Heard of Warehouse 201, the north Phoenix all-ages venue catering to hardcore, metal and punk acts?
No?
A lot of other people haven't either, and that's sort of a problem says Brandon Kellum, a local dude who's played in Vera Lynne, The Hostage Situation and is now fronting a new band called The Alchemist Divide. The 600-capacity space, formerly Old World Brewery, is the beneficiary of an eight-band mini-fest aimed at drumming up support for the space. It's in danger of imminent closure, Kellum says, which is why he put this show together.
"The main issues lately have come from the small attendances at shows. This can be attributed to a number of things, but the main battle is as simple as getting its name out there so people actually know where it is," says Kellum. "It could still be considered a 'hidden gem' because its location deep in the heart of a warehousing district. Since its off the beaten path of traffic its not necessarily the easiest place to find for those that haven't been there before."
"The venue and its owners are known for not only hosting shows but working hand in hand to help develop local bands as well as be host to mid-size label bands coming through on tour," says Kellum. "It's become more than just a place to see a show -- it's become a community welcoming everyone that wants to be a part of all that AZ's music scene has to offer."
Is this your scene? Hard to say. The venue is the sort of place that has posted rules like these:
NO Assholes NO Attitudes NO Racists, Homophobes, or Elitists NO Drugs NO Outside Alcohol NO Stage diving NO Graffiti NO Fighting You throw - You go NO sharp spikes NO colors/letters
Get the picture? Thought so. Either you're into that or you're not, but if you're into it you should try to get up there and spend some money in the near future.
"The venue did have a big scare this past week. So big in fact that it wasn't a sure thing that the venue would make it past this month. Luckily, due to the support of AZs musicians and music fans, it was able to keep its doors open for the time being. Within hours of a Facebook Petition being sent around this past Thursday over 300 people had pledged their time, services and support and that number is still growing."
"When I heard this venue hit a rough spot I wanted to do anything I could to turn it around at least to give it another chance at marketing itself. It really has so much potential... it just needs people to know its there."
Now you know. Check out this track from The Fair and Debonair and see if this is something you should supporting.
