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Due to pressure from the liquor board and the fire marshal, Tribeca Bistro & Bar (1588 Granville) is scheduled to close its doors for good on January 1, 2012.

The capacity limitations put on the bar have made it difficult to stay afloat and the city will lose yet another venue in the new year.

When Tribeca first opened, the capacity was set at 192. That has since been reduced to 120. "There was a point in the summer the capacity was 60 people," says Loukas Crowther (The Coast's production manager), who DJs regularly at the bar. Having essentially cut a third of the bar's business, Nova Scotia's draconian liquor laws claim another great venue.

Goodbye, Tribeca. We will miss you.

• alison lang
• Tupperware Remix Party at Coconut Grove, October 2010

Coconut Grove Nightclub is turning into a yoga studio. According to an article in today's edition of allnovascotia.com, the Grafton St. venue will be closing down at the end of the month and transformed into a Bikram Yoga. Owner Remo Petrella says he’s working on opening a new venue in Halifax. Meanwhile, the yoga studio's operator Kristin Johnson writes that the shop will begin construction in August and should be up and running by early November. So, yeah. Another one bites the dust, etc. Please allow me a moment of indulgence as I call for a moment of silence for that patio - a place where I and many others spent summer nights taking smoke breaks and/or making fun of people tottering up the street to Pizza Corner. However, Johnson says all is not lost - "I am a music lover and there will definitely be events happening there once I am up and running," she says. "That patio can be used for so many things."

Halifax hasn’t had a record fair since 2004. That seems crazy, considering the number of people in this city who are freaks for vinyl, but it’s true. Childhood friends and record collectors Kevin Beal and Phil McDonald are seeking to rectify this by launching the Halifax Record Fair this Saturday from 8am to 5pm at the Halifax Forum’s Maritime Hall. 30 vendors from all over the Maritimes will be coming to buy, sell and trade an estimated 50,000 records. Drool. There will also be band merchandise and CKDU DJs playing music. The cost is $5 before 10am and $2 afterwards.

• me!
• My favorite paragon performance: Kylesa at HPX 2010

The Paragon Theatre will be hosting its last show on May 31.
According to Mark Townsend — who helped run the venue along with business partners Craig Mercer and Peter Farmer — the lineup for the show hasn’t yet been confirmed, but Paragon and Gallery Pub merchandise will be up for grabs, including t-shirts and mugs. Farmer’s autographed paintings of artists like Pharoahe Monch, Jenn Grant and Thursh Hermit are also up for sale. And of course, there’s the task of whittling down the liquor inventory — “I imagine there will be some pretty good drink specials,” Townsend says.
As the venue lurches towards closure after two years of operation, Townsend discusses some of the reasons why things didn’t work. One issue was location: he says the venue’s original business plan was to host wedding receptions and private events as well as live music, but prospective clients were wary of the Gottingen St area around the building. “People were a bit misled about what this neighbourhood is really like,” he says. He also cites a few “devastating” cancellations due to weather or illness, and big shows scheduled during what turned out to be exam periods. “Acts of God,” he says. “You can’t control them.”
As for the rumours about the site being re-zoned for condos, Townsend says he doesn’t know enough to comment. “I really have no idea what (owner) Victor (Syperek) is doing,” he says. He and his former partners are moving on. He’s taken a job as a food and beverage manger at a hotel in the city, while Farmer is moving to Montreal to pursue art and graphic design. Mercer will continue working as a musician in Halifax.
“We don’t have a huge debt load,” he says. “We just wanted to get out before it got too big. We worked our butts off and tried hard. We lived selflessly to make it work. But I think in the end, we’re in our 30s — we needed to ensure we had money for ourselves.”
When asked about his fondest memories of the venue, Townsend immediately points to the staff. “They have been unprecedented,” he says. “Gord Campbell, Gavin Carruthers and all the staff showed so much dedication. It’s been unbelievable what they’ve done.”

Yesterday, allnovascotia.com reporter Paul McLeod reported that the Halifax Jazz Festival will officially be moving to the Salter Block this summer.
As you might recall, the fest was being bumped from its Spring Garden and Queen St. location because it was deemed the site for the new Halifax Central Library.
While organizers had been weighing a few different new spots, McLeod reports that once the Waterfront Development Corp. took control of the Salter Block site, the move was more or less confirmed.
The fest will now be located between the Waterfront Warehouse and Jim Spatz's Bishop's Landing Development. It runs July 8 - 16.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the Rock Garden jam space closing its doors permanently, much to the chagrin of many in the Halifax music community. Well, good news, everyone - a new practice space is being put together in the same Hunter Street location. The other day I got ahold of Pete Green, who will be running the spot along with his partner, Sande Jordan. Although details are still rough, he says the new place—-tentatively dubbed Rockopolis Rehearsal Studios—-will feature four equipped rooms to be rented hourly, while the other four rooms will be rented on a monthly basis. A pile of new equipment is being procured, including new drum kits, guitar and bass amps, and a new PA. Green says each of the rooms will be identical, and he’s working on soundproofing three of them ahead of the space’s proposed opening, sometime around December 13. The space’s hours will be 4pm-midnight, Monday to Friday, with some weekend hours. Green is clearly eager to take on this new venture. “When the Rock Garden closed, a lot of musicians wondered ‘What am I going to do?’ I know I was saying that,” he says. “It’s one of those services that Halifax needs.”

• ra-da-da-da-da-da it's your birthdayyy!

It seems like only yesterday that the Marquee was laid to rest and the
Paragon Theatre rose from its ashes. The music and art venue celebrates its one-year anniversary all next week, culminating with performances by the Jimmy Swift Band, Slowcoaster and Grand Theft Bus on Friday April 2. The show will also feature a full-on display of resident artist Peter Farmer's paintings of musicians who have passed through the Paragon—-everyone from Farmer favorite Skratch Bastid to the GZA to King Khan and BBQ.
"It's just a homage to the artists who have played here," Farmer says of the paintings. "The musicians are generally very humbled by it. And it's an experience for showgoers too—-they can look at a painting and say, hey, I was at that show."
Along with the marriage of music and art, Farmer says the venue's focus on diverse acts has kept them afloat over the past months—-from 90's hip-hoppers to polished club DJs to indie rock.
"Halifax has more musicians or artists than any other city I've lived in," he says. "The city's population is fairly small. It's sometimes not wise to concentrate only on one genre of music."
Looking forward, Farmer says the bar will continue to host its popular live painting series, and adds that management is hoping to invite in a new medium—-namely, more theatre.
"After the success of Hedwig the Angry Inch (performed at last year's Pride) we're looking to incorporate more live theatre, especially over the summer."

• Scott Blackburn
• Peachy keen.

It’s been a good couple of weeks for the Company House. Fresh off an ECMA nod for Venue of the Year and co-owner Heather Gibson’s win for Manager of the Year, the warm, cozy Gottingen joint has also begun hosting an Artist in Residence program. Co-owner MaryAnn Daye likens the program to similar initiatives at the Cameron House in Toronto, where musicians get the chance to “present new music, fine tune older pieces and hone their performance skills in a live environment.” Natasha Peach will be assuming the role every second Monday for the next few months, working out piano tunes for your listening pleasure. Her next performance will be Monday March 15 at 9pm. Admission is free but donations for the artist will be accepted.

• Everyone, I've got an announcement: I'm PREGNANT.

Reflections has become our new favorite Saturday pre-drinking joint now that the bar has introduced early shows beginning at 9pm. Last week we swilled $3 bottles of Olands to the sounds of the eternally youthful The Whiskey Kisses and the exuberantly cuss-y Whiskey Bent and Hellbound. Plus, two words: Hee-Haw burlesque. Then we went to a house party and got all stupid to Jimmy Cliff, in that perfect mid-buzz phase where you're kind of silly but not yet sloppy and feeling tomorrow's regret. A perfect evening.

This week, The Visitation takes the stage with Omacobba and The East Side Marijuana Band and Gang Related, which organizer Craig Hamlin describes as “Skee-lo and ODB covers over an engaging ‘80s hardcore backbeat.” Jesus Christ on a cracker. For those of you who hate music and prefer video games, March 27 is the VIDEOGAMEARAMA gaming competition that features the triumphant return of my favorite Craig Hamlin project, Nerd Army. Hold onto your butts!

Sound Market Studios (6208 Quinpool Road, 492-4408) new cafe and venue, Studio A Cafe, held their first shows this weekend (Friday, October 23 with Big Game Hunt, Broken Ohms, Chesterfield and the Ottomans, Cicada and Saturday, October 24 with Last Call Chernobyl, Chris Martin and the Troubleshooters, Deerfield, The Numbered Head) and you'll be pleased to know it all went swimmingly. "Basically, the future of the café as a venue looks bright; we had a great response this weekend, our 'trial weekend,' and we're aiming to start hosting regular shows and events by the middle of November," says Robert Corrigan, head sound tech. "Some of our plans right now include a hosted open mic night, afternoon jazz, and an indie film night. We're most likely going to be announcing the first few show lineups by the beginning of next week."

• Mal Kazi
• Snow and Blackbirds are as excited as I am to start wearing scarves again

What did you spend your time doing this summer while the Pavilion was closed? Maybe you went to the lake, had some memorable picnics and went on bike rides. It’s time to push all that out of your mind, replace the summer sun with a black light and get yourself back into that well-loved bunker on the Common for the Pavilion’s re-opening show on Friday September 11 with Lifestory Monologue, Snow and Blackbirds, Abolition and Dunce Club (free show and BBQ, BBQ at 6pm, show starts at 6:30pm). “We have basically upgraded the washrooms—-they are much better now—-and re-painted the inside but we are far from done,” says Pavilion owner Chris Smith. Smith hopes to upgrade the sound system and canteen area, and is planning a few fundraisers in the future to help with costs. But for now all you have to worry about is attending a free show and having a hot dog. I’ll bet you even missed that black light too, didn’t you?

The Fat Stupids can relax and record at the same time.

Candace Redden (owner of CD Heaven) and Earl Joudrey from (Fight To Live Productions) have answered many prayers for a place to play in Dartmouth with their new venue upstairs from The Old Mill on Wyse Road, conveniently named The Old Mill Upstairs. Redden has been putting on shows at CD Heaven for two years, and witnessed Dartmouth’s demand for a bigger punk and rock venue firsthand. “We are planning on blowing this place wide open,” says Redden. “All we really need to do is let the Hali fans know that this venue is ridiculously close to the bridge and buses, so it's easy to get to.” So now you know. The opening show is Saturday, August 1st with both an all ages and a bar show that night. At 6pm: Dockside Hookers, The Nailheads, High Crimes, Total Bastards. At 10pm: Dockside Hookers, The Nailheads, The Fat Stupids and Shitkicker. Both shows are $5, less with a handbill (just like the old days). Pick up a handbill at CD Heaven and if you are a band looking to play The Old Mill Upstairs, you can talk to Candace at her store.

A Sight for Sewn Eyes. Photo by Cory Jacob Veino

So long for now, ol' Pavilion. “Over the past few years, things slowed down considerably during the summer months … there don’t appear to be large touring bands coming through. I thought it would be best to close for the summer and start back up in September when we celebrate the re-opening and the five year anniversary of the club,” says Chris Smith, proprietor. Stay tuned for some fundraisers to pay for some gear and mics.

The last show is Wednesday with A Sight For Sewn Eyes, Oceans, I Am Committing a Sin and Megalodon.

Rich Aucoin helps cut the ribbon at the Paragon. Photo: Matt Atkins Photography

The Paragon Theatre, the self-proclaimed “phoenix of Gottingen Street,” is due to open for realsies this Friday April 3 with a big ol’ party featuring Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees, Rich Aucoin, Ghettosocks, The Darcys, live painting by co-owner Peter Farmer (just so you know, Farmer will be painting a 12x12 foot canvas throughout the course of the evening depicting a phoenix rising out of the ashes) and an exhibition by Yo Rodeo. They will also have appetizers and giveaways. This may be the perfect time for you to scope it out and start booking amazing things there. Also, if you get a chance, I really really want to know what they did with all those mannequin legs.

Kev Corbett, host of Sing for Your Supper.

"I felt a little bit bad because there were one or two people who showed up who were like, 'Where do I sign up?'" says Kev Corbett, host of the new songwriters' circle at The Carleton. "I had to play bad cop there."

Sing for Your Supper is *not* an open mic—more like an invite mic—but its goals are similar, in that emerging musicians get to play their songs for a dedicated audience. But it's more organized than the traditional anything-goes, sign-up sheet line-up of the open mic (the title refers to the meal the participants receive from the bar after the show). The concept was dreamed up by Mike Campbell, who owns the spot with Mike Rhodes.

"The Carleton had made its reputation as a supper club kind of place but the stage wasn't being used Saturday afternoons," says Corbett. "They also want it to be a place where they showcase up-and-comers. My job, more or less, is to be the go-between—to be the eyes and ears in terms of finding writers who have some track record and some things to throw down on the table but may not necessarily be on his radar just yet. It accomplishes his multiple goals of his getting something going on Saturday afternoons, it's fun, it's casual."

Corbett's goal is to find people who have made some inroads locally and who can, in his words, "work a room," as opposed to people stepping out of their bedrooms for the first time. "My sense is he's not looking for armchair songwriters, not sitting up there apologizing: 'I just finished this one today, I hope I don't screw it up.' He's looking for the kids who are going for it."

For the inaugural edition, Corbett lined up Laura Merrimen, Scott Trivers and Mary Stewart (Norma MacDonald had to drop out due to illness). "The crowd was great. All of us were really happy with it," says Corbett. "The restaurant was mostly full by the end of it. I think the word's gone around about the shut-up rule, so everybody just sat there and listened." (For the uninitiated: "If someone decides to yak through a show, we’ll throw him/her/it out—plain and simple," warns the website.)

Sing for Your Supper is a free event from 2pm to 5pm on Saturdays at The Carleton (1685 Argyle). This week's guests are Jenny MacDonald, Mike Aube and Telfer's Tommy Green Jr.