Terrible News For Local Music Fans
6:22PM ON
10/21/2008
BY
Matthew Lawrence
Word on the street Facebook is The Living Room’s closing after thirty-four years in various locations throughout the city. No word on what’s happening with the remainder of the shows that were booked there. (Sorry, Toadies fans!)
In a Myspace blog, Aaron Jaehnig and Gregory Rourke explain:
The current staff of The Living Room has taken an enormous amount of pride and put a lot of hard work into keeping [original owner] Randy [Hein]’s dream alive. It is with heavy hearts and for reasons outside of our control that we will be unable to continue hosting shows at The Living Room. We sincerely apologize to any bands with shows booked that will not be able to take place. Please look for further announcements about shows that are being moved to other venues. We would also like to thank every single person that ever performed, drank, fought, danced, puked, sang along, worked or dared to dream within the walls of that club, or the two locations that preceded it.
On the bright side, I guess, the Century Lounge is re-open. I was never a huge fan of the place, although I did see a kick-ass Raveonettes show there once. Unfortunately, the calendar on their website doesn’t look very promising, though.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:56AM
Chris Curley Says:
It’s an appropriately nostalgic message on that page, but my friends and I have been waiting for this shoe to drop for the better part of the year. Maybe there really was an “enormous amount of pride and … hard work” but my experience of The Living Room as a concert-goer the last year has been one of consistent disappointment with their lack of promotion for any show that didn’t promote themselves (i.e. someone with a built-in local audience, like Lightning Bolt). A number of recent shows - Time New Viking, Xiu Xiu - played to crowds of 15-20 people. Dismal. At the latter show I felt actively embarrassed for Providence. And that’s not good for anyone.
I wish I could say I was sad to see the venue go, but I think that the Living Room “went” when Randy Hein died.
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October 22nd, 2008 at 1:06PM
Toadies Says:
Toadies fans - please check our website for updates. We’re sorry to learn the Living Room has closed, but hoping to still do a show in the area. http://www.thetoadies.com
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October 22nd, 2008 at 10:38PM
Alex Says:
I wonder if a certain influential person in Providence would be interested in reopening the Met Cafe in that spot… or at least keep the living room open.
But I mean, really….
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