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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Hot Goss Breaking News: City Hall Closes Its Doors Sept. 17

Posted by Tracy Moore on Tue, Apr 29, 2008 at 10:38 AM

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Yep, no joke. Just got news that City Hall is closing its doors Sept. 17 after a three-year run. It was bought out by the building owners. There goes another mid-sized venue for the city that attracted more left-of-center acts. More to come after I speak to the owners, but as it stands, the good news is that Austin Ray and Benjamin Goldberg plan to open a similar venue somewhere else in town. UPDATE: The new space will be taken over by Urban Outfitters in early 2009. UPDATE 2: After the jump, read a Q&A with City Hall co-owner Austin Ray about their plans for a new space. He couldn't tell me when, where or how big it would be, but he confirmed it will, indeed, come to fruition. UPDATE 3: Comment from Great Big Shows owner Rick Whetsel, who handles all booking for City Hall. Scene: So, how long was this deal in the works? Austin Ray: Not very long. [It happened] within a month. Scene: So, was it really just about a good offer to vacate the lease early? Ray: There were some other factors involved—parking was starting to get real tight down there. We really like City Hall, and we enjoyed being in the music venue business and we plan on continuing that. I don’t want to say we’ll have time enough to get something else started so that it will be a seamless transition into the next project. But they came in and offered us a deal, and we went back and forth and ended up accepting it. Scene: So I heard there are plans for a new location, possibly a multi-use space. Ray: Yes, and I’ll have to leave it at this, but something much bigger and better than City Hall and more diverse. Scene: Any idea about a new location? I heard north of downtown was a possibility. Ray: No, not yet. I think close to the central business district downtown is ideal, but as the deal shapes up it’s going to end up being a relatively large piece of property. It’s going to be a tough property search, but we’re committed to it. Scene: Any ETA on how long it might take? Ray: There’s no estimated time yet, but we’re committed to making it happen, and there’s no reason to wait. Scene: I’m sure you’re aware that over the years there were some complaints about the sound. Is this new venture a chance to correct the problems you faced with City Hall? Ray: Absolutely. The advantage of having a short run at a place like City Hall is that we’ve learned a lot about what artists want, and what concertgoers want. The facility itself, to be right, it needed some significant investments in HVAC and acoustic work. And I’m excited to be working on something where more than likely we’ll be starting from scratch. Scene: Any idea about capacity for the new space? Ray: I’m not ready to say. An outdoor component is going to be important. I’m not going to say it’s an amphitheater, but an outdoor component is important. From Rick Whetsel on City Hall's closing: "Obviously we [Great Big Shows] were very happy with what we did here with Ben and Austin," says Whetsel. "Obviously we are going to continue to be active in the market at this size. We will be involved in whatever venue gets created at this size. It’s something we have a lot of history doing in this market. We’ve started this thing and we’re willing to do it again. "We definitely want to be able do shows of this size. It’s the bread and butter of Nashville. We don’t want to rest at all. We’re going to make sure there are plenty of options. In the short term, we’ll be doing things at Cannery Ballroom—Chark [Kinsolving] and Todd [Ohlhauser] and John [Bruton] are of course good friends, but we don’t feel that’s a long-term solution." From the press release:
City Hall Entertainment Space, a well-known music venue and private event space located in the Gulch, will close its doors in mid-September. MarketStreet Enterprises, principal developer of The Gulch and owner of the building leased to City Hall, approached venue owners Austin Ray and Benjamin Goldberg about vacating their lease early. Ray and Goldberg accepted the offer, and will look to establish a similar venue elsewhere in Nashville. Because of its size and ability to adapt, City Hall filled a unique niche in Nashville’s live music venue and private event space options. Coupled with an exceptional staff and management, City Hall was a successful venture for Ray and Goldberg, who also own the trendy nightclub Bar Twenty3. Located in a 12,000-square-foot warehouse in an historic 1920s building in the Gulch, City Hall has hosted some of today’s most well-known musicians, including acts such as Ray LaMontagne, Beck, and the Raconteurs. With a capacity to hold up to 1500 people, City Hall has accommodated many patrons throughout its three-year success. “Benjamin and I are especially grateful to everyone who has enjoyed a show at City Hall,” said co-owner Austin Ray. “Nashville has such a passion for live music, and we are immensely thankful we were able to bring that experience to so many.”

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I heard a rumor several weeks ago that they wanted to turn it into an Urban Outfitters.

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Posted by Darrin on 04/29/2008 at 11:12 AM

DEF. gonna buy some psikkque threadz from that new Urbn and wear them to shows the nu City Hall PT. II venue.

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Posted by Toney $tarks on 04/29/2008 at 11:31 AM

I'm torn between my desire to see shows with a thousand people I don't know and my desire to load up on kitschy knick-knackery. damn...

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Posted by Bawston Sean on 04/29/2008 at 11:35 AM

i prefer urban outfitters to american apparel however went to the new orleans branch recently and was pretty disappointed. it's like the hipster's old navy.

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Posted by wh on 04/29/2008 at 12:08 PM

This could be a blessing in disguise. I hate the Gulch. Whatever idiot planned that whole area forgot to put a 2 lane road leading to it, not to mention that when those condos get finished it's gonna be even more of a pain in the ass to get around.
You have to park in the boondocks, there's no good food or bars around, and no one really seems to prefer seeing a show there anyway.
It sucks we're losing a venue that big. And I realize I'm saying all this after I saw Sonic Youth and loved it, but why not just let the cultural vampires turn that area into the New White Frontier they've always wanted it to be and just go somewhere else to see shows?

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Posted by HighonLife on 04/29/2008 at 12:46 PM

I heard that Urban Outfitters rumor too, but I thought my friend was just screwing with me. As much as I didn't like City Hall's acoustics or parking situation, I have to admit that they brought in some great shows. In its short time, I got to see Beck, The Roots, The Rentals (one of my all-time favorite bands who put on probably the best show of 2007), Mute Math, Flogging Molly and Cursive there and will, next week, see M.I.A.
I hope they come through on establishing City Hall 2: City Haller. The last thing Nashville needs is another medium-large venue disappearing.

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Posted by Lance on 04/29/2008 at 1:03 PM

City Hall Sucks. Maybe one day Nashville will get a mid size venue that sounds good.

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Posted by GoodRiddance on 04/29/2008 at 1:43 PM

UO & AA shoppers = douchebags.

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Posted by TobintheGnome on 04/29/2008 at 1:51 PM

suck this.

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Posted by cannery on 04/29/2008 at 1:58 PM

funny that someone who (literally) pretends to be a gnome should pass judgement on anyone. only on the Cream!

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Posted by uuh on 04/29/2008 at 1:58 PM

THE RENTALS WAS THE BEST SHOW I HAVE SEEN IN NASHVILLE!! I can't believe this place lasted as long as it did.

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Posted by jimmy on 04/29/2008 at 2:28 PM

i never got that either, not widening the roads, how's the area gonna "develop" if its already as bad as green hills interms traffic jamz. "the gulch" was my favorite way to skip on the broadway traffic bs. 11th has gone from short cut to btt fck.
i heard developers want to put a tgifryday on 12th near portland brew, etc.
homogenize it all

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Posted by yeah on 04/29/2008 at 2:51 PM

there will be no tgif on 12th in my neighborhood. we already get the bridge and tunnel crowd on tuesday nights (oh shit, that's tonight...luck up the kids and dogs). long live the tap room! locals only! off my wave, go back to burbank.

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Posted by 12 southee on 04/29/2008 at 3:44 PM

i never liked shitty hall anyways... the room sucked, the sound sucked, the bar sucked, even the bathroom attendant person was just plan weird... I went to a couple shows there and just never went back.

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Posted by oh well oh well oh well on 04/29/2008 at 4:37 PM

There will still be a bunch of hipsters standing around trying their hardest took look interesting.. I don't see a change.
I would gladly trade both AA and OU for an IKEA.

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Posted by Sarah on 04/29/2008 at 6:17 PM

Yeah, that's right! City Hall sucks, the Gulch sucks, Hipsters and people that try to look interesting suck, bad sounding rooms suck, bathroom attendants suck and those cultural vampires are just "plan" bad!!! But, come to think of it, publicly traded retail stores are actually good because they raise property values by attracting revenue when they open a business in a particular area. Wait, no that sucks too!!!!

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Posted by Ebony and Irony on 04/29/2008 at 7:24 PM

Nashville Needs a Tabernacle...The Ryman doesn't do it for me...the seats suck in there.
City Hall was pretty cool just a BAD location. So are we going to have to say goodbye to some touring acts now? Or will they play Cannery were the sound SUCKS. FYI...Move the stage so you have better sound. OR will they book more events at Exit/In like back in the day?
Either way I haven't seen a show at City Hall since Circle Jerks and The Knitters. I had tix for the New York Dolls but I got sick, (SHIT!!).
Oh and URBAN OUTFITTERS SUCK!!!!!!!! WHY? why why why???

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Posted by xxxnash on 04/29/2008 at 7:32 PM

Yeah 12 Southee, I totally know what you're saying!..... if anybody comes into Bellevue and tries to hang out, I'm kicking their asses! Long live Jonathan's! Go back to Kingston Springs!

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Posted by Bellevuee on 04/29/2008 at 7:55 PM

Hey Bellevuee!
Mebbe the City Hall folks can relocate next to the new imaginary library at the new imaginary Bellevue Mall. You forgot to mention out other high end culinary experience, Pasgettis...

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Posted by yazooee on 04/29/2008 at 8:09 PM

I spent HOURS composing a witty & original observation about Urban Outfitter & American Apparel shoppers, & the fact that they are hipsters enjoy being looked at while wearing hip, trendy clothes! Only to find that the amateur humorists on this blog's comments page have spontaneously generated the same fresh, new insight just a few hours ahead of me! OH NO!! I've wasted my life! I hope nobody steals my jokes about how ppl who buy organic vegetables at Whole Foods are self-righteous; I was planning to write a standup comedy routine about it.

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Posted by Emily H. on 04/29/2008 at 9:04 PM

Har Har. Yes and it's so very surprising to find snark on a message board, let alone the Nashville Cream board. *Insert *Insert ironic witty remark** As if the comments replying to the other comments are just as ironic.

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Posted by Sarah on 04/29/2008 at 9:34 PM

Cat fight!
Meow!
And for the record, that Rentals show DID rock!!

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Posted by Matt on 04/30/2008 at 2:16 AM

suck suck suck suck suck...oh yeah, if anyone walks into Edgfields with a trucker cap who isn't a trucker, consider your ass soon to be kicked...

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Posted by yank283 on 04/30/2008 at 12:35 PM

Everything SUCKS!

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Posted by Tracy on 04/30/2008 at 2:24 PM

Some of it swallows, too. Sometimes on the first date. Rye Rye, take us out...

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Posted by steve statesman on 04/30/2008 at 4:24 PM

where's Edgfields? Is that close to Strawberrfields? That sucks.

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Posted by New in town on 04/30/2008 at 9:26 PM
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