Thursday, June 18, 2020

Ray Bonneville: One-Man Bard


Bonneville: “… a barker tryin' to fool ya into a late night club”


Ray Bonneville’s Blues:


One-Man Bard with

Plots on The Line

by Jamie Jobb

Grow up hearing enough bog-bound beats of Deep South boogie woogie, and our ears eventually attune themselves to certain styles of guitar pickers who sonically align themselves with those two-handed piano players. Nimble-fingered folks, they all forge their own peculiar sliding-scales onto those slow ox-bow bends of that wide and meandering river known as “The Blues.”

Thumb pickers – aka “slack-key” or “slide” guitarists – were particularly revered in Dixie all along Big Muddy Mississippi for the rolling twang that sprang from their strings and rang from their broken bottlenecks1.

Indeed, some of these players are enshrined in The National Thumb Pickers Hall of Fame in Muhlenberg Kentucky, where Merle Travis grew up and got credit for developing the style, along with Chet Atkins. However, Merle and Chet did not “invent” thumb picking. No way! As early as 1920, open-tuned slack-key techniques were becoming an ingrained outgrowth for setting string-tension on parlor guitars – those small instruments strung so they’d be heard in close quarters without amplification in a time when radio was nowhere portable.

Three decades later, some of us listened religiously to fabled WLAC radio in Nashville – fifty thousand watts of pure Tennessee Valley Authority power found at 1510 on the AM dial. From the 1940s into the 1970s, the station was de facto rhythm-and-blues world headquarters. That was long before anybody’d heard from a California cool-cat named “Wolfman Jack”.

Broadcast historians note that WLAC’s nightly R&B programming laid down solid roots for the pre-emergent American rock-and-roll audience of my youth. We could hear the TVA amplitude-modulated signal loud and clear in Ohio, Virginia, Alabama and Miami -- a steady steam-engine roaring through the night.

WLAC’s “conductors” on that night train were its well-worn disc jockeys – John Richbourg, Gene Nobles, Bill “Hoss” Allen and Herman Grizzard. Richbourg, as “John R”, was the station’s utmost loud-and-clear late-night DJ whose signature shout-out was “Whoa! Have mercy honey, have mercy!”

Many southern radio DJs who mimicked the silky-smooth patter of WLAC’s crew learned to roll in that very same groove throughout the 1960s. Miami’s notorious “Nighthawk” woke soul station WMBM right at midnight when he'd begin to shout all night into the stiff tropical breeze: “Have mercy, baby … it’s the Nighthawk. It’s together!”

Filtered through our transistor radio tin-can speakers came the basic chords and simple tunes of Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Otis Redding … all of whose records we could purchase on 45 rpm vinyl if we made proper postal/cash arrangements with the station’s regular sponsors – Randy’s Records of Gallatin, Tennessee; Ernie’s Record Mart and Buckley’s Record Shop of Nashville. This was four decades before anyone had a PayPal who offered music on line.

* * *

The Heat & The Beat

Although he doesn’t use a thumb pick and he’s yet to be inducted into Muhlenberg, Ray Bonneville stands tall among thumb pickers. Born a French Canadian and one of nine siblings, his family moved from Quebec to Boston before he became a literate delinquent teenager struggling to learn a new language. Another 30 years rolled by before he’d ever write his own songs, although he’d been covering other people’s tunes – in French and in English – most of his life as lead guitar/vocalist in a variety of bands during his youth.

Ray made musical ends meet with gigs as Marine recruit, Vietnam Vet, flight instructor, bush pilot, taxi driver. He credits all those cabbie hours for fostering his harmonica habit as he taught himself to play between fares.

Bonneville continued to develop his own road-worn slack-key blues as he roamed from Boulder to Alaska to Seattle to Paris to Arkansas … eventually settling in New Orleans in the 1980s and steeping himself for a spell in The Crescent City’s musical gumbo before Katrina blew him back out of town.

Although he lived there only a short period of his life, it’s clear Bonneville’s musical heartbeat became deeply embedded into The Big Easy: “There’s something about the heat and humidity that makes people slow down. New Orleans is where I learned to take my time, to allow space between the notes so the songs could truly groove.”


Ray Bonneville searches for the space between the notes …

Based in Austin now for over a decade, Bonneville plows his Texas grooves too. His nimble riffs remind my ears of another fleet-fingered Austin picker, James McMurtry. And as do most Austin journeymen who settle there for its convenient central location, Ray tours frequently -- wandering throughout the US, Canada and Europe. He was racking up over 150 shows a year until he was stalled this spring by world-wide pandemic stage shutdowns.

The demise of our local music hall, Armando’s, has reduced our chances see this touring troubadour back in town performing up close and personal with his unique show. We’ll have to drive to Winters or Marin County to see him play the next time he tours these parts.

Aside from writing and singing his own tunes with that well-weathered voice, Ray simultaneously plays guitar, rack harmonica and stomp box – becoming a virtual one-man band – if not a one-man bard – alone on stage.

Here’s how Bonneville describes his solitary sound: “My thumb became my bass player and my index finger became my lead guitar and rhythm player. My feet became my drums and, with my harmonica and my vocal, that made for a four-piece blues band.”

Within his songs, Ray’s lyrics crack wise as they embed themselves into snappy chords and rolled riffs sliding under that distinct and ever-present train-airhorn-in-the-distance moan of Bonneville’s mouth harp. Nobody plays harmonica like Ray Bonneville, indeed it’s a breath-taking experience just to listen. Underneath it all is the steady forward march of Ray’s amplified stomp box beating under his shoes.

Ray’s albums further enhance the sonic experience of his songs with the addition of brilliant session musicians Gurf Morlix/Brad Hayes/Will Sexton/Colin Linden on guitar; Geoff Arsenault/Rick Richards/Andre Bohren/Mike Meadows/Bryan Owings on drums; Nick Connolly/Richard Bell/Richie Lawrence on keyboards.

Both times we caught him at Armando’s, Bonneville was accompanied by Lawrence, a California-based former band mate. And like many musicians who are old pals on stage, they relish their banter between songs, with short joke riddles like: “Two guitar players in the back seat, who’s driving?” … I tried to catch much of that patter in this playlist where that riddle gets answered.

It’s clear that Ray’s work enjoys a vibrant life outside nightclubs. Indeed his songs should be heard as crystalized short-stories, each line reduced to its most poignant spark of insight. Ray’s lines whiz past our ears like Cherokee arrows … whoosh! That was close!

“I said ‘I do’ to a highway, what was I thinkin’ of?”
or
“sharp grit in a crosswind took the name off the sign”
or
“I'm a wild tchapatoula, a dice-rollin’ judge
I'm a barker tryin' to fool ya into a late night club”

Other long-form songwriters – particularly Bob Dylan and Mike Scott of The Waterboys – write thick texts which seem more like novels when aligned aside the clipped tunes of Ray Bonneville.

The quickest way to dig Bonneville is to dive straight into his lyrics. His words leap off the page. Telling details line themselves up in a flash, each line itself a short story within the short story of the song. Ray twists his lines to etch-a-sketch his life as he passes the world by, the fleeting poet in flight. Songs of love, of loss, on the road with no boss. His work demands repeat listening to add it all up.

If you’ve never heard Ray sing, then a treat awaits below as we look closely at the lyrics of a half dozen tunes Ray wrote which showcase his storytelling chops. As each tune appears almost as its own one-act play, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else covering Ray’s songs … they’re so dang personal.

* * *

Tender Heart

Here’s a recent tune on Bonneville’s “At King Electric” album which quickly showcases his jump-cut shorthand lyrics. A story based on close-cropped shards of a breakup seen in “the slanting light”.

if the yellow smoke residue on these walls could talk
would it tell about the time you came in here so lost
with no way to change the past, what could you do
you played that one song over and over on the juke
it went ...

Easy,
See how easy,
see how easy
a tender heart can break

although she never let on what she was feelin’
every little thing about her told ya she was reelin’
on the table by the door in the slanting light
lay the napkin she scrawled on and left behind

(chorus)

so you rode the long haul swayin’ all through the night
thinkin’ somehow you could leave it all behind
even as you tried to shake off the memory
you knew down inside it would never let you be

(chorus)

* * *

Sabine River

From his “Goin’ By Feel” album, here’s a woeful Lone Star road song Ray wrote about an empty gas tank, a rebellious hitchhiker, an East Texas river, a freight train on the horizon, fallen dominoes and a reckless brother who “never stood a chance” … As his harmonica chases the Santa Fe in the distance, what more is there for Ray to say?

she was leaned against the wall
by an uptown market stall
she had defiance all in her eyes
you could tell she was alone
and had seen a hard road
yeah she knew something about fallen dominoes

low on gasoline
on the road to New Orleans
the Santa Fe cuts the low sun on its way to Houston
the last cars fade away and gone
and the Sabine River flows on

she told me she was stayin’ in the French Quarter
over by Esplanade
said she'd come down from up north after goin’ round back and forth
lookin’ for love not knowin’ what it was she said
it's no surprise I was
tellin’ myself lies

(chorus)

I asked her who it was in the picture on her bureau
she said “That’s my brother
we were very close
he lost his life bein’ reckless the way young men do
he never stood a chance,
thought he was bullet proof”

(chorus – repeats)

* * *

Darlin’ (Put Your Suitcase Down)

From Ray’s “Bad Man’s Blood” album, here’s another brief but dramatic short story – a lover’s spat that starts inside a scene of immediate tension … “Send the taxi driver away!”

darlin' put your suitcase down
darlin' put your suitcase down
didn't mean what I said
I was out of my head
darlin' put your suitcase down

send the taxi driver away
say it was a mistake
please don't go
down that road
send the taxi driver away

if you leave me here alone
blues are gonna kill me slow
the lights’ll go dark in my soul and my heart
my blood will cease to flow

I’ve gone and made you blue
I know it's nothin’ new
I'm foldin’ inside not knowin’ why
I've gone and made you blue

I know I should’ve known
seen this comin' on
but I was blind
out of my mind
I'm scared to lose you now

darlin' put your suitcase down
darlin' put your suitcase down
I been a fool, but I’m askin’ you
darlin' put your suitcase down

I been a fool, but I'm askin’ you
darlin' put your suitcase down
put it down
put it down

* * *

Who’s There Talkin’ to Me

Despite the despair of his road-weary love tunes, Bonneville somehow seems to find a bit of whimsy in his wanderlust. That blithe spirit is captured exquisitely in this tune from his “Roll It Down” album. The song also captures that strange and reckless feeling known to anybody who’s ever had any kind of near-death experience.

I felt the ghost of trouble leavin’ town
a backdraft rumble on a silver greyhound
can’t say for sure now, lookin’ back
‘bout a strange new feelin’ that I had
a voice said “man get your things
get up off them old box springs
got somewhere to go
ya ain’t been there before
some kind of thirst for somethin’ more”

who’s there … who’s there talkin’ to me
who’s there … who’s there talkin’ to me
who’s there talkin’ to me

the sign said this is where the road ends
on the back side it read it’s where it begins
I walked into a painting by artist unknown
nobody was waitin’ I kept on goin’
I drew clear water from an old stone well
up from the bottom came the voice again

(chorus)

there once was a road to here
I can tell
it’s almost overgrown
but not quite yet
bracken tangle around me feet
night time fallin’ it’s gettin’ hard to see
I passed by a graveyard while headed east
everybody there was restin’ in peace
so thank you very much whoever you are
for letting a fool such as me get this far

(chorus)

* * *

I Am The Big Easy

Bonneville hails from Quebec, lives in Austin, but knows his heart’s in New Orleans. It has to be for Ray to write “I Am The Big Easy” – Folk Alliance International Song of the year 2009. Here, in verse, he captures the Crescent City spirit after Hurricane Katrina upended the town. Ray nails the big story, catching that moment as accurately as long-form authors of two great books on the same beat: Chris Rose’s “1 Dead in Attic” and Tom Piazza’s “Why New Orleans Matters”.

I was born on the edge of the big muddy flow
my daddy was French, my mother creole
I'm slow and heavy underneath the sun
but I'm more than willin’ when the night time comes
I'm a well known street, I'm a marchin’ drum
I'm a dancer, a preacher, a sophisticated bum
I'm a wild tchapatoula, a dice-rollin’ judge
I'm a barker tryin' to fool ya into a late night club

I am the big easy I been hit by a storm
brought to my knees have mercy lord
I got soul I got heart
all alone I'm comin’ out of the dark
I am the big easy

I'm a craw fish boil, a funeral parade
I'm a little boy listenin' to the music play
I'm an old man dancin’ to the second-line beat
I'm a young girl tryin’ to catch mardi gras beads
I'm a shotgun house, an uptown street car
I'm a big wheel steamer by a full loaded barge
I'm a blues band, a politician
A shoeshine man, I'm a famous musician

(chorus)

when my levee broke and the water came in
I heard a lot of folks call it the end
but you'd be mistaken if you thought me done
I am the big easy I'm the only one
all my children and all their kin
they go on livin’ like they always been
no matter what happens don't you count me out
they call me new orleans I'm the heart of the south

(chorus - repeats)

* * *

Who Do Call The Shots

Most singing songwriters have more than a few tunes tucked into their back pockets devoted to that fabled lonely life of misery and heartache found everywhere On The Road. But few of these writers sing directly about the actual road itself.

four hundred miles of dark road on this no-mercy night
lie-tellin' shadows tryin’ to fool my eyes
I said “I do” to a highway; what was I thinkin’ of
she's mean, full of spite and she goes on and on

who do
call the shots out there
who do
gonna hear my prayer

ridin’ a line thin as a razor between eternities
used-up luck against a long-cold sleep
pills and gas-store coffee wreckin’ my insides
I got a loose bolt rattlin’ in the back of my mind

(chorus)

pourin’ out of a green dial low down true
singin’ straight to me like she knew my blues
I read your letter again fallin’ down inside
you knew damn well I was the gypsy kind
sharp grit in a crosswind took the name off the sign
my eyes are fallin’
will I make it through the night

(chorus)

* * *

Special thanks for help on research, recall and preparation of this article: Art Crummer, T-Bone Davis, Ken “Snakebite” Jacobs, Charlie Hickox, Roy Jeans, Dana Guzzetti, Bill Hester, Robert Kourik, Scott Coddington.

Video captures of Ray here are from my footage shot at Armando’s.

Links

Purchase Ray Bonneville’s music (with listening samples):

My Ray playlist from Armando’s concerts – songs, patter, jokes and sound checks:

When clubs reopen: Ray’s tour schedule, from his own website:

Ray’s wiki:

Watch Bonneville’s fingers work close up on “Who Do Call The Shots”
(4:42)
Thumb Pickers Hall of Fame

Brief history of parlor guitars:

Feature based on recent gig at The Palms in Winters, CA

Solid piece in Vintage Guitar magazine for details on Ray’s preferred axes and amps:

WLAC as a musical groundbreaker:
and

WWOZ in New Orleans has replaced WLAC as The Music Radio station with disc jockeys connected deeply to current and past talent.

Bonneville’s albums are available on his website, but they can also be purchased at these great brick-and-mortar record shops:
600A N. Lamar
Austin TX 78703
512-474-2500

421 Frenchman Street
New Orleans LA 70116
504-586-1094

10341 San Pablo Avenue
El Cerrito CA 94530
510-525-2129


Down Home also offers this incredible musical history of American roots music compiled on location by Chris Strachwitz and Arhoolie Records (the collection is now in the Smithsonian): “This Ain’t No Mouse Music”.  

1If you read that last verse aloud in a “southern accent”, y’all’ll find the line’s inherent rhymes.
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Sunday, May 17, 2020

Shut in The USA

Armando’s Martinez – a microphone is a terrible thing to waste

“Save Our Stages”

Shut in The USA

(updated 17 May 2020)

by Jamie Jobb

In pandemic times of silent stages, one group has emerged from the chaos: The National Independent Venue Association and its “Save Our Stages” program. Clearly, this is an effort that ups the stakes for audience assembly in 2020. Here’s NIVA’s thesis:
“These entertainment hubs are critical to their local economies and tax bases as employers, tourism destinations, and revenue generators for neighboring businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and retail. Independent venues exist in every state across the country; they were the first to be closed, they will be the last to open. The economic recovery process will extend past just reopening the front doors, requiring solutions unique to the industry.”

With that effort in mind, I’ve decided to publish this perpetual work-in-progress and very incomplete list I’ve assembled over the years of small music houses across the USA which were kindredly spirited to the coffeehouses of my youth. With Covid-19 shuttering public gatherings, it’s unclear how many of these venues will survive any reopening. Topping the list is Armando’s, our neighborhood music hall which closed for good in February 2020 – about a month before general shelter-in-place orders were locally announced.

Anyone with other clubs to list here should add (or subtract) them in the comments and I’ll include any of those on future updates, once doors can reopen and houses can begin to refill themselves. As this began as a local project, the list begins in and around San Francisco.

East Bay


Armando's - 707 Marina Vista - Martinez, CA
"open to music" with a shut-up sign in Spanish
Now – Permanently CLOSED


The Empress Theater - 330 Virginia Street - Vallejo, CA
mixed schedule of music, movies and other events


The Rellik – 726 First Street – Benicia, CA
Tavern and tapas bar serving live music five nights a week


Ashkenaz - 1317 San Pablo Av. - Berkeley, CA
neighborhood cultural center for international and domestic music


Subterranean Arthouse - 2179 Bancroft - Berkeley, CA
lively community art space and performance venue


La Pena - 3105 Shattuck Av. - Berkeley, CA
neighborhood cultural center for arts and social justice


Starry Plough - 3101 Shattuck Av. - Berkeley, CA
"Irish revolutionary watering hole"  


The Gilman - 924 Gilman St. - Berkeley, CA
all-ages DIY music and art space

Jupiter - 2151 Shattuck Av. - Berkeley, CA
courtyard music and beer hall near arts/theater district


Freight & Salvage - 2020 Addison St. - Berkeley CA
Venerable, original "coffeehouse" "home of traditional music" - third location


The Back Room – 1984 Bonita Ave. - Berkeley, CA
Scaled-down venue recalling the original “Freight” on San Pablo

Cheese Board Collective Pizza - 1512 Shattuck Av- Berkeley CA
Free music right on the street and only one kind of pizza with a line out the door!


Uptown Bar Club - 1928 Telegraph Av. - Oakland, CA
lively music club and art gallery


Eli's Mile High Club - 3639 Martin Luther King - Oakland, CA
raucous bar, club, restaurant and art gallery


Duende - 468 Nineteenth St. - Oakland, CA
Upscale jazz bar and restaurant


Yoshi's - 510 Embarcadero W - Oakland, CA
jazz nightclub and sushi restaurant - second location


North Bay


Fenix - 919 Fourth St. - San Rafael, CA
Upscale bar/restaurant with stage and studio
(flip side of Armando's ... very very slick)


George's - 842 Fourth St. - San Rafael, CA
"nightclub" and pick-up spot with music


No Name Bar - 757 Bridgeway - Sausalito, CA
notorious "No Name" with no website and a cozy back room for music


The New Trident - 558 Bridgeway - Sausalito, CA
not the original, bayside deck dining with good music on Friday and occasional Saturdays


Rancho Nicasio - 1 Old Rancheria Rd. - Nicasio, CA
roadhouse music in an historic roadhouse - second owners


19 Broadway - 17 Broadway - Fairfax, CA
neighborhood bar and night club for blues rock funk soul


The Sleeping Lady - 23 Broadway - Fairfax, CA
notorious cafe with music in sleepy Fairfax - second location


Sweetwater - 19 Corte Madera Av. - Mill Valley CA
"music hall" and "roots music venue" with side cafe - second location


142 Throckmorton - 142 Throckmorton - Mill Valley CA
revived storefront theater now music and performance venue


The Mystic Theater - 23 Petaluma Bl. N - Petaluma CA
Old theater and music hall with a restaurant on the side


Hopmonk Tavern - 224 Vintage Way - Novato CA
A small chain restaurants with music room and patio stages, also in Sonoma and Sebastopol


The Last Day Saloon - 120 Fifth St. - Santa Rosa CA
Restaurant bar and live music venue


Sonoma Speakeasy/American Music Hall - 452 First Street E, Suite G - Sonoma CA
blues, rockabilly and jive seven nights a week


Napa Valley Opera House - 1030 Main St. - Napa CA
aka City Winery Napa: wide range of music, theatre, dance


Uptown Theater - 1350 Third St. - Napa CA
converted movie theater turned into big time music house


No longer operating in North Bay/East Bay:
The Lion's Share ("The Share"), The original Trident, Euphoria, Charles Van Dame, River City, Uncle Charlie's, Ted's, Prince Charles Inn, Knightsbridge, the Ark, The Barrel House, Jean's Bit of Bohemia, The Blue Rock, Edgewater, the Cricket Club, Runway 5, San Rafael Union Hall, Old Mill Saloon, Black Oak, Musicians Coffeehouse




San Francisco


Cafe du Nord - 2170 Market - San Francisco, CA


Hotel Utah - 500 Fourth St. - San Francisco, CA
hallowed home of Whoopi, Robin and The Marsh ...


Red Poppy Art House - 2698 Folsom - San Francisco, CA
artist-run storefront performance space


Rickshaw Stop - 155 Fell St. - San Francisco, CA
former tv studio transformed into performance space


Revolution Cafe - 3248 22nd St. - San Francisco, CA
live jazz and classical tunes music nightly


DNA Lounge - 375 Eleventh St. - San Francisco, CA
live late night music


Brainwash - 1122 Folsom St. - San Francisco, CA
cafe laundry and night club for comedy music and performance


The Chapel - 77 Valencia St. - San Francisco, CA
former funeral home transformed into restaurant/bar/music scene


Brick & Mortar Music Hall - 1710 Mission St. - San Francisco, CA
lots of different bands in an industrial setting


Bottom of the Hill - 1233 Seventeenth St. - San Francisco, CA
Focused on the musicians - neighborhood venue


Atlas Cafe - 3049 Twentieth St. - San Francisco, CA
coffee house with house band and DIY feel


Make Out Room - 3225 22nd St. - San Francisco, CA
bar night club late night menu


The Independent - 628 Divisadero St. - San Francisco, CA
lively music hall with cinema


Hemlock Tavern - 1131 Polk St. - San Francisco, CA
wraparound bar with a live performance room


Boom Boom Room - 1601 Filmore St. - San Francisco, CA
blues, boogie, soul, groove and funk


Coltrane African Orthodox Church - 1286 Filmore St. - San Francisco, CA
Dedicated to the jazz of John Coltrane and his legacy


Yoshi's - 1330 Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
jazz nightclub and sushi restaurant - third location


Slim's - 333 Eleventh St. - San Francisco, CA
major performance venue


Bimbo’s - 125 Columbus Av. - San Francisco, CA
North Beach hangout for comedy, music and Stage Door Johnnies


Biscuits & Blues - 401 Mission St. - San Francisco, CA
premiere San Francisco blues venue and restaurant


Great America Music Hall - 859 O'Farrell St. - San Francisco, CA
venerable West Coast institution in the Tenderloin


The Fillmore - 1805 Geary Bl. - San Francisco, CA
The venerable San Francisco music hall


San Francisco Jazz Center - 201 Franklin St. - San Francisco, CA
new structure dedicated to jazz acoustics


No longer operating in The City:
Avalon, Santa Venetia Armory, Jimbo's Bop City, Coffee & Confusion, Hungry i, Purple Onion, Keystone Korner, Coffee Cantina, The Drinking Gourd, The Both/And, the Jazz Workshop, The Black Hawk, The Matrix, Buena Vista Studio


Other Northern California


Douglas Beach House - 307 Mirada Rd. - Half Moon Bay, CA
Oceanfront live jazz since 1960s


Kuumbwa Jazz Center - 320-2 Cedar St - Santa Cruz CA
40-year-old non-profit pleasure society jazz hangout; “truly a listening room”


Rio Theater - 1205 Soquel Av - Santa Cruz, CA
large old movie house with cyclorama stage, over 900 seats!


Moe's Alley - 1535 Commercial Wy - Santa Cruz, CA
expanded from original blues format


The Catalyst - 1011 Pacific Av. - Santa Cruz, CA
the classic music hall in surf city


The Crepe Place - 1134 Soquel Av - Santa Cruz CA
late-night crepes and live music almost nightly


The Hideout Saloon - 5029 Hwy 140 - Mariposa CA
old time honky-tonk acoustic hangout for national touring bands


The Cow Track - 850 N Yosemite Av - Oakdale CA
laid-back lounge for live music in shuffleboard sports bar



Southern California


The Escondido - 410 Boyd St - Los Angeles CA
hideaway for food and music seven days a week - no cover


Largo - 432 N. Fairfax Av - Los Angeles CA
Active hangout for improv, standup, lively music


The Satellite - 1717 Silver Lake Blvd - Los Angeles, CA
Legendary local hotspot where folks can “dance yourself clean”


The Mint - 6010 W Pico Blvd - Los Angeles CA
home of rhythm and blues, bluegrass and roots tunes


El Rey - 5515 Wilshire Blvd - Los Angeles CA
former movie house now popular live music venue


The Wiltern - 3790 Wilshire Blvd - Los Angeles CA
Art deco style venue with tiered standing room and balcony seating


Sonos Studio - 145 N La Brea Av - Los Angeles Ca
Event and exhibit space with musicians


Canter’s Kibitz Room - 419 N Fairfax Av - Los Angeles CA
storied music lounge of a 80-year-old Jewish deli open all night


World Famous Barnyard -  9627 S Main St - Los Angeles CA
low-down lively blues, soul, R&B, jazz - outdoor pop-up venue
no website- Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm


The Baked Potato - 3787 Cahuenga Blvd - Studio City CA
Jazz and baked potatoes for almost 50 years.  “Village Vanguard West”


Vibrato Grill Jazz - 2930 Beverly Glen Circle - Bel Air CA
Herb Alpert’s nightspot with upscale menu, reservations


Hollywood Bowl - 2301 N Highland Av -Hollywood CA
The concert venue for LA with picnic tradition


The Greek (Griffith Park) - 2700 N Vermont Av - Los Angeles CA
Smaller outdoor venue in forest setting


The Standard - 8300 Sunset Blvd - Hollywood CA
Upscale hotel with music in Cactus Lounge and Pool Deck
http://www.standardhotels.com/hollywood/location


Hotel Cafe - 1623 1/2 N. Cahuenga Blvd - Hollywood CA
singer-songwriter hangout


The Troubadour - 9081 Santa Monica Blvd - W Hollywood CA
Venerable institution in Southern California music scene


Echo Country Outpost - 1770 Glendale Blvd - Los Angeles CA
country music playground and art gallery


McCabe’s Guitar Shop - 3101 Pico Blvd - Santa Monica CA
venerable folk-roots oasis


Harvelle's Blues Club - 1432 Fourth St. - Santa Monica CA
lounge dedicated to blues, jazz and soul near the beach since 1931


Trip - 2101 Lincoln Blvd - Santa Monica CA
Free shows and cheap grub seven nights a week - variety of live entertainments


Big Mama’s Rib Shack - 1453 N Lake Av - Pasadena CA
Texas style ribs and offbeat blues on Saturday nights


Pete Anderson’s Club 652 @ Burbank Moose Lodge - 1901 W Burbank Blvd - Burbank CA
Tiny tavern with blues on Monday nights


Curve Line Space - 1577 Colorado Blvd - Eagle Rock CA
Gallery/frame shop and jazz venue on Thursday nights


The Casbah - 2501 Kettner Bl. - San Diego CA
Rock club - second location - 200 seats


710 Beach Club - 710 Garnet Av - San Diego CA
beach club and grill with live local music


Winston’s Beach Club - 1921 Bacon St - San Diego CA
rowdy beach bar with music to boot


Brick By Brick - 1130 Buenos Av - San Diego CA
heavy-duty rock and roll hall


Soma - 3350 Sports Arena Blvd - San Diego CA
industrial strength rock venue


Epicentre - 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd - San Diego CA
regional teen center and music hall


Belly Up - 143 S Cedros Av  - Solano Beach CA
live music and event venue with restaurants


The Voice Shop - 1296 N Wishon Av - Fresno CA
outpost for musical outcasts in Fresno





The colorful walls of Armando’s in better years


Washington


The Old Edison - 5829 Cains Ct - Bow WA
oyster shack/dance hall with live music three nights a week


Brick Saloon - 100 W Pennsylvania Av - Roslyn WA
Oldest roadhouse in state with live music on weekends


Gorge Amphitheater - 754 Silica Rd - Quincy WA
huge venue with famous bands and Columbia River Gorge views


The Green Frog - 1015 N State St - Bellingham WA
community gathering spot for good music and food


Soul Food Coffee House - 15748 Redmond Way - Redmond WA
serious coffee/tea shop with soul food, live music and tarot readings


Jazzbones - 2803 Sixth Av - Tacoma WA
odd mix of jazz, comedy and special events


Tula's - 2214 Second Av - Seattle WA
jazz club, restaurant, night club


The Triple Door - 216 Union St - Seattle WA
Two stages: touring national acts and smaller local venue


The Crocodile - 2200 Second Av - Seattle WA
hip hop hangout was launch pad for famous Seattle bands


Tractor Tavern - 5213 Ballard Ave NW - Seattle WA
cowboy honky tonk with wild mix of blues, rockabilly and roots music


Showbox at the Market - 1426 First Av - and
Showbox SoDo - 1700 First Av S - Seattle WA
unique and varied lineup of touring bands since 1939


Cafe Racer - 5828 Roosevelt Way NE - Seattle WA
neighborhood coffeehouse/bar with improv jazz jams


The Royal Room - 5000 Rainier Av S - Seattle WA
diverse soundstage and recording spot for jazz & blues with bar/restaurant


Columbia City Theater - 4916 Rainier Av S - Seattle WA
1917 vaudeville house restored as local band venue


The Highline - 210 Broadway Av E - Seattle WA
vegan heavy metal dive with 25 tap beers with music/comedy


Q Nightclub - 1426 Broadway - Seattle WA
electronic music hangout and dance hall


The Vera Project - 305 Warren Av N - Seattle WA
unique all age venue for popular music, run by kids
Oregon


The Half Penny - 3743 Commercial St - Salem OR
Irish pub with live music three nights a week


McMenamin’s Rock Creek Tavern - 10000 NW Old Cornelius Pass Rd - Hillsboro OR
recurring resurrections have kept this place running for over 80 years


Johnny B’s - 120 E Sixth St - Medford OR
lively bar for local live music


Crystal Ballroom - 1332 W Burnside St - Portland OR
touring bands and singer/songwriters call it home


Doug Fir Lounge - 830 E Burnside St - Portland OR
space age log cabin with live music up close


Valentines - 232 SW Ankeny St - Portland OR
very small speakeasy tucked away downtown


Duff’s Garage Lounge - 2530 NE 82nd Av - Portland OR
comedy, blues and roots music, seven nights a week


Mississippi Studios - 3939 N Mississippi Av - Portland OR
former church with great acoustics, perfect for live shows


Aladdin Theater - 3017 SE Milwaukee Av - Portland, OR
Live music, local radio show and comedy in old vaudeville house


Gemini Bar & Grill - 456 N State St - Lake Oswego OR
full bar and restaurant with live music on weekends


Wow Hall - 291 W. Eighth Av - Eugene, OR
multi-purpose community arts center in ex Woodmen Of The World hall


Sam Bond’s Garage - 407 Blair - Eugene OR
eclectic mix of bands seven nights a week in oddball neighborhood bar


Hult Performing Arts Center - 1 Eugene Center - Eugene OR
major performing arts center with various venues inside


Cozmic - 199 W Eighth St - Eugene OR
ex auto dealer/pizza shop now organic restaurant and music venue


McDonald Theater - 1010 Willamette St - Eugene, OR
Large hall with various seating arrangements for touring and local bands



New Orleans


Neutral Ground Coffeehouse - 5110 Danneel St. - New Orleans LA


Eiffel Society - 2040 St. Charles Av - New Orleans LA


The Circle Bar - 1032 St. Charles Av - New Orleans LA


One-Eyed Jacks - 615 Toulouse St - New Orleans LA
400 person concert room in Quarter with touring alternative acts


Blue Nile - 532 Frenchman St. - New Orleans LA


The Maison - 508 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA


The Three Muses - 536 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA


The Apple Barrel - 609 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA
(no website)


The Spotted Cat - 623 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA
(no website)


Snug Harbor - 626 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA


Vaughn's Lounge - 4229 Dauphine St. - New Orleans LA
(no website: Kermit Ruffins on Thursday BBQ)


Bacchanal - 600 Portland Av - New Orleans LA


Republic - 828 Peters St - New Orleans LA


Preservation Hall - 726 St. Peter St - New Orleans LA


House of Blues - 225 Decatur St - New Orleans LA


Art House on the Levee - 4725 Dauphine St - New Orleans LA


Tipitina's - 501 Napoleon Av - New Orleans LA


Chickie Wah Wah - 2828 Canal St. - New Orleans LA


Rosy’s Jazz Hall - 500 Valence - New Orleans LA
once a legendary music club, now a wedding venue (with music)


Jazz National Park - various venues - New Orleans LA
a division of the National Park Service!

Quoted at Armando’s: Dylan stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again

Memphis

Nocturnal - 1588 Madison Av. - Memphis TN
Midtown DIY electronic music venue - no website


Wild Bill's - 1580 Vollintine Av. Memphis TN
best authentic blues bar = no website


Mr. Handy's Blues Hall - 182 Beale - Memphis TN
authentic Beale blues bar


Handy Park Pavilion - 200 Beale - Memphis TN
Large and small stages in public park on Beale named for W.C. Handy


Newby's - 539 S Highland St - Memphis TN
mature college hangout on Highland Strip


Hi-Tone Cafe - 1913 Poplar Av. - Memphis TN
alternative music scene hangout, 300 shows a year


Blues City Cafe - 138 Beale St. - Memphis TN
cafe featuring nightly live novelty acts and fusion bands
original name "Doe's Eat Place"


Alfred's - 197 Beale - Memphis TN
bbq bar with dancing and live rock


Lafayette's Music Room - 2119 Madison Av - Memphis TN
Venerable venue in rejuvenated Overton Square


Newby's - 539 S Highland St. - Memphis TN
restaurant with wide range of music including experimental jazz with
two stages: theater and bar


BB King's Blues Club - 143 Beale St. Memphis TN
(with branches in Orlando, West Palm Beach, Nashville and Las Vegas)
restaurant with top lineup of modern blues/R&B


Minglewood Hall - 1555 Madison Av. - Memphis TN
famous Midtown concert hall and blue song namesake


Mud Island Amphitheater - 125 North Front Street - Memphis TN
Big amphitheater on island in river just off downtown


Nashville


Ryman Auditorium - 116 Fifth Av N - Nashville TN
"Mother Church of Country Music" and original home of the Opry


Bluebird Cafe - 4104 Hillsboro Pike - Nashville TN
Nashville’s songwriters showcase with two live shows every night


Crossroads - 419 Broadway - Nashville TN
neighborhood bar with classic country and rock&roll seven nights a week


The Stage - 412 Broadway - Nashville TN
live country seven days a week with large dance floor


Robert’s Western World - 416B Broadway - Nashville TN
traditional country showcase with four shows a day, seven days a week


Music City Roots - 8400 Highway 100 - Nashville, TN
weekly two-hour radio show live from the Loveless Cafe


Third & Lindsey - 818 Third Av. S - Nashville, TN
big-time national touring band's bar and grill


The Basement - 1604 Eighth Av S - Nashville TN
Under Grimey's record store


Exit/In - 2208 Elliston PL - Nashville TN
wide range of odd music


The Cannery Ballroom - 1 Cannery Row - Nashville TN
Multi-use event hall with lounge and ballroom venues


Marathon Music Works - 1402 Clinton St - Nashville TN
large new multi-use venue in Marathon Village


The Tin Roof - 1516 Demonbreun St - Nashville TN
one of a chain of Tin Roof venues all over the place


Franklin Theater - 419 Main St. - Franklin, TN
large venue for touring bands and live theater


City Winery Nashville - 609 Lafayette ST - Nashville TN
southern venue of national chain


Other Tennessee


Paramount Center for the Arts - 518 State St - Bristol TN
main performing arts center in “birthplace of country music”


Kimbro’s Cafe - 214 S Margin St - Franklin TN
songwriter’s mecca with big meal menu


Puckett’s Grocery - 4142 Old Hillsboro Rd - Leiper’s Fork TN
southern BBQ smokehouse with live music


Underground at Crown & Goose - 123 S Central St - Knoxville TN
night club four nights a week with raw bar tied to pub upstairs



Virginia


Wolf Trap National Park - 1551 Trap Rd - Vienna VA
National Park dedicated to full range of cultural performance


Star Hill - 5391 Three Notch’d Rd - Charlottesville VA
roadhouse and brewery with lively concert schedule


Jammin' Java - 227 Maple Ave E - Vienna, VA
Music Club & Cafe


Iota Club and Cafe - 2832 Wilson Blvd - Arlington VA
Cafe during day, music hall at night - all tickets sold at the do


Clementine - 153 S Main St - Harrisonburg VA
downtown restaurant featuring live music, film and community events


Dogtown Roadhouse - 302 S Locust St - Floyd VA
Tap beer, wood-fired pizza with live music four nights a week


Capital Ale House Music Hall - 623 E Main St - Richmond VA
Serious brew pubs with next-door music hall with lively mix of music


Cary Street Cafe - 2631 W Cary St - Richmond VA
full menu hippie bar with bluegrass, reggae, rock and roots bands


Stoney Badger Tavern - 3009 Old Forest Rd - Lynchburg VA
roadhouse with limited live music schedule


State Theater - 220 N Washington St - Falls Church VA
Refurbished movie house, now 800 seat live band venue


The Old Brogue - 760C Walker Rd - Great Falls VA
Old Irish pub with live folk/acoustic music twice a week


Blue Five - 312 Second St - Roanoke VA
blues, jazz and rock three nights a week


Kirk Avenue Music Hall - 22 Kirk Av SW - Roanoke VA
music only no frills focus on stage and sound


Old School Concerts - 40222 Fairfax St - Waterford VA
varied ongoing series on two sites in this national historic landmark


Tidewater Friends of Folk Music - 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd - Virginia Beach VA
twice monthly concert series and coffeehouse - 41 year tradition!


The Birchmere - 3701 Mount Vernon Av - Alexandria VA
Legendary folk music hall with a "quiet please" sign


Kentucky


Thompson House - 24 E Third St - Newport KY
four stages and four bars in one house, outside Cincinnati


Southgate House Revival - 111 E Sixth St - Newport KY
extensive schedule of wide range of music


Kentucky Coffeetree Cafe - 235 W Broadway - Frankfort KY
multi-purpose coffeehouse in the community spirit


Willie’s Locally Known - 805 N Broadway - Lexington KY
northside boutique BBQ and listening room for singer/songwriters


Parlay Social Club - 239 W Short St - Lexington KY
speakeasy dance hall with serious drinks and live bands


Headliners Music Hall - 1386 Lexington Rd - Louisville KY
home for hip-hop, rock, metal and alternative bands


KCD Theater - 4100 Springdale Rd - Louisville KY
on campus of Kentucky Country Day School


Renfro Valley Entertainment Center - 2389 Richmond St - Mt Vernon KY
55 acres of classic country, bluegrass and gospel music March thru December


North Carolina


Tressa’ Downtown Jazz & Blues - 28 Broadway - Asheville NC
live jazz, blues, latin, R&B


The Orange Peel - 101 Biltmore Av - Asheville NC
social aid and pleasure club as a location!


Ziggy’s - 170 W Ninth St - Winston-Salem NC
thousand seat night club for live reggae and roots bands
no website


Juggling Gypsy Cafe - 1612 Castle St - Wilmington SC
restaurant/hookah bar with movies, belly dancing, drum circles and live music


54 West - 3960 Hwy 54 - Graham NC
lively venue for touring acts and local songwriters


The Visulite Theater - 1615 Elizabeth Av - Charlotte NC
active venue for big time and local bands


Fillmore - 820 Hamilton St - Charlotte NC
large open floor with side seating



South Carolina


Newberry Opera House - 1201 McKibben St - Newberry SC
wide variety of music in a magnificent restoration


Music Farm - 1022 Senate St - Columbia SC
concert/event management venue for their own acts


Art Bar - 1211 Park St - Columbia SC
eclectic roadhouse with lively rock schedule


Blues Boulevard - 300 River St - Greenville SC
live jazz and blues five nights a week in upscale bistro


The Handlebar - 304 E Stone Av - Greenville SC
"listening room, pub and cafe"


Music Farm - 32 Ann St - Charleston SC
concert/event management venue for their own acts


The Pour House - 1977 Maybank Hwy - Charleston SC
jazz rock and roots brewpub with soul


The Bowery - 110 Ninth Av N - Myrtle Beach SC
cold drinks and live music on the beach, since 1944


Georgia


Smith’s Olde Bar - 1578 Piedmont Rd - Atlanta GA
comedy and live music on two stages


Apache Cafe - 64 Third St NW - Atlanta GA
music, poetry and other performance with good food, midtown


The Earl - 488 Flat Shoals Rd - Atlanta GA
neighborhood night club and alternative music venue


Rialto Center for the Arts - 33 /Gilmer St SE - Atlanta GA
premiere Georgia State University facility in downtown Atlanta


The Tabernacle - 152 Luckie St NW - Atlanta GA
former church and House of Blues reborn, large downtown venue


The Loft - 1374 W Peachtree St - Atlanta GA
midtown live music venue located in Center State Theater complex


The Fox - 660 Peachtree St NE - Atlanta GA
Large live venue for top touring acts and other events


Blind Willie’s - 828 N Highland Av - Atlanta GA
Blind Willie McTell’s historic blues house with blues menu


Variety Playhouse - 1099 Euclid Av NE - Atlanta GA
versatile performance space for big name acts


Eyedrum - 88 Forsyth St SW - Atlanta GA
experimental art and music venue in downtown arts district


Aaron’s Amphitheater - 2002 Lakewood Av SE - Atlanta GA
room for 12,000 under the starts for big name bands


Cafe 290 - 290 Hilderbrand Dr - Sandy Springs GA
“Atlanta’s Legend in Jazz”


Steve’s Live Music - 234 Hilderbrand Dr - Sandy Springs GA
small club with full bar and lively schedule of many “cultural forms of music”


Dixie Tavern - 2349 Windy Hill Rd - Marietta GA
heavy country in a strip mall


120 Tavern & Music Hall - 1440 Roswell Rd - Marietta GA
roadhouse grub and music hall with “farm-to-table burgers”


Sweetwater Bar and Grill - 2920 Old Norcross Rd - Duluth GA
hangout for local musicians


40 Watt Club - 285 W. Washington St - Athens GA
home base for REM and other Georgia bands


The Foundry - 295 E. Doughtery St - Athens GA
live music, cocktails and grits in a reclaimed old iron mill


Mill Town Music Hall - - 1031 Alabama Av - Bremen GA
wholesome country music in west Georgia


The Crazy Bull - 473 Second St - Macon GA
three floors of different venues in downtown Macon


Whiskey River - 4570 Pio Nono Av - Macon GA
22,000 square foot honky tonk nightclub and entertainment complex


Eddie's Attic - 515-B N. McDonough St. - Decatur GA
Singer/songwriters and other live music, also has a "shut up" sign


Alabama


On the Rocks - 110 N Court St - Florence AL
live music many night in Muscle Shoals regional pub


Workplay - 500 23rd St S - Birmingham, AL
artist/musician/performance collaboration space


Iron City - 513 Twenty-Second St S - Birmingham AL
Grill with lively schedule of live music


Ona’s Music Room - 2801 Second Av S - Birmingham AL
Upgrade small jazz club in Pepper Place neighborhood


The Bottletree - 3719 Third Av S - Birmingham, AL
indie-rock music hangout with massage chairs!


Oak Mountain Amphitheater - 1000 Amphitheater Rd - Pelam AL
Prime Alabama venue for big time bands south of Birmingham


Green Bar - 2209 Fourth St - Tuscaloosa AL
formerly Little Willie’s jazz club - now “original music venue”
Piccolo Lounge - 241 S College St - Auburn AL
live jazz on weekends, upscale hotel bar/restaurant


Rock Bottom American Pub - 2430 E Blvd - Montgomery AL
sports bar grub and limited live music


Soul Kitchen Music Hall - 219 Dauphin St - Mobile AL
“best place in Mobile to see live music”


Veets - 66 S Royal St - Mobile AL
Country/blues/rock party bar downtown on Mobile’s Mardi Gras route


Mississippi


Proud Larry’s - 211 S Lamar - Oxford MS
Ole Miss hangout with craft beers, pizza and pasta, plus live blues


Ground Zero Blues Club - 387 Delta Av - Clarksdale MS
Epicenter blues nightclub with extensive menu and rooms to rent


New Roxy - 363 Issaquena Av - Clarksdale MS
movie hall restored by community as music/event space


Red’s Lounge - 395 Sunflower Av - Clarksdale MS
more blues from Northern Mississippi juke joint


119 Underground - 119 S President St. - Jackson MS
Eclectic menu with live music five nights a week


Hal & Mal’s - 200 S Commerce St - Jackson MS
community-spirited bar/dining room with three event/live music stages


Brickhaus Brewtique - 2206 Front St. - Meridian MS
Live music with a choice of over 60 southern craft beers


Thirsty Hippo - 309 McLeod St. - Hattiesburg MS
Active hotspot for Southern roots music


The Shed - 15094 Mills Road - Gulfport MS
live blues served with ribs and other BBQ
http://theshedbbq.com/music/l/gulfport-ms/


One Hundred Men Debating Benevolent Association - 303 Union St - Bay St. Louis MS
live local blues since 1894, still a “chitlin’ circuit” hotspot on the Mississippi Blues Trail
http://www.100menhall.org/about-us/



Florida


Will's Pub - 1042 N Mills Av - Orlando FL
"basically a neighborhood bar colonized by the music community"


The Social - 54 N Orange Av - Orlando, FL


The Beacham - 46 N Orange Av - Orlando FL


The Bull - 18 SW First Av - Gainesville FL
downtown bar dedicated to jazz, Latin and local music


The Salt - 2222 NW Sixth St - Gainesville FL
live performance theater with grocery/general store


The High Dive - 210 SW Second Av - Gainesville FL
downtown live music/event venue with beer garden


1982 Bar - 919 W University Av - Gainesville FL
bar and cafe with live music, standup, and other shows


Back Yard Bar at Boca Fiesta - 232 SE First St - Gainesville FL
downtown patio of Mexican restaurant for dancing and music


Loosey’s Downtown - 120 SW First Av - Gainesville FL
downtown dive bar with live music on patio


BackStage Lounge - 1315 S Main St - Gainesville FL
lounge with live music - no website


The Atlantic Nightspot - 15 N Main - Gainesville FL
student punk dancehall north side of downtown


The Thomas Center - 302 NE Sixth Av - Gainesville FL
neighborhood cultural center with live music in Jewel Box


B Sharps JaZZ Society - 648 W Brevard St - Tallahassee FL
Nightclub dedicated to African American church women!


Bradfordville Blues Club - 7152 Moses Lane - Tallahassee FL
Backroads blues club for top talent on a hill north of Tallahassee


Club Downunder - A303 Oglesby Union FSU - Tallahassee FL
On campus music spot in FSU Student Union


The Orpheum - 1915 E Seventh Av - Tampa, FL
mecca for night life in Ybor City


Churchill's Pub - 5501 NE Second Av - Miami FL -
"a sort of English pub" formerly C&H Pub


Performing Arts Exchange: PAX - 404 NW 26th St -  Miami FL


Grand Central - 697 N Miami Av - Miami FL


Lafayette's Music Room - 550 S Rosemary Av - Palm Beach FL
Second location for a Memphis restaurant/music hall


1904 Music Hall - 19 N. Ocean St - Jacksonville FL


Underbelly - 113 E Bay St - Jacksonville FL
good food and music downtown


Jack Rabbits - 1528 Hendricks Av - Jacksonville FL


The Plaza Live - 425 N Bumby Av - Orlando, FL


The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall - 777 N Tamiami Trail - Sarasota FL


The Tuna - 4 Charles St - Key West FL
Raw bar/restaurant with live music nightly


Margaritaville - 500 Duval St - Key West FL
One-band-a-week plays this family friendly landmark named after a song


Hog’s Breath Saloon - 400 Front St - Key West FL
Three live acts every night of the week at the end of the road


Green Parrot Bar - 601 Whitehead St - Key West FL
"a sunny place for shady people"



New York City


Birdland - 315 W 44th St. - New York City, NY


Smalls Jazz Club - 183 W. Tenth St. - New York City, NY


The Bitter End - 147 Bleecker St. - New York City, NY


Cafe Wha? - 115 MacDougal St. - New York City, NY


The Blue Note - 131 W Third St. - New York City, NY


Village Vanguard - 178 Seventh Ave S - New York City, NY


The Living Room - 154 Ludlow St. - New York City, NY


City Winery New York - 155 Varick St. - New York City, NY
chain of food and shows


Goodbye Blue Monday - 1087 Broadway - New York City, NY
"music, art, antiques"


Bowery Ballroom - 6 Delancey St. - New York City, NY


The Allen Room - 70 Lincoln Center Pl. - New York City, NY


Fort Useless - 36 Ditmars Street - Brooklyn, NY
"event venue and art gallery" "songwriter salon"


Secret Project Robot - 389 Melrose St. - Brooklyn NY
not a venue, a collective bunch of Bushwick artists, musicians


Brooklyn Fire Proof - 119 Ingraham St. - Brooklyn, NY
kinda like the Sawtooth with a cafe and odd music, readings, shows


Big Snow Buffalo Lodge - 89 Varet St. - Brooklyn, NY
artspace/showspace/recordingstudio/rehearsalspace


No longer in NYC:  The Bottom Line, The Gaslight Cafe, The Village
Gate, Cafe Society, Gerdes Folk City, The Five Spot Cafe


Other East Coast


Cafe Lena - 47 Philadelphia St. - Saratoga Springs, NY


Maxwell's - 1039 Washington St. - Hoboken, NJ


World Cafe Live - 3025 Walnut St. - Philadelphia PA


9:30 Club - 815 V St NW - Washington, DC


Ram's Head - 33 West St. -  Annapolis, MD
roadhouse with a lively lineup of national acts


Club Passim - 47 Palmer St. - Cambridge MA
The old Club 47 where Joan Baez began her career)


Iron Horse Music Hall - 20 Center St. - Northampton, MA


Narrows Center for the Arts - 16 Anawan St. - Fall River, MA
non-profit art and music center touring acts in 300 seat house


Space - 538 Congress St - Portland ME
gallery/alternative arts venue


The Strand - - Rockland, ME
live music and wide-ranged performance venue


Jonathan's - 92 Bournes Ln. - Qgunquit, ME
restaurant and special event venue with touring acts


The Music Hall Loft - 28 Chestnut St. - Portsmouth, NH
restored historic structure with curated series of music theater dance film


Infinity Music Hall - 20 Greenwoods Road W., Norfolk CT
bistro and concert hall featured on pbs.


Chicago


Old Town School of Folk Music - 4544 N Lincoln Av. - Chicago, IL
two concert halls and varied schedule along with a school


City Winery - 1200 W Randolph St. - Chicago, IL
Chicago outpost of NYC chain


Schubas - 3159 N. Southport Av - Chicago, IL
upscale home of acoustic bands


Lincoln Hall - 2424 N Lincoln Av - Chicago IL
hotspot in hopping neighborhood


The Empty Bottle - 1035 N. Western Av. - Chicago, IL
alternative music friendly dance hall in Ukrainian neighborhood


The Hideout - 1354 W Wabansia Av - Chicago IL
19th Century Shanty club for independent music


Buddy Guy’s Legends - 700 S Wabash Av - Chicago IL
Buddy’s cajun blues joint in South Loop


Double Door - 1572 N Milwaukee Av - Chicago IL
raucous rock house in Wicker Park neighborhood


The Metro/Smart Bar - 3730 N Clark St - Chicago IL
storied rock nightclub and basement disco north of Wrigley Field


Michigan


The Ark Coffee House - 316 S. Main St. - Ann Arbor, MI


Wisconsin


Stoughton Opera House - 381 E Main St. - Stoughton, WI
historic facility run by City of Stoughton


Minnesota


First Avenue - 701 First Av N - Minneapolis MN


Ohio

River Roasters Coffee - 102 West Main St. - Pomeroy, OH
A savvy urban coffeehouse well off the beaten path
The Kent Stage - 175 E Main St. - Kent, OH
former vaudeville house converted into large folk music hall


The Outpost - 4962 State Rt 43 - Kent OH
Rock roadhouse south of Kent State campus


Dusty Armadillo - 3147 State Rt 44 - Rootstown OH
Country roadhouse with bar grub south of town


Akron Civic Theater - 182 S Main St - Akron OH
Storied venue and architectural gem, features “atmospheric theater”
also see:


Palace Theater - 233 W Center St - Marion OH
performing arts center and “atmospheric theater”


Agora Theater & Ballroom - 5000 Euclid Av - Cleveland OH
Long-running local institution featuring a blend of old and new bands


Woodlands Tavern - 1200 W. Third Av. - Columbus, OH
neighborhood craft beer hall and music venue


Pennsylvania


Media Theater - 104 E State St. - Media, PA
center for the performing arts


Sellersville Theater - 24 W Temple Av. - Sellersville, PA
performance venue connected with Washington House Restaurant


West Virginia


Metropolitan Theater - 369 High St. - Morgantown, WV
restored former vaudeville and movie house


Bryan Walker removes mic stands as Armando’s shutters


St. Louis


Venice Cafe - 1903 Pestalozzi St. - St. Louis, MO
rock pub with music


Soulard Crossroads - 2201 S Seventh St. - St. Louis, MO
food, comedy, poetry and original talent


Off Broadway - 3509 Lemp Av. - St. Louis, MO
fully schedule neighborhood music hall


The Beale on Broadway - 701 S. Broadway - St. Louis, MO
blues bar in Soulard District


Jefferson Warehouse - 2501 S Jefferson Av. - St. Louis, MO
local live music, art and community events


2720 Cherokee Performing Arts Center - 2720 Cherokee St. - St. Louis, MO
large "oasis" for music, art, culture


Koken Art Factory - 2500 Ohio Av. - St. Louis, MO
huge special event space for the arts


Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center - 3301 Lemp - St. Louis, MO
non-profit youth-oriented world music


mushmaus - 2700 Cherokee St. - St. Louis, MO
DIY artists performance space for multimedia


The Jive and Wail - 1227 Washington Ave. - St. Louis, MO
"dueling piano bar"


The Old Rock House - 1200 S Seventh St. - St. Louis, MO
storefront concert venue


Blueberry Hill - 6504 Delmar Bl. - University City, MO
where Chuck Berry plays The Duck Room


Other Missouri


Mojo's - 1013 Park Avenue - Columbia, MO


The Blue Note - 17 N. Ninth Street -Columbia, MO


Lupus General Store - Main Street - Lupus, MO


Austin


Moody Theater - 310 Willie Nelson Blvd - Austin TX
home stage for Austin City Limits, across the street from City Hall


Continental Club - 1315 S. Congress - Austin TX
famous downstairs night club also features smaller upstairs Gallery


Stubb's BBQ - 801 Red River St - Austin TX
former Lubbock institution now relocated in Austin


Carousel Lounge - 1110 E 52nd St - Austin TX
grassroots venue for local independent bands


Victory Grill - 1104 E Eleventh St - Austin TX
old time blues and jazz hot spot and museum for live music


Hole in the Wall - 2538 Guadalupe - Austin TX
primarily a college bar for the UT crowd, storied venue


Ginny’s Little Longhorn - 5434 Burnet Rd - Austin TX
North Austin dive bar for roots/country music


Paramount Theater - 713 Congress Av - Austin TX
majestic old vaudeville house now with mixed offerings/touring acts


Elephant Room - 315 Congress Av - Austin TX
live jazz downtown seven nights a week


Sahara Lounge - 1413 Webberville Rd - Austin TX
Unique remix of African, Brazilian, blues, country, swing, etc.


The White Horse - 500 Comal St - Austin TX
Country and Conjunto shows open every day


Emo’s - 2015 E Riverside Dr. - Austin, TX
formerly Antones, in its second location


Cactus Cafe - 2247 Guadalupe St. - Austin TX
Live music on campus of University of Texas


Other Southwest


Dosey Doe - 25911 I-45-N - Houston, TX
more than one listening room in Houston


Cain's Ballroom - 423 N Main St. - Tulsa, OK
broad range of bands in large ballroom, no seats


Other West


The Loving Cup - 188 California Av - Reno NV
neighborhood social club and bar with comedy, live music


Garage on Beck - 1199 Beck St - Salt Lake City UT
grille and jazz joint, plus other styles


Colorado


Founders Hall - 200 E Baseline Rd - Lafayette CO
Center for Colorado Music Festival - “music for all … for life”


Nissi’s - 2675 Northpark Dr - Lafayette CO
jazz, rock, comedy, dancing along with a full menu and bar


Little Bear Saloon - 28075 Hwy 74 - Evergreen CO
live music for over 40 years in former church now a classic western saloon


Fox Theater - 1135 13th St. Boulder CO
world-class live music venue for large crowds


Motif Westside - 2432 Cucharras St - Colorado Springs CO
serious chow and cocktails, with live jazz three nights a week


Tennysons Tap - 8th and Tennyson - Colorado Springs CO
neighborhood live music bar and recording studio/art gallery


Front Range BBQ - 2330 W Colorado Av - Colorado Springs CO
blues, bluegrass and other smokehouse music


Ziggie’s - 4923 W 38 Av - Denver CO
live music seven nights a week, poets hangout

* * *
More research needed for: Denver, Houston, Dallas, Louisiana, Minneapolis, Michigan, Chicago


Lost Music Venues of New York City:


Update on DC area, including Birchmere:


Other links:











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