OPO First 2009 Casualty
NWA Music Scene Loses Popular Venue
Last updated Thursday, January 8, 2009 7:29 PM CST in Listen Here
By Antoinette Grajeda
SPECIAL TO THE MORNING NEWS
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Only nine days into 2009, and the Northwest Arkansas music scene has suffered its first casualty of the new year. The OPO Gathering Place in Fayetteville is a gathering place no more. The owners closed the doors the first of the year and took with them another venue for live music.
The OPO was located within Urban Table Bar & Grill, which took up residence in the Fayetteville square's old post office building in 2007. The owners went out in style by hosting Art Amiss' Blue Masquerade Ball on New Year's Eve.
Music fans who checked the venue's Web site for the weekly concert schedule after the party were greeted by a message stating the OPO was closing, but the owners wanted to give a "thanks to all the bands, musicians and supporters who created some great shows and memories."
Since opening its doors to musicians, a variety of local acts sang, shouted and rocked out at the venue. The OPO provided an outlet for metal bands like Sinking South, Wrought, Vore and Razor Fate, as well as rockers like The Great Scotts, Qland, The Inner Party, Apollo's Creed and After the Scars.
The venue didn't limit itself to these two genres and hosted shows for other musical styles like funk/jazz band The One Ups and hip hop/experimental group The Imperfects. The OPO also attracted musicians from Los Angeles to New York including Skank, After the Crash, Dead Man Dreaming and Wheatus.
When local group SilverStone played its most recent show at the OPO, the rockers saw several old faces in the crowd.
"It was a good show," keyboardist Chris Griesenauer says. "A lot of our old fans came because it was the first place we ever played."
The band performed its first gig in the building a few years ago when it was still Sodie's.
"It's a special place for us," Griesenauer says. "It's kind of sad that it's shutting down."
Some musicians, like Griesenauer, say they'll miss the OPO because Shane Hall often booked newer bands, giving them a chance to break into the music scene.
"He booked us before he even heard us really," Fade 2 Fall bassist Chad Daulton says.
The musician says he "always had a blast" at the OPO, and one of its most appealing aspects was the accessibility to the fans.
"I think everybody liked the fact that you were pretty much on the same level with the band because there wasn't a stage," Daulton says. "We were pretty much on the floor with everybody else."
Chuck Schaaf and his Dead Bird bandmates entertained the crowd during the OPO's final live show Dec. 27.
"It was kind of a cool sendoff," he says.
Schaaf says everyone seemed to always have a good time at that their OPO shows and it's "a bummer" to see the place go. He says the building always seems to have something in it, and he hopes the next resident will be another live music venue.
Despite the OPO having "good people" and a "good environment," Griesenauer says the location makes it difficult to keep open because it's not right on Dickson Street, and "people in the area haven't taken to live music like they used to." The musician is sad to see the OPO go because the Northwest Arkansas music scene has already lost too many venues in recent years.
"It's really limiting it down to only a couple of live music venues in Fayetteville," he says.
Daulton agrees the live music scene has become smaller since he first started playing, but he hopes that will change. He says perhaps some Dickson businesses, like Dickson Theater, will consider opening their doors to musicians or perhaps the OPO will re-open sometime in the future.
For information on where you can catch the OPO alum playing this week, check out our live listing on Page 2D.
A Different Beat
The sound of beating drums will fill the air when "Drumline Live" comes to the Walton Arts Center Jan. 22-23. The performance was created by the music team behind the movie "Drumline." "Drumline Live" features a large cast of energetic performers from America's historically black colleges and universities who will perform contemporary hip hop and R&B hits as well as classic songs by Earth, Wind and Fire and Tower of Power.
Tickets range from $20 to $45. The show starts at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 and 8 p.m. Jan. 23.
Information: 443-5600 or www.waltonartscenter.org.
Dancing the Night Away
Jerry Kendrick and Adam Richardson will be offering dance instruction Thursdays and Fridays, respectively, at Teatro Scarpino in Fayetteville. Some of the dance styles that will be taught include salsa, swing, rumba, cha-cha and merengue. Group dance lessons begin at 8:30 p.m. and cost $10. Open dance floor begins at 9:30 p.m. For information on private dance lessons visit www.arkansasdanceconnection.com.
Information: 409-3772 or www.scarpino.com.
Listen Here
LIVE! In NWA
Fayetteville
Today
George's -- 6 p.m. Full House, Joe Giles, Mountain Sprout
Arsaga's Crossover -- 9 p.m. Tai Nishiuchi
Arsaga's Gregg -- 9 p.m. Spinrad
Speakeasy -- DJ Greg
Boom Boom Room -- 10 p.m. Toast To the Blind
Froggy's -- 10 p.m. The One Ups
Saturday
George's -- 8 p.m. Ryan West's 30th Birthday Bash featuring Mountain of Venus & Crazy Neighbor
Soul Lounge -- 8 p.m. Al Gibson Trio
Arsaga's Crossover -- 9 p.m. Scott Harrison, Steve Morgan
Arsaga's Gregg -- 9 p.m. 100 Proof
Gypsy -- 9 p.m. Isayah Warford, Jacob Johnson
Speakeasy -- DJ Greg
Boom Boom Room -- 10 p.m. Army of Birds
Froggy's -- 10 p.m. Will Gunselman, The Honkies
Sunday
Common Grounds -- 11 a.m. & 8:30 p.m. Kevin Sandbloom
Pesto Cafe -- 6 p.m. Shannon Wurst
George's -- 10 p.m. Randy Soller & The System
Monday
The Perk -- 7 p.m. Acoustic Jam
Pesto Cafe-- 7 p.m. Darren Ray
Arsaga's Crossover -- 9 p.m. Darren Michaels
Wednesday
Smiling Jack's -- 6 p.m. Effron White
George's -- 9:30 p.m. North Mississippi All-Stars, Hill Country Revue, Ben Miller Band
Thursday
Goodfolk -- 7 p.m. Chuck Brodsky
Pesto -- 7 p.m. Kevin Bennoch
Froggy's -- 8 p.m. Nick Noltes
George's -- 9:30 p.m. Cross Canadian Ragweed, Mike McClure
Speakeasy -- DJ Peaches
Venues
Arsaga's on Crossover (527-0690); Arsaga's on Gregg (444-6557); Boom Boom Room (444-7324); Common Grounds (442-3515); Froggy's (521-3764); George's Majestic Lounge (442-4226); Goodfolk (521-1812); The Gypsy on College (444-1945); Perk (251-7375); Pesto Cafe (582-3330); Smiling Jack's (935-4899); Soul Restaurant & Lounge (442-0800); Speakeasy (443-3279)
Rogers
Today
Cowboy Jim's -- 9 p.m. Barbwire
Tom Kats -- 9 p.m. Pieces of Dreams
Bayou -- 9:30 p.m. Furious George
Saturday
Rogers Little Theater --8 p.m. Naturally Brass, Rogers Jazz Society
Cowboy Jim's -- 9 p.m. Barbwire
Tom Kats -- 9 p.m. Pieces of Dreams
Bayou -- 9:30 p.m. L Street Band
Sunday
Copeland's -- 11 a.m. Claudia Burson Trio
Tuesday
Bayou -- 8 p.m. Blues Jam
Wednesday
Iron House -- Open Jazz
Venues
The Bayou (246-9337); Copeland's (246-9455); Cowboy Jim's N Crowd (633-9577); Rogers Little Theater (631-8988)
Bentonville
Today
Deja Vu -- 10 p.m. DJ Cory
Saturday
Deja Vu -- 10 p.m. DJ Brock
Thursday
Deja Vu -- 10 p.m. DJ Brock
Venues
Deja Vu (464-9677)
West Fork
Saturday
Little O'Oprey -- 7 p.m. Live Jam
Venues
Little O'Oprey (839-2992)
Eurkea Springs
Saturday
Chelsea's -- Randy Couch
Venues
Chelsea's (253-6723)
Little Rock
Today
Revolution Room -- 9 p.m. Fundraiser for Luke: Lucer, Big Boots, Whale Fire
Juanita's -- 10 p.m. Paul Sammons, Johnny Rocket, Solstice
Saturday
Revolution Room -- 5 p.m. Killswitch Revolution, DJ Lady Fingaz
Village -- 8 p.m. Gym Class Heroes
Juanita's -- 9 p.m. Hwy. 5 w/ Nik and Sam
Sunday
Juanita's -- 6 p.m. Eric Roberson, J. One, Nnamdi Orakpo
Tuesday
Juanita's -- 9 p.m. Proposition 49
Venues
Juanita's (501-372-1228); Revolution Room (501-823-0090); The Village (501-570-0300)
Siloam Springs
Today
Cherokee Casino -- 9 p.m. Scott Ellison
Saturday
Cherokee Casino --9 p.m. Five Bucks
Sunday
Cherokee Casino --7 p.m. Travis Kid
Tuesday
Cherokee Casino -- 7 p.m. Red Dirt Rangers
Wednesday
Cherokee Casino --7 p.m. Voyager
Thursday
Cherokee Casino -- 8 p.m. Hip Boot Joe
Venues
Cherokee Casino (800-754-4111)
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