One of my missions on SanJoseInside is to point out to our readers things that I think are missing in San Jose and provide ideas for ways to fill the gaps.
One thing that is sorely lacking in San Jose is live music. I actually thought of this as I was eating dinner at the Poor House Bistro, a great Cajun restaurant with a lot of character near the Arena, when they had a blues band playing in their patio. It was so nice to have some culture injected into downtown. The other night, I actually relaxed and had a drink in the Hedley Lounge in the De Anza Hotel, who often have jazz singers or lounge acts. Except for a few other places that have tried and failed, this seems to be the extent of downtown’s live music scene.
Not to mention the fact that San Jose really has no venue to attract smaller-than-the-Arena entertainment acts. I recently bought tickets to David Gray, and had to face the prospect of traveling to downtown Oakland’s Paramount Theatre. (I was ready to strap on my kevlar vest to make the journey but the show was cancelled.) Every time I browse ticketmaster.com, I see acts going to the Fillmore, the Warfield, and Berkeley Theatre—but where is our venue? I know there has been talk of building a music hall in a few different locations, but we have to bring the culture and music back downtown!
We need places where you can go to listen to any type of music conceivable—including alternative rock, country, jazz, blues, swing, salsa—in classy, hip establishments that are all within walking distance from one another in a great city core. The city must encourage this and give extra incentives to places that offer quality live music, without turning it into another botched House of Blues deal. Let’s make San Jose a place that REALLY has something for everyone.
Venue? Hows about the California Theatre? I remember live entertainment there as a child (it was called vaudeville back then). Did the renovations change the acoustics, or does the new management think that it is too low class?
In the most gentle way, I want to protest the practice of allowing anonymous bloggers or posters on this web site. We saw last week how personal attacks can be made due to such anonymity.
Only whistleblowers with pertinent information should be permitted anonymity because that would be in the public interest.
Single Gal really has no basis for anonymity.
Dale:
Start your own blog.
#2. Which part of Single Gal’s anynomous post do you view as a “personal attack?”
I might also ask who are you to decide if Single Gal, or anyone else, has a “basis” for anonymity?
As for personal attacks, I suspect most readers see them for what they are, and assign them the appropriate level of credibility.
Single Gal, I feel you’re ingorant about downtown music scene. There’s civic auditorium that hosts smaller acts than the arena and don’t forget the blank club. As for other music such as jazz, you see, people in San Jose don’t really care for those performances. Remember Escavedo’s on First St? It closed down due to little support. Downtown San Jose is great, even better than Chicago’s.
But, hey, even with what live music Downtown has, it could always use more. A good downtown should always have plenty of good nightlife (regardless of whatever police-tactics controversy is going on at the time, I might add).
And they do have a stage right in ceasar chavez park. They could have local bands go up on stage and play music for picnic in the park or something. Maybe open mic night like they have at coffee shops. Maybe comedy in the park…
How bout Karayoke in the park. That would be interesting..
My friend plays in a jazz band called, ‘The Avent Groove’ They play on occassion at the Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge, the Agenda, Anse Cafe, and Santana Row. I’m assuming these places have other acts as well.
Unlike the rest of the angry bloggers today, I see your point. Where is the mid-size venue large enough to stage a fairly big name band, but not HP large. Where is the intimate venue to see you favorite getting-bigger-but-not-big-yet band. We certainly have the population pull to attact bands, we can sell the tickets. There is also room for additional venues for small, local bands. A place that serves a decent cocktail and plays music on nights that bands don’t play. I think Paragon was doing this for a while??
I have no idea about the California. Is it that kind of venue? I’m kinda new here and have never been…What does go on there???
Doesn’t it all really boil down to the people who live, or rather don’t, downtown. It’s the classic chicken-or-the-egg battle. If you build the housing, the people will come and need someplace to hang out…vs. If you bring in the bars, restaurants, stores, venues, then the people will want to live here. But which comes first? I say, if you build it, they will come. Make downtown more desirable, people will want to live here, housing will be necessary…etc.
GFTN, that would be fun, but then RG would always be breaking in halfway through the songs with—“2 minutes”.
SingleGal, I thank you for the offer, but I don’t think you would like me, and you’ll run to hill so fast before I say, “hi”. We better stick to blogging because the people of San Jose are so ignorant about downtown, and I have to teach them that’s it’s not a moribound downtown as they think. I’m so busy with communicating with people how downtown is all that. There are so many,many guys in downtown that you’ll have plenty of dates. There are guys all over the place! You won’t be single for long, and I garantee you.
Fed Up Blogger –
Do you want to go out on a date with me? I love men who treat me like you do!
I’ve been to Escovados. It was scary.
If JJ’s Blues was downtown it would do well. I’m sure there are people in San Jose that appreciate Blues and Jazz.
You’re right, SJ’s a musical wasteland,
especially compared to the eastern seaboard.
But not all is lost….
Try Espresso Garden or Sam’s BBQ.
Also Willow Glen Coffee.
In Fremont, try Mission Pizza.
In berkeley, Freight and Salvage.
They’re relatively well known in
the coffee house circuit.
In Saratoga, Blue Rock Shoot
occasionally has performers,
as does the restaurant at
the open square across Big Basin Way
(forgot name).
For jazz, there’s Yoshi’s in Oakland.
SF has some venues too, Plough and Stars.
Not like the Fillmore in the ‘60s though:-(
Others have come and unfortunately
gone over the years. It’s difficult
and as you seem to recognize,
the market is not quite there with
all the corporate-driven geekness
culture here in the V.
Check out ba.music if you know
your way around the internet usenet,
or fiddling cricket with google.
I’d be willing to speculate here (perhaps
in the absence of what others might be
thinking but are less willing to write)
that Palo Alto and Berkeley drain
a lot of cultural vibrancy away from SJ.
Zellerbach and Greek Theatre in particular
have hosted many excellent performances
in the past. Even Stern Grove in SF.
More pleasant than Oakland’s
Paramount. Maybe SJ needs some
venue analog? Redesign the Discovery Museum
site along the lines of the Greek Theatre
or a smaller version of the Music Concourse?