At Shoptalk we’d heard the rumours of the potential closing of the Gottingen concert venue The Paragon Theatre (2037 Gottingen Street, 420-0015)—formerly the Marquee—immortalized in song and baptized in rock star sweat. Everyone from Sloan to Arcade Fire to Feist have filled its space with sound.
“The state of the music scene is not what it was,” admits Paragon honcho Craig Mercer—a musician himself who performs in The Jimmy Swift Band and Craig Mercer and the Will Be Gones—but he won’t concede defeat, saying the business will continue to operate for now, hoping for a resurgence in audiences. As to exactly if/when they’ll decide to close up shop, Mercer understandably equivocates.
“We’ll make that call in the weeks or months to come,” he says.
Upcoming shows at The Paragon include the John McKiel EP release on March 10, Think About Life on March 12, The Devil’s Half Acre on March 16 and burlesque show A Wink and a Smile on March 18.
This article appears in Mar 3-9, 2011.
Nooo! Don`t close!!
Build more condos……for low income people.
Ask HRM and the province for cash contributions using the Ramia formula “I cannot make money without taxpayer money. This will create jobs, happy citizens, close walking distance to downtown core for business and pleasure….healthy community…no parking required…put Halifax on the map…sustainable development…feel good factor is high……view of the harbour……jobs for unionised construction workers…..near the swimming pool……blah,blah,blah “
It’s too bad the city didn’t support performance arts (and venues) with tax breaks and/or grants instead of funding the new convention center.
Sad faces all around 🙁
I haven’t been to the Paragon for about 2 years (having moved away), but perhaps Mr. Mercer needs a few reasons why the audiences aren’t showing up. I sincerely hope that I’m not still right about these reasons.
-Fix and clean the bathrooms. I don’t want to be pouring $6 beers down my throat when the only alternative for relief hasn’t been properly cleaned since Walter was Mayor. Not to mention no cold water/broken taps, toilet seats that only sit on the toilet (something the female patrons can’t do), and the god-awful piss smell that permeates the area.
-Hire some bartenders with personality. Surly is not personality.
-Feature more local bands, and don’t charge $10+ to see them.
If The Paragon had of gone through some benificial renovations (I still fail to see how cutting off the flow of the entire venue with that wall made any improvement to the space), with musicians’ and patrons’ enjoyment in mind, I don’t think we’d be hearing the ‘closing’ rumours.
With all that space, a kitchen, and a community that would be happy to support a music scene in a venue that didn’t look like a crackhouse, I’m disappointed beyond belief that nothing will be done to save the last best venue in Halifax.
Our musicians are taking the world by storm, everyone’s touring…but there’s no longer a venue worthy of showcasing all that talent.