We’ve got them “Deep Ellum Blues”
Posted By Mike Orren in The One That's Not About Music on October 11, 2006
I hate bringing up the hand-wringing over Deep Ellum yet again, but I'm sensing an acceleration of the woes in recent weeks.
Obviously, there's the closings: Tarantino's, Green Room, Deep Ellum Blues.
I went to the Frank Black concert at the Tea Room Monday. Yeah, I know it was a Monday, but I've been to Monday shows before. The small crowd was embarassing. And I had to swerve to avoid the tumbleweeds as I drove home. (I've reached out to Frank's management to see if I could get a comparison to other Monday night shows on this tour -- will update if I hear back.)
Then comes this from David Gouldin of Ben Zephyr:
"Man, the show on Friday was slow. Having Deep Ellum that dead on OU/Texas weekend is a testament to how poor Deep Ellum is doing in general. Vallejo was playing at Club Clearview right across the street, and the Clearview parking lot wasn't even full! I heard that both lower Greenville and the West End were packed with people both Friday and Saturday night. Not so with Deep Ellum. I knew it had a bad reputation around Dallas, but when people from Oklahoma coming down who usually make a trip to Deep Ellum a tradition avoid it too, you know it's gotten bad. I wonder what's going to happen to the music scene ... how it's going to evolve and what venues around the metroplex will become places that people hang out at simply to listen to music (or if there will be any at all)."
I know this has been debated to death -- and that's part of my concern. There are so many good people running great businesses in Deep Ellum. I'm tired of hearing the city (and The City) fiddle about while our cultural Rome burns.
I don't know what the right answer is. Maybe Deep Ellum can't be turned around. Maybe it's all part of the circle of life. Maybe West Plano is the new Deep Ellum.
One idea I've been kicking around for awhile that I'd like to test-balloon here:
We've been thinking about taking submissions of local bands (of any genre) busting a verse and a chorus of "Deep Ellum Blues" and weaving them together into a sort of "We Are The World"-esque tribute to Deep Ellum.
No, this won't solve the economic problems in the area (but come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that there are still some hungry kids in Africa). Maybe the song could be an awareness-raiser. Maybe (although I doubt it), someone can find a way to sell it as some sort of a benefit for Deep Ellum improvements. Maybe it'll serve as a eulogy. Maybe it'll just be a silly fun track for folks to pass around while remembering the good 'ol days and rededicating to a rebuilding.
I'd be interested in feedback in the comments below. If it turns out to be a decent idea, we'll get someone to lay down a backing track which we'll circulate. Then we'll try to snap up recordings as we do interviews. We'd also take mp3s by email. Maybe our new friends at OnQ TV can get a few too. Maybe other local music bloggers would like to contribute.
In any event, this would be a strictly not-for-profit deal, and could be redistributed anywhere. Could be fun...
Saw this literally 20 minutes after posting:
http://finelinelive.com/2006/10/11/cb...
Amen.
Mike Orren Staff
3 years, 1 month ago
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A simple idea that wouldn't really solve that much...
....but I wish there were more weekend daytime music things going on there - just a little low-key outdoor stage music festival. It's easy to park then, not nearly as scary, the weather is perfect right now, and it's a way to get people back to Deep Ellum AND have a positive experience all in one. It exposes a lot of new bands and lets people hear new things.
Again - certainly not a "solution" - if there is such a thing - but something that's sorely missing from the Dallas music scene in general. Outdoor concerts that aren't trying to promise record deals or what not - just ones that do it because hearing music outside while having a beer is a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Hopper Anonymous
3 years, 1 month ago
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Seems to me one of the real strongpoints of Deep Ellum that seems to have been lost based on too many covers everywhere is the ability to walk from one bar to the next.
How about some daytime block parties on the weekend? Get people walking around, drinking, eating, shopping, etc
Alan Cohen Staff
3 years, 1 month ago
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Yep, that's exactly what I meant.
Hopper Anonymous
3 years, 1 month ago
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See, I'm seeing the opposite. Well, in some aspects, at least. I hang out at Club Dada a lot, and it seems to be the place to be lately. I can't comment on Deep Ellum Blues because, well, frankly, I hate the blues. Green Room was a pretty high class eatery, and doesn't really fit Deep Ellum with amazing places like Cafe Brazil, Angry Dog, & All Good, serving amazing food for a third of Green Room's price.
And come on. I realize Frank Black is an icon to a few people, but any show on a Monday night is going to suffer, especially if its someone who's been out of the indie spotlight for so long.
Head out to Dada on Wednesdays (Method Entertainment is hosting a series of "tribute" shows, featuring local artists playing Johnny Cash, or R.E.M.). Or Thursdays, where Amanda Newman from Fineline is hosting some really amazing shows.
It needs to start up again, from somewhere. Especially on a local level. Dada is practicing a form of community building, and it's working. Find the crowd (Dada) and hang out there. Eventually, it's going to spill out again.
Gregory Anonymous
3 years, 1 month ago
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Dada is definitely rocking the house. But, what they're doing would work wherever they were in town. And, as my perception is that Dada has become a "destination," that doesn't necessarily help Deep Ellum as a whole. (Not that it's their responsibility to do that.) Right now I see Dada as an oasis of success in a downward-trending neighborhood.
Not to kiss Dada's heinies too much, I'd also say that most clubs are not capable of doing what they're doing. They've got something really special -- and with Amanda, John and Carlin booking so many special shows and Cindy/Amanda devoting so much of The Fine Line's attention to Dada, there is a community-building that just doesn't happen without a lot of effort and vigilance. (Somewhat similar to how local online communities don't develop without some curating and nurturing.)
I think that level of attention and management is unique -- only paralleled at a couple other places around town and a small percentage anywhere. And I don't think it is realistic to expect that every club down there will have that kind of savvy and love put into it. And even Dada would benefit from some walk-in business if there was more going on.
I see some parallels with Southside on Lamar. Absinthe, Poor David's and Brooklyn are all really well "curated," but there's little else around them. I love those clubs, but I never just "wind up there." They are destinations. But they don't have a ton of empty restaurants and clubs surrounding them.
The question is, is Deep Ellum going to be a major entertainment district? Right now it's definitely flagging on that front, despite some outliers who are thriving. If some of the other clubs and restaurants don't step up their games -- and I know some are trying to -- we're going to be talking about what to do with all the empty space around the destination clubs.
Mike Orren Staff
3 years, 1 month ago
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cultural Rome? West Plano?
strident Anonymous
3 years, 1 month ago
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My band played Saturday night at in Deep Ellum on TX-OU weekend. The streets were packed, Dada was packed. The club where we were playing wasn't packed. It would be GREAT if there were more venues (not necessarily clubs) to play. Outdoor gigs, great. I've been trying to get my band into Dada, and find more places to play. It's really hard to do. We don't find aout about Battle Of The Bands events until they're filled...just wish there was a better way.
Tom Jordan Verified
3 years, 1 month ago
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I'd totally be down with a block festival, "bringing back the rock" or something like it. the st. paddy's block party is an example of something fun like that. as far as enticing the bands to actually play in deep ellum, most of the venues want the bands to take payment in the form of the door and when noone is going to deep ellum, the band is literally playing for peanuts. i think most people are frustrated with the parking situation down there and now there is construction everywhere. but, it is not going to get any better unless the city of dallas actually gets involved and tries to bring it back to where it used to be. whatever is done down there, i.e. block party, new bars, restaurants, etc., someone needs to do some serious promotion. there are loads of new condos going up right there at the farmers market so there will be more people living right there soon. the potential is there and the tea room has actually had some great artists play recently. i actually live in deep ellum and have noticed more people hanging out on the weekend but i am not real sure where they are going. anyway, sign me up for whatever is done to get the ball rolling.
jrlinds2001 Anonymous
3 years, 1 month ago
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