The owners of the Someday Lounge have announced they are closing their doors indefinitely on March 18. This follows a period of rumors that the Old Town venue would be shutting down, or changing hands and opening under a new name. There is still a possibility that the room will be used as a venue in the future—a sale for the business is currently in progress, but nothing is final yet. As Someday Lounge/Backspace booker Karen Page tells me, “They will be closing even if the sale fails, and will most likely do some remodeling and re-open as a different entity.”
This is a sad end to a long run of not just music but extraordinarily varied arts programming at the venue. Here’s hoping some of that continues on in whatever the Someday’s next incarnation will be. Here follows a statement from the owners:
Through Sunday, March 17, Someday Lounge will offer its final nights of entertainment before closing its red curtains indefinitely on March 18. We are extremely proud to have played a role in the robust performance community of Portland, Oregon. Our experiences here and relationships with artists, promoters, dancers, charities,our wonderful staff and supporters are sure to remain vibrant memories for the rest of our lives. Those of us who remain in the area are excited to continue participating in various capacities as community builders and service providers to our city, the most creative city in the country. Thank you to everyone who performed here or supported us over the last six years in any way. Following is a schedule of our remaining events. We hope that you will come out and enjoy the room with us a time or two in the next couple of weeks. Be well.
For a look at the events happening at the Someday before it closes, take a look at their Facebook event page.
Well damn, this sucks! Now HIVE will have to move again. So many long-standing venues folding over just the past couple of years, what gives?!
Don’t Backspace & Someday Lounge have the same owners/partial ownership?
I’m curious since there was a huge fundraising effort for Backspace last fall, but nothing similar regarding the Someday Lounge.
Damn. I love Someday Lounge. Saw some of my favorite shows there, played there a couple times myself, had my wedding reception with friends there, and as a vegan (shut up, vegan!), loved their food.
Having had the owners tell me they are not profitable unless there is a band on stage, and that they don’t think musicians deserve any sort of guaranteed income, I’m not surprised the business is folding. I’ve questioned their business acumen since.
Someday had great sound, but as a musician it was not my favorite place to play. They never really paid bands, it was difficult to load in and out of, and the bar prices were unreasonably high (not to mention always a cover). There are a lot of other smaller venues in town doing it right, hopefully whoever ends up with the space will turn it into something cool.
I performed there with a band two years ago and loading gear in and out of there was a bitch. I was paid in drinks.
Graham Hyphen: Lots of places aren’t profitable unless there’s a band on stage. That’s virtually every single venue that’s ever existed. Anyone who thinks these places are made out of money are delusional.
DamosA: Maybe it has something to do with the overall economc climate sucking. Lots of businesses go under during an economic depression, especially when credit is hard to come by, lots more than during an economic boom. It should be no surprise why do many places are suffering these last few years.
The Someday Lounge and Backspace are different entities. They had two owners in common and a shared kitchen, but a good deal of the link between them was informal.
Wonder if they have paid off their loan with the city from PDC
Bummer. I’ve played many enjoyable shows there. I’m glad the Someday Incubator series seems to have found a new home at the Star Lounge.
They were a unique venue with a good dance floor and good sound, which is better than most venues, but I didn’t like that I had to work a day job in order be able to afford to perform there.
Sadly, the slogan “Viva L’Arte” was rendered completely empty by their business model. It’s the same as most venues in this town – cover all other costs first out of the door, and pay the musicians what’s left over, if anything.
How does anybody think that is sustainable for anybody? How is it that venues expect to survive without investing even minimum wage for the talent on stage? And, please, spare me the “Musicians do it for the love” argument. If you’re expected to do it for the love, and the other party is doing it for the money, that’s not love — that’s getting fucked.
Let’s hope the new venue is willing to invest as much in their talent as they do in the rest of their staff. Wait, I’ve got a totally original idea – how about a Neo-Bohemian Cabaret Strip Club? We can call it “Portlandia,” and open franchises across the midwest.