A good show is made even greater within the confines of a killer venue. A good band can give a killer performance in even the lamest venue with terrible sound and uncomfortable surroundings, but when they were in the right room it was a thing of beauty.
I've seen shows all over California, Oregon, and Washington. There's no way I could recount all the venues I've seen bands in over the past 33 years let alone all the bands I've seen.
I'd like to dedicate some bits to some of my favorite music venues.
First up... The Omni in Oakland, CA. The linked YouTube video is from one of my favorite shows of all time... Primus and Faith No More co-headlining at The Omni in April 1990!
If it weren't for the marquee out front, you would have no idea that this unassuming building on the border of Oakland and Berkeley was a loud rock venue.
I can't tell you what the first show was that I saw here. It was probably in 1987 and a little known metal band like Vio-lence or Blind Illusion.
I was lucky to grow up in the Bay Area in the 80s. There were tons of all ages clubs and not these penned in nanny zones like we have in Washington. You walk in the door. Show your ID or not and if your ID showed you were over 21, you got a particular stamp. If you were under 21, you got a different stamp. It was that simple.
The Omni was an all ages club. When I told my parents I was going to Oakland to see a show they'd get a little worried because they'd bought into the idea that if you were white, you were 100% going to be mugged or beaten in Oakland. This was Oakland in the 80s, so there was some truth to it being a little rough in spots, but largely it was just a lovely city.
But, I was a large guy and could be very intimidating when I wanted to be, so I never really sweated the potential danger, however remote the chance was.
Once you stepped inside, it was magical... not sparkly unicorns and rainbow magical, but dark, earth magic... druidic shit. The floor was always a bit sticky from spilled drinks, and more than likely, saliva and blood. You walk right into the main room. The stage is pretty high up from the floor. That always struck me, especially when I would start photographing bands here in the coming years. There was a balcony that ran the along the east and south walls.... if I remember my geography correctly. There was a large room off the north wall where the bar lived and you could order food for a portion on the evening.
I drank a lot of coffee and soda in that room. I was usually under age at these shows and driving as well, so I kept my nose clean. It's also really hard to focus your camera when inebriated. I would discover this later in Seattle when I'd have a few beers before snapping some live photos.
I don't ever remember eating there. We would usually drive to Blondie's on Telegraph after a show to get a slice and a soda before driving home.
I'm not sure what the official capacity of the venue was but I think it had to be around 1,000 to 1,200. Maybe more. Maybe less. No idea, but it was a great venue for up and coming hometown favorites and mid-level touring bands.
I can't tell you how many shows I saw here, but it was a lot over the space of about 5 years. Primus, Faith No More, Fishbone, 24-7 Spyz, Buckethead, Limbomaniacs, Fungo Mungo, Psychefunkapus, Death Angel, Testament, Prong, Flotsam and Jetsam, Smoking Section, Buck Naked, Young MC, Fates Warning, Psychefunkapus, Smoking Rhythm Prawns, Eskimo, Idiot Flesh, Kings X, Dread Zeppelin, Mr. Bungle, Bad Brains, DRI, The Melvins, Mordred, The Vandals, Epidemic, Vio-lence, Forbidden, The Accused, Bluchunks, Dot 3, and so many more. I would scour BAM magazine every week and look for the listings at the Omni first.
Chris, Andy, and Pat's band Terminus played there a couple of times. A strange occurrence that happened seemingly every time Chris and I drove up University Ave. together was to hear Lou Reed's "Take A Walk On The Wild Side" on the radio. Bizarre.
Once, after a FIshbone show, we stumbled out onto Shattuck to a dead body in the middle of the road. The police hadn't even arrived yet, so it must have happened just moments before we came out.
Chuck Billy from Testament knocked my ass down HARD in the pit one night. He promptly helped me up and pushed me back into the fray!
I met 3/4 of Metallica at this venue.
I met Scott Ian here.
I picked up Les Claypool's 6 string fretless Carl Thompson bass in the back stage area once. With his permission. It weighed so much that smaller basses orbited it.
I got a photo of Kirk Hammett backstage at a Primus show once only because he thought it was kinda cool we had the same name.
I spent a lot of time smoking with Jonnie Axtell in the loading area.
The first time I saw Buckethead perform with a band was here.
I got gut punched so hard I blacked out while confronting a dense triangle of a man who was groping a friend of mine.
Primus' stage manager smacked all of us photographers in the head because Brendan's flash accidentally went off in one song. Les even changed a lyric in "The Toys Go Winding Down" to "... and in this land of flash photography, things are apt to get a bit.... hot...".
I watched Angelo Moore jump from the balcony into the crowd below while also playing his sax.
Kirk Hammett once played a section of Master of Puppets with Primus.
I spent a lot of time here. Great times with a lot of friends. To this day, one of my all time favorite venues despite the sticky floors.