Over the last couple of months, it's been kind of fun - and kind of frustrating - to try to keep up with what's been going on over at the old Engine Room at 1515 Pease, up to and including what the damn place is called at any given moment.
First it was the Warsaw in the wake of the mess over at Meridian this past spring, but then Mike Kelley left to focus on his My Onstage Events promotions company, which is bringing several shows to Numbers over the next few weeks, including Butthole Surfers/Queens of the Stone Age offshoot Moistboyz this Saturday and recent Lady Gaga openers Semi Precious Weapons Sept. 22.
So anyway, then the Warsaw changed its name to Argentum, and then just 1515 Pease before ink was even dry on some of the posters. This drove Rocks Off Jr. crazy in his Calendar Listings Editor capacity. Finally, as far as we can tell, it seems to have found a measure of stability (and a semi-permanent name) as Groundhall. Not that anyone associated with the place is saying much about it. Still.
However, Rocks Off has been pestering local DJ Ceeplus Bad Knives, whom we know to be associated with the venue in some capacity, and he did confirm some basic information about Groundhall for us earlier Wednesday afternoon via email.
"We are open for business, have some great shows booked there [and] some cool staff hired," says Ceeplus, adding that he is now booking the room. "The place is looking, sounding a lot different than ever before."
Ceeplus promised more information about Groundhall soon, and that the club will have a "formal introduction" (reintroduction?) next month. For now, locals Benjamin Wesley, Somosuno, Tax the Wolf and DJ Ash are scheduled to play Friday; Best Legs and Grrrl Parts crank it up Saturday; and a bajillion punk-rock bands converge for "Wesfest" this Sunday.
A little further in the future, German techno-punks Atari Teenage Riot and a host of locals are booked for Sept. 29, and Karina Nistal, who also plays Discovery Green tomorrow with Los Skarnales, will release her album Nistalgia there Oct. 2.
Find out more information about Groundhall - what little there is to find out - on the venue's Web site or Facebook page.