Comments on: Clubbing Our Culture to Death, or Beating More Life into Downtown?

By: A Sobering Search for Love

A Sobering Search for Love — Sat, 22 May 2010 01:23:30 +0000

[...] where does one go to find love in the Lilac City? I needed to veer away from the security of the dark lit, drunken dens of seduction I had become fond of, take a step out into the sunlight and open my eyes to all the potential [...]

By: Buzzin Clubbin O.M.G.

Buzzin Clubbin O.M.G. — Thu, 21 May 2009 03:19:48 +0000

[...] back we explored some emerging directions in Spokane’s club scene. Last night, at Vintage Hill in Spokane’s SoDo District, we met an interesting character [...]

By: Spovangelist Turns One

Spovangelist Turns One — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:31:21 +0000

[...] lot has changed over the last twelve months. Venues and restaurants have come and gone, and countless numbers of people have too. KYRS Thin Air Radio [...]

By: SDW

SDW — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:51:33 +0000

Something that’s perplexed me a bit since I got here has been The Knitting Factory.

Locals have been little help in throwing light on the matter saying “What? (whatever the club used to be called) changed its name?!” and then grumbling about corporate takeover Starbucks/WalMarting of America.

This did nothing to help me sort out the relationship between this Knitting Factory and the one I’ve known back in NYC (which, I believe, was originally a knitting factory and thus the name).

NYX to the rescue!

Here’s the real deal on the last hurrah of the mothership to our franchise version of genuine hip.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/arts/music/01knitting.html

By: Julia

Julia — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:16:28 +0000

I agree with “predictably unpredictable” – clubbing is a vice used by many, and it can’t be pegged by a demographic. I have friends who live for it, I’ve done it, I’m fine with it as a cultural thing, whatever.

The only thing that’s awkward about walking through downtown Spokane at night around the rising bar scene is seeing it juxtaposed against the homeless population. There’s nothing wrong with it or the music/arts scene for that matter.

By: predictively unpredictable

predictively unpredictable — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:23:40 +0000

every now and then, the long sleeve button-ups call to me from my closet.
when i finally succumb to their plea, i reappear in the mirror and see some comical version of the corporate whore, greasy haired, jersey shore, ‘tail-chaser’ that i find so entertainingly pathetic.
do i feel shamed? surprisingly….. no.
while dawning the aforementioned ‘club’ attire i am not doing so in an effort to appropriate a mentality that lacks the moral decency that my mother was kind enough to pass along to me, but rather i am actively engaging in an often uncomfortable (but absolutely necessary) type of progressive conformism that is ultimately one of the best ways to encourage the growth and unification of the spokane community.
i feel no shame in my desire to dip my feet into every social scene that presents itself. i can’t go to a poetry slam or art gallery every single night and then still claim to be a ‘propagator of cultural development.’
while having a preference is only human nature, having a predetermined distaste for something because it is unfamiliar and shunned by your social group is a mentality that parallels generates past where cultural segregation was the norm.
spokane needs to grow in order to survive.
i say let the college kids spend dad’s money by pumping it (one vodka redbull at a time) back into our economy.
culture is bred from circumstance…. and spokane has thick skin.

my vote: ‘beating more life into downtown’

By: jon

jon — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:48:07 +0000

In agreement with your rant, i would offer a relatively hearty “hear, hear!” The pretty people probably do need a location to blow off steam, objectify, and be objectified in return, and i’m sure local business could use their money.

What will be interesting to watch will be what happens to these new pretenders to the crown of our fair city’s nightlife while the economy slowly collapses around them. The Stranger had a fairly interesting article regarding how cultural institutions will fair in a way that only the Stranger could deliver:

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=729134

i for one am getting to the point where i’m quite tired of trying to vie for parking spots where i live with the trendy kids from Liberty Lake and their SUV’s. And honestly, as much as a majority of the lads appreciate the “sophistication” of a mini-dress, one should be comfortable enough in themselves to not need to appear to be literally on the market.

By: The Spovangelist

The Spovangelist — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:46:12 +0000

Re: Who are these people?

The average crowd composition varies significantly from location to location and from night to night. I’d say that while a mix makes up the whole in any given circumstance, there is a third general category that defies the college student/yuppie dichotomy.

You could call them blue collar aspirants, suburban yups, or post-classroom service workers. I don’t know, take your pick. Basically they are receptionists a real estate management firms, floor managers at the furniture store, and/or cell phone sales reps at kiosks in the mall, etc.

Mixed in with this are handfuls of textbook yuppies and actual students. While the majority of the students attend community college programs of various sorts, there are usually a visible number of athletics fans and others from GU, plus a small contingent of Whitworth alumni.

I think it would be interesting to note the relative percent return to Spokane of graduates from UW and WSU. I’m guessing more return from Pullman, but the question is by how much.

By: Mayor of Spotucky

Mayor of Spotucky — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:00:19 +0000

As host of a dance music show (yes you can and should dance to Spotucky Music) the opening of the Casbah scared the shit outta me. They claimed to want to be more then just the typical club, yet the crowds and money came and they are now a club that has a rep for being hyper aggressive around closing time. I mentioned on my show that because I am a true believer in my form of music it goes against my moral fiber to go into clubs like the Casbah and Marquee. Incidentally the owner of one of those clubs was listening and personally invited me to come by.

Being seen in a rich mans suit does not make one classy. Showing restraint in your consumption of socially acceptable drugs, hitting on someone because of the way they spoke to you not looked at you, looking good due to your fitness level not your income level, signify class to me. Then again I would not be caught dead in some of the “classy” places around Spokane.

Spovangelist, are the people that frequent these joints college students? Is Spokane somewhat of a college town? Or are these yuppies? Help me!!