A few years ago there were rumors about that. That the owner was planning on selling the land to some developers, but then opening other clubs in other areas. Those rumors circulated for a good while, but I haven't heard anything about it in two years or so.
They were all set to close the venue and open a new venue slightly outside the perimeter, when the deal fell apart...apparently some preservationists decided the building was a bonafide example of the remains of an excelsior mill (which it was, at one time). How they could determine that under the grime and detritus of over 20 years as a concert venue is beyond me.
Also, the ill-conceived Beltline project, to build some sort of trolley or light-rail along a loop in the city, would have run right next to the Masquerade. That project is on indefinite hold right now, so the land isn't worth as much as it might have been.
The Masquerade could be the only concert club in the nation that WANTS to close and relocate, but wasn't allowed to. (!)
Yes, actually, because my husband and I would have had a better shot at getting on the rail like we wanted. They moved everyone into Purgatory and the people in the back of the line outside didn't fit inside so they pretty much got in first. The whole point is that we arrived early and waited for hours to get a spot on the rail and the people who were at the back of the line ended up getting in first...needless to say we did not get our spots on the rail. Its not fair to those of us who waited and it was extremely poorly run line control.
Agreed. I'd have held the doors until they were ready upstairs. It's possible there was a miscommunication and they THOUGHT they were ready upstairs....
However, they did have the ceiling fans on--KimK and Urban staked out a spot by the sound board directly under one of them and it *was* noticably cooler there. Next time, I'm wearing shorts and a tank top even if it's February.
But I mean, it *is* the Masquerade... there was nothing particularly unusual for them. People should be somewhat used to them by now, I'd think.
At one point the Masquerade turned the A/C on, at least in the back part of the club. It had been turned off from the get-go at the request of the headlining band's vocalist. This is not unusual; many singers request that the A/C be switched off.
It was good seeing everyone though! And at least we didn't get frisked for our cell phones.
Sounded like the Tabernacle really got anal. I'm really glad I didn't go to that show--sounds like I would've gone ballistic.
It wasn't the Tabernacle that got anal; it was Glenn Danzig's requirement that no cellphones were allowed. Did I mention he was an asshole? I did? Hey presto, he's still an asshole today!
The other solution is to hire your own soundguy, have (or the soundguy have) a digital live console, with IEMs, your own MICs, etc. Then you could have had everything going into a few channels on the main board that were allowed to be PA'd. Though, that's probably excessive for many bands because you'd almost never need this.
After a truly awful-sounding show at the Roxy, Porcupine Tree did exactly that: they played the Masquerade instead (!), BUT....they brought their own mixing console with them as well as their own house sound-guy. Gotta say, that was one of the sweetest-sounding shows I've ever heard at the Masquerade.
Seriously....whoever said they should tear the Masq down, I disagree totally
Sure....sometimes the sound sucks and some of the staff are assholes (especially the bald dude, God I can't stand him,
He's actually cooler than you think, but he definitely has his 'working mode.'
I think Shaye, Urban, Kim, Ripper and I saw much more of that guy than we needed, after the show.
plus when they divide the line, that pissed me off at another show) but the atmosphere of the Masq >>>>>>> Center Stage and the Tabernacle
It just has that certain vibe...the floor moves, the crowd is close to the stage and close together, it's small and hot, and it's just awesome. I can't explain it but the most fun shows I've been to have been there.
I've seen so many memorable shows at the Masquerade and have so many great memories of the place that I couldn't begin to count them all. It is Atlanta's longest-running privately-owned concert venue. Sure, it's a dive, but if it weren't there, half of the small-to-medium hall tours coming through the Southeast wouldn't stop here.
Never Again...The Muse makes the Masquerade look like the best venue on the face of the planet...wait no...The Muse makes EVERY venue look like the best venue on the face of the planet--even Swayze's in Kennesaw.
Wow!
Just.................wow.
).
<3) made me think about things & mainly the fact that we in Atlanta, Ga. DON'T HAVE that many good Metal venues & should just be thankful & incredibly grateful for what we do have!!!!!!!
Cheers To You All!!!
Actually, this is exactly how I felt about L'amores in Brooklyn. Thankfully it did close, but it's reopened before and they've yet to tear it down, soooo...
