The Rebirth of the Columbia City Theater

July 2, 2010

Drew Grow ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

What do you get when you stick some of the Northwest’s most compelling bands into one of Seattle’s most historic theaters with the area’s most legendary sound-man manning the knobs? Magic.

As grand (re)opening’s go, the Columbia City Theater’s first weekend back in the limelight went off without a hitch, with two nights of curious crowds assembling between it’s bare brick walls. I say curious because for the recent past, this theater/studio has remained an under the radar gem.

Though at one point a young Jimi Hendrix graced its stage and Sonic Youth its studio, recent years found the theater plagued by mismanagement and deteriorating under poor up-keep. The new management and ownership is adamant that it be returned to the grandeur its storied history demands, not only in the minds of the fans, but in the bands who would play and record there, and the community at large. By investing in a complete overhaul of the vintage recording equipment, snagging local sound hero Jim Anderson, making the theater fire sprinkler compliant, and being sure the space is as touring band friendly as possible, they’re strongly signaling their intention to be not just another venue.

Night One: Mash Hall, Cloud Nice and DJ Suspence

Mash Hall ::: Photo by Tyler Kalberg

The first sounds that played from the new Columbia City Theater speakers came courtesy of DJ Suspence, who in a nod to the theater’s storied history, weaved Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald between more booty-shaking beats. Details like these were especially appreciated by those with an ear for the neighborhood’s past, of whom there were many roaming the halls. Part of what was so thrilling about Columbia City’s first night was the diversity of the crowd: curious neighbors and business owners were wide-eyed alongside local hip hop fans. People in business casual, traditional African dress and skinny jeans stood shoulder-to-shoulder with each other and they were all nodding their head to Suspence’s beats by the time Cloud Nice took the stage shortly after 10pm.

Cloud Nice, which is more a collective of artists than a crew, kept the audience’s attention with a rotating cast of characters and styles. Their set played with smooth r&b harmonies, rapid fire raps, catchy hooks and a clever ever-present sense of humor. If you can get me dancing and laughing in the span of a song, you’ve earned my affection … and with lines like “he gets more head than Vlad the Impaler,” Cloud Nice earned a new fan.

Mash Hall headlined the night and proved again why every local party should have a Mash Hall soundtrack. This band is about pure unadulterated fun, from their laugh a minute rhymes to their boundless energy as performers … there wasn’t an inch of Columbia City’s considerable stage that weren’t covered by El Mizell, Bruce Illest and their guest popper and locker of the night. But there was an extra bounce in both Mizell and Illest’s step that night, this wasn’t just a party for partying’s sake, this was a celebration of a place and project near to their hearts. Shortly after the two emerged dramatically from behind the shadows and red velvet curtains of the stage, Mizell remarked with earnest excitement about playing such a beautiful stage in South Seattle. Looking around a capacity theater, packed full of smiling faces, bobbing heads and all kinds of moves I would never have guessed Seattle had, Mizell’s excitement was clearly shared.

Night Two: Grand Hallway, Drew Grow and the Pators’ Wives and Kelli Schaefer

Kelli Schaefer ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Saturday’s bill seconded as a sound system confidence test, and one that passed with flying colors, with orchestral headliner Grand Hallway being the about the largest challenge Seattle might offer. Taking turns at the resident grand piano that was center stage, the band traded smiles of satisfaction and pleasure, resting assured that each level was in it’s place, and no doubt amused at the novelty of playing a stage with curtains. Kelli Schaefer no doubt made the impact she was hoping to make with the benefit of Anderson’s skill, his shaped reverb took her already impressive sound to another level.

True to form, Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives produced their own moment of magic. (If anyone at the show who finds themselves in the situation of a spontaneous pregnancy in thirty days please let me know.) Grow, grinning wide between songs remarked, “I feel like this might be the best night ever. I told this to Grand Hallway backstage and they asked whether it was the best show ever, or only up to this point? I’m optimistic. So I’d have to say the best show up to this point.” Still, that’s saying something. After two strong showings, I’m not just optimistic that many more “best show’s” will take place at CCT in the near future, I’m sure of it.

The Columbia City Theater Grand Opening extravaganza continues this weekend with two more free shows. Tonight we bring Ballard to Columbia City when Sound on the Sound Presents The Maldives and Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers. Saturday serves a heaping helping of local hard rock featuring the Whore Moans in their final show as The Whore Moans (to be thereafter known as Hounds of the Wild Hunt), alongside Lesbian and Chinese.

See more photos from both nights, after the jump.

Night 1 with MASH HALL and Cloud Nice