But the Dreamdate/Croissants/Wrong Words show is still happening in Davis, address listed below.
Sunday, May 1
7:30 PM
Admission: $5.00
Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild
2828 35th St, Sacramento, CA
The Quiet Earth
This New Zealand indie from 1985 features the great Bruno Lawrence as Zac, a scientist who awakes one day to find that all people have vanished from the face of the Earth due to a global experiment going awry. Zac's mind slowly deteriorates due to the solitude until he stumbles upon another survivor, Joanne (Alison Routledge), and later a Maori (Peter Smith) named Api. The three band together and slowly realize that the forces unleashed by the experiment are destined to happen again.
The HUB ruled. Did anyone else feel an anti-HUB sentiment flying around these days? Hopefully you anti-HUBers will realize what we've lost and be more appreciative for the HUB 2.
ReplyDeleteCharles
Ps remeber the fools foundation? I liked that place too.
Much of the anti-Hub sentiment I felt was left over from last summer when shows were mostly badly under-attended, and I was carrying a lot of stress around because of it. And that would be evident to the few people who did attend shows. My "KDVS Presents" shows there couldn't compete for the young audience against the free-for-all of shows at The Den (the house on V Street that was rent-free and rule-free while it was pre-foreclosing). I was booking great touring bands, but the kids would rather see any random band at The Den 'cos you didn't hafta pay anything, and you could drink openly without me telling you, "Hey...put that away." The best band that ever played at The Hub played to me and the band they were touring with.
ReplyDeleteWhen The Den was finally boarded up, I got rededicated to making it fun all the time, and asking the local bands to do a better job of promoting the shows. I decided that every show would feel like being at the DAM Haus. Hubcap era. Also, I was bringing bigger bands in there beginning with that ex-Sleater-Kinney band as the first experiment. That show went off totally hitchless. Even the band exceeded my expectations...They totally rocked!
From then on, attendance went up 450%. No joke. Lotsa people left the shows eager for the next one. More buzz.
Bands from outta town started telling me often "I wish we had a place like this in [wherever they lived]." And these bands were talking about SF, L.A., NYC, Vancouver, Seattle....places that are supposedly more fun for young people who like music. Lots of "best show on our tour so far" or "funnest show so far" testimonials from bands. This is my favorite thing to hear. Many of the more exciting shows were drawing caravans of people from the Bay Area, Stockton, and Reno...and many of these people were the most enthusiastic about The Hub. Like a lot of the best things happening in this area, it seemed like we were valued more by people outta town than by people right here. But locally, people were taking notice that things were getting awesome lately.
By this time, the only anti-Hub sentiment I'd hear was usually from people disappointed that these bigger shows (bands like Iron Lung/Ty Segall/NoBunny/Davila 666) weren't happening somewhere larger where more people could fit. But the thing is....These shows were happening at The Hub because that's where the bands specifically wanted to play.
Best of all for me myself, it was the first time in a while where I had the keys and could make a decision about bands and dates without asking for someone else's approval. No more salesmanship to convince outta-touch keyholders that the bands I've got coming through are worth the time.
Many of our approximately three dozen orphaned shows are already on the move. Hopefully, not too many will hafta be canceled, although tonight's show with The Bugs and Teef and "Sinbad from North Natomas" must be put down. And next Wednesday's White Fang/Sex Killers/Majikool Doods show is under threat.
Keep watching the Undietacos for more info. I've still got all my Hub shows on the calendar as @ t/h/e/e h/u/b/b or some some ungooglable variant meant to throw off city officials from ever finding it. But that will all change soon....when I finally get the chance to dedicate some time to it.
Thanks to everyone who ever came to have fun here! And thanks to the bands. Keep in touch.
Happy Birthday was one of my favorite Hub shows. Also I have a bad memory so I have forgotten a lot of them.
ReplyDeleteThere was many a time were it was stinkin' and sweaty, but the HUB was always a good time, and I think we all knew it was special. It will definitely define a certain era of my life here is Sacramento.
ReplyDeleteThe Hub closing is sadder to me than the Loft closing because the Loft had pretty much run its course when it closed. The Hub closed at its peak. I kind of still haven't accepted it.
ReplyDelete-miller
Rick, the Hub Ruled(s). Could never understand why people did not like it, as if they would rather pay a bar owner than the bands-BYOB is the only way to fly. Great shows and atmosphere-will be sorely missed-Thanks for the hard work to all involved-
ReplyDeleteEd
I wasn't aware of any anti-Hub sentiment. Then again I'm not around the water cooler enough to know about a lot of stuff. Yeah, big thanks to Rick, the Slagles, kdvs folk, Genaro, Larry, etal. for making it all possible.
ReplyDeleteJed