This bit of news got buried (like my social life and so many other things) in the flood of showcase and music award coverage, but for the moment Houston is down another live music venue. The Engine Room (1515 Pease) announced last Saturday on its Myspace blog it has shut down:
"Hey everyone Yes the Engine Room is closed down now. All dates have been canceled. We know it's frustrating to some but we are doing our best to let everyone know who has a date booked with us. We are having a hard time getting ahold of everyone who has a date booked here so please spread the word. We apologize for the inconvenience and any confusion this may have caused anyone. The Jet Lounge will remain open. Once again the Engine Room has been closed down and ALL DATES HAVE BEEN CANCELED!!!"
M.I.A. live at the Engine Room, 2006
Pretty emphatic, that. Rocks Off did some nosing around, and apparently owner Mitch Burman's lease was up and he opted not to renew. Burman, also the former owner of lower Richmond nightclub Instant Karma, had been trying to sell the Engine Room since at least last year. Don't expect the building to remain vacant for long. - Chris Gray
