I have always wondered why there isn't a cool live music venue in the CWE (there hasn't been since I moved here in 2000). I know Dressel's and other bars feature music, but they aren't music venues. I'm talking about something like the Hi-Pointe, Way Out, Off Broadway, Creepy Crawl, the old Rocket Bar (in particular), or even the Red Sea. I know Magee's has bands, but it's mostly (nowadays) jam bands, and not really in the walkable part of the CWE.



Are rents too high? Are there restrictive ordinances? The crowd is there, with all the students and high density. It's centrally located, and there are so many good spaces available.



Any thoughts?



Anyone want to put up some money for me to open something?

Club Viva or whatever is there... It's a salsa/tango/latin dance place.

Pretty sure I saw it still open not too long ago.



I think that you may find some issues similar to what Soulard and Wash Ave are experiencing: As the neighborhood becomes more established the residents, who vote on liqour lisences become more finicky. I don't know for sure, but it maybe just that the perception of live music is loud and large crowds.



Does anyone know, do renters vote on liqour lisences is it the property owners. If it were the property owners I could see how a couple of those building owners vote no, and you woudl be screwed. (Liqour lisence approval is based on percentage of businesses and residences within a certain distance approving of it.) If they account for all their tenants, you're stuck.



Also, perhaps many building owners don't want that sort of venue in their buildings, many of which have residents directly above the retail space. They could soundproof, but they probably don't want to shuck out the money, and its probably a fairly expensive proposition for a retail tenant.



Just throwing out theories. Maybe something more towards the sarah/ boyle/64 area would work, a little less residential, a little more edgy, and still next to the neighborhood.



Sorry for the ramble.