questions...where in the new club is the backstage? And, are there any plans to put a bathroom upstairs in the main concert hall? Sorry, it's a concern!
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
The Backstage Concert room is in the back of the Red Room. You have to walk through the Red Room to get to it. We'll be putting up clearer signs soon.
The upstairs bathrooms should be open soon.
sw, dc:
dante, being a club owner, has the live music scene in dc gotten better or worse in the last 5 years? i say better, but that could be that i finally pay attention after all this time. but i've seen great smaller shows at the metro, iota, and of course, the black cat.
btw, i LOVE the mousetrap parties. think you could do them more than once a month? maybe once every 3 weeks?
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
Yes, i do think it's gotten better. More people are going out to shows, and recently folks have seemed more interested in live music. I thought things were pretty dismal five years ago. It was really dry, people weren't going to live shows much.
Re: Mousetrap,I doubt we'll do it more than once a month, but the same DJ's doing the Wag on our BackStage the first Saturday of each month. Check it out. And we're still workign out our other dance nights for Fridays and Saturdays on the Backstage. Keep checking the schedule.
washington, dc:
I love the new space. The upstairs hall has fantastic sound, and there's not a bad spot to see/hear. It's good to see yummy food for thought right out in front.
One quasi-complaint. Are you doing anything about the backstage acoustics? You have great bands back there, but sound ricochets off the walls. Ouch.
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
We've done a little bit on the acoustics Backstage, and there are plans to do more. We also might do a little bit of sound proofing in the Red Room because that seems a little loud to me right now.
14th Street:
Before anyone talks about the 9:30 Club "stealing" bands, just remember that three of the Dance nights at the Black Cat started at the Metro Cafe and moved up the to the Black Cat, where they're now charging higher prices. What goes around comes around...
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
People love to make up rivalries between all the clubs,but we all end up passing shows around to each other, and we all get along pretty well. We're always talking to each other about this sort of thing. We're not at each others' throats. It's inevitable that bands will play a variety of clubs in their lifetimes.. probably better for their careers to do so.
Regarding metro stuff , nick has referred stuff to me when it's gotten too big for his room, and i try to send him shows all the tmie. We have a good relationship.
DC:
Rock's over. Maybe it will straggle on like jazz, but all the talented or hip people are already devoting themselves to the dance diaspora. In thirty years do you really think anybody's gonna care about Weezer? Surrender with dignity.
Dante Ferrando: ERIC:
It's not so much that rock's over, but that people have discovered other things. If dance is ascendant, do you really think it's permanent? Remember disco?
I think there are fans to support all kinds of music now. I know lots of "talented and hip" people who are making music that's NOT in the dance diaspora. If you're talking commercial viability, that's one thing, perhaps, but as far as meaningful good music, it'll always be here, people will always want to see/hear it, and it's not all going to be in the dance realm.
DANTE:
I try not to be overly concerned with what's hip, new or in fashion. I think good music and good art speak to people, if I like what it says, I'll tend to book it and hope people show up.
dc:
glad you're on because i gotta make some plans...will QUASI sell out tomorrow night?
thanks!
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
Tickets are still available.. call TicketMaster or drop by the club between 8 and midnight tonight.
16th & u:
hi dante -
i can't tell you how much the black cat has meant to me since i've been in dc.
i've been here since 92 and have spent many a night at the club, and i was seriously worried about the move.
but i just saw the butchies there the other night, and wow, i just want to say thanks for making the new space so brilliant.
the sound is a heck of a lot better.
how about a marquee out front? that'd be rad!
fave black cat shows - boredoms, pavement,
belle & sebastian, nina hagen, versus' last show there last year...way too many.
and yes, thanks for not moving to herndon or someplace like that.
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
It's really nice when people who found the old club important aprove of the new place. Thanks...
p.s.we hope to change the sign out front soon.
Heavenly on Capitol Hill:
To "Marv": Hey Marv, is your gf upset because we don't have hair bands down here?
Eric, keep up the great work!
Dante Ferrando: ERIC:
meeeow.
you're too kind.
D.C. :
My band has played on the backstage a few times over the past year, yet for some reason we have had a hell of a time getting our name spelled right. I have seen this happen to a number of bands that play there. Is this a problem? We couldnt' get it changed to save our life.
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
yes it's a big problem!
Not a single person in our office, myself included, can spell! Make sure we get the correct spelling of the band right when we book the show, and if we still get it wrong in the ad, call us as soon as you notice a mistake and we'll try to correct it..
sorry.
Arlington:
When's Last Train Home going to play at the new BLack Cat?
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
I keep trying to get eric to play but he's always booked!
WDC:
Hi Dante,
Comment/Complaint. Last weekend, the line to get in to the club was down the block because they were taking tickets in the doorway. At least in the old club you could stand inside. I'd hate to think what's going to happen when it snows or rains. Can you do something about this?
Dante Ferrando: DANTE: We're still working on a lot of the issues with "traffic flow" in the new club. If you get tickets in advance you can always hang out in the Red Room or the Cafe until the line's gone..
washington:
Dante and Eric-
every time david segal does a chat i try to ask him what new releases from local musicians we should be looking to support. for whatever reason he never takes the question.
so, for you guys...what local acts are out there that deserve our love and support?
Dante Ferrando: ERIC: David concentrates on the national releases, just the way it is.
Local bands that i like: Canyon, Cactus Patch, Meat Joy, Cigarbox Planetarium, Gena Rowlands Band, graverobbers, Wish You Were Gone, Cry Baby Cry .... umm jeez. so many.
DANTE: All local bands deserve your love and support. Unless of course you think they suck.
ERIC: Dante's a diplomat, but it's true that you won't know if a band sux or not unless you go see them, so get off your couch and go!
Arlington:
I think the Black Cat rocks. Thank you.
How would a local band go about getting booked at the club? Should we set up our own show (with other bands) or do you usually place local bands with touring ones. What is the best way for us to get your attention?
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
No thank YOU.
as for getting into the club, send tape or CD to Black CAt, Att'n: Yalan, PO Box 73338, WDC, 20056.
We'll listen.
Sometimes coming up with packages is helpful, but it really depends on whether the band you're hoping to play with is going to draw some people.
Support slots for the larger touring bands are difficult to get because those bands usually bring support acts with them these days, or pick a local band they're friends with.
Backstage shows are a much more likely way to start off until your band is established.. We need a show to draw at least 200 people to make it worth opening the main room.
Metro Cafe:
Kudos on that rivalry thang....but do you think that NoVa clubs are competition for DC live music venues?
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
clubs often compete over specific individual shows, but in general having more clubs allows bands to get out to more people. In the long run that helps all clubs and bands, because those bands will draw more. The variety of different rooms means that a band can play the club that's appropriate to them (musical style, amount of people they draw). Shows are often not as good when you put a band that's too small in a big room or too big in a small room.
Plus, there are so many smaller bands out there right now that we need a lot of clubs to accommodate them. We still have a lot of acts that pass over DC altogether.
DC:
Not that this is your department, Dante, but why isn't there a decent record store in this whole area? Sure Now! and Smash have add up to something more than nothing, but most cities the size of DC have more than t-shirt shops with a music section.....
Was it always this bad here?
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
I know that the record store biz is an especially tough one to break even in. I think Now!, Smash and DCCD are pretty good stores, and there's good ones further out in the suburbs: Yesterday and Today is still there. Joe's Record Paradise. Record & Tape Exchange. I've got a list of about 20 back at the club.
I'm sure that internet sales have made it even harder to run a record store these days. it's not my realm of business expertise, but they only have about a 20% mark-up, they have to keep a lot of stuff in stock. I don't see how they can stay in business... unless they sell boxes and boxes of N'Sync records!
Steve from Arlington, Va.:
Dante/Eric,
What do you think about having a special "Fuzzfest" concert there at the Black Cat consisting of headliner 60's Garage Bands like ? and The Mysterians, The Box Tops, Richard & The Young Lions plus, newer 60's influenced Garage bands like DC's own, The Fee Foe 5 to open and fill out the rest of the show ? I know these all headliner bands occasionally tour and/or play concerts consisting of all their original band members. It would be great to see all of these great garage bands in one special cocert together. Whatdaya think ??!!
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
Great idea. but it'd be hard to get a lot of those old '60s bands to play because they often ask a lot of money. Having several on the bill might make tickets pretty high, and the crowd for that kind of thing is not that big to begin with. We've done ? & the Mysterians before, so maybe doing one of those bands as a headliners with some locals opening is something we could work out in the not-too-distant future.
I'll try to book "Love" again once Arthur Lee gets out of jail.
Dante Ferrando: DANTE:
Thanks for the questions everyone...
see you in the Red Room
ERIC:
Thanks for logging on all y'all.
Go to the Black Cat if you haven't yet been. it's a great addittion to the local nightlife scene.
Be back here in 2 weeks.
Send any other thoughts and comments to me at: nightwatch@washpost.com
|
|
© Copyright 2001 The Washington Post Company | 
