Good Times ends live music, not fun
■ The venue will stay open
and add a full bar, but
events like Rooster’s Blues
Jam will find other homes
By Will Wyer
For the Emerald
This past weekend, local fans
gathered at Good Times Cafe and
Bar to celebrate the end of more
than 25 years of live music in
downtown Eugene.
“It’s really too bad. It’s been his
torical. We’re here because it’s his
tory in the making,” said Clinton
Crane, a Good Times regular for
over 15 years. “It really is a shame,
‘cause this has always been such
a great live venue for this town. ”
As the swing-blues of Little
Charlie and the Nightcats invigor
ated the crowd, fans took to the
dance floor one last time to enjoy
the live atmosphere of a bar that
holds memories for many people.
“There was a great era here and
remembering all the great bands
that have played here: Dave
Matthews, The Stray Cats, the
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies,” said
current manager Amber Bright.
“It’s pretty awesome to think it all
happened here.”
Although the booking of Little
Charlie and the Nightcats wasn’t
planned specifically for the last
weekend, Bright said she couldn’t
think of a more worthy band to
close down the live music of Good
Times. The band was chosen by
the British Blues Connection as
the “Best Touring Blues Band” for
two years straight.
“Our band has been together for
25 years. We’ve been coming here
for over 20 years and we got a lot of
old time friends here,” said lead
guitarist Little Charlie Baty.
Led by Little Charlie, the Sacra
mento-based band tries to incor
porate old school blues with a
jazz-swing appeal.
“Basically, what you’re going to
see in our live shows is four dedi
cated musicians playing the
blues,” Baty said just before the
show.
In addition to Baty, the band
also includes vocalist Rick Estrin
(who also plays harmonica),
stand-up bassist Ronnie James
Weber and percussionist June f
Core.
“We’ve always enjoyed playing
here,” said Baty. "The Good Times
has become our regular spot for
over 10 years, so it’s going to be
sad to not be able to play here. I al
most regard Eugene as another
hometown.”
Most of the customers were
puzzled at the end of the live mu
sic that has been such a mainstay
for so long.
“I really don’t understand why
it’s happening,” said Crane.
While Bright feels remorse for
shutting down the live acts, she
said it was the only option for the
shows which weren’t bringing in
the money that they used to. She
feels that there isn’t enough of a
client base willing to pay the tick
et price to support live shows.
“We wanted to keep it and that
was our original intention, but the
business was terrible and I’m not
sure exactly what that’s about,”
she said.
One way that live music will
keep running is through the
Rooster’s Blues Jam, named after
Gavin Fox, which will be moving
to The Doc’s Pad on Monday
nights.
The jam, which dates back 20
► years,"provides the opportunity
for local musicians to sign up ac
cording to what instrument they
play, and be put into selected
groups.
Organizers of the jam intend to
keep the tradition alive after Good
Times. The next jam is scheduled
for June 5 at Doc’s Pad.
In place of the live music,
Good Times will begin a make
over in June.
A big part of the remodeling
will include a new bar that will
extend out to the patio. In addi
tion, more billiard tables will be
brought in and an extension will
be added to help improve the
video poker area.
A full bar will start pouring on
June 19.
Although the change will not
be fully completed until fall,
Bright wants to reassure all cus
tomers that Good Times won’t be
closing at any time during the
renovation.
“I think it will be awesome,"
said Bright. “It will be a fun
hangout bar, ‘cause I don’t think
there are a lot of places in town
where you can hang out and
have a good time.”
For interested fans, Little Char
lie and the Nightcats will be
heading back into Oregon in Au
gust, playing the Joseph Bronze
Blues and Brews Festival on June
12, the Oregon Zoo Amphithe
ater in Portland on June 17 and
Riverbend Park in Winston on
June 18.
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WOWITMH
Community
Cantor tar the
Partarmmg Arts
8th &
Lincolr
■ Friday ■
Moth
withBlyss
Hard Rock
$6 door, 9:00 pm
■ Saturday ■
Pipeline to
Cameroon
with Nine Volt Mile,
Cantina Piranha,
The Whole Bolivian Army,
HoneyTongue
Benefit for Amnesty International
$6 door, 8:30 pm
■ Sunday ■
Sandy Silva
Dance Performance
$11.50 advaice, $13 door, 7:30 pm
009174
■ Wednesday ■
Dick Dale
with Los Mex Pistols del Norte
Surf
$10 advaice, $10 door, 8:oo pm
■June 9 ■
Floater
with Atom Sane, !V6a6
Heavy Rock
$8 advaice, $io door, 8:30 pm
■ June 10 ■
Floater
with Grindstone
Heavy Rock
$8 advaice, $10 door, 8:30 pm
■ June 15 ■
Modest Mouse,
Califone,
Love as
Laughter
Rock
$10 advaice, $10 door, 9:00 pm
AH Ages Welcome • 687-2746