The Bomb Shelter Closes

After more than a decade as a huge part of the Birmingham music community, The Bomb Shelter has closed its doors for the last time. The whole building, in fact, has also closed its doors to the music community, as owner Mitch Danmsky has decided to put the 114 24th Street North establishment up for sale.

The building, managed by local musician and cabinet-maker Gary Hyche, also housed rooms for musicians to practice and record. Hyche rented it out to musicians, kept the rates low and even played in several bands that rehearsed in the space. He started The Bomb Shelter as a strictly BYOB affair but after the club started gaining popularity in the ‘90s he got a liquor license and tried to make it work as a “viable business,” as he explained to Birmingham Weekly.

Hyche’s current band, Menewa, opened the show that marked The Bomb Shelter’s last night. Brit-by-way-of-New York Jonathan Spottiswoode drove his band, Spottishwoode and His Enemies, on a 12-hour drive from Houston following South by Southwest to headline the show.

About 40 people showed up to say goodbye to the venue, surely the last folks to see the hundred-year-old building in such a way.

Venue Profile: Workplay Theater

The Workplay Theater in Birmingham is a long-standing multi-purpose venue with performance areas and recording suites for live and studio recording. Voted the Best Live Music Venue at the 2008 BAMA Awards, it not only features musical acts but also hosts independent films, live theater, comedy shows, poetry slams and more. Along with stages and recording space, it has office space for like-minded creative folks including tenants such as Hunter Films, Bolton Productions, Metro Picture Works and Digital Evolution.

Capacity: 250 seated, 400 standing room only

Gear: The venue’s front of house system is an active four-way stereo system capable of producing a flat frequency response of 20hz-20khz at an undistorted signal of 110 db at the front of house mixing console, which has 40 channels and an auxiliary configuration enabling up to 6 monitor feeds to the stage. All speakers are flown and the speaker enclosures produce a flat response for all seats including those in the mezzanine. More details can be found on the venue’s website.

Genres: ALL

Booking Contact: Todd Coder

Phone: (205) 978-4773

E-mail: todd@workplay.com

Address: 500 23rd Street. Birmingham, AL 35233

Website: www.workplay.com

IN THE NEWS

Muscle Shoals band Lauderdale has been working on its new album throughout the late spring. The band recently added a full-time guitar player, Daniel Stoddard, and will be leaning toward a more Americana/rock sound for its sophomore release, which the group are looking to self-produce. Lauderdale

has also had two songs featured in the film Like Moles, Like Rats, which will be out on video later this year.

www.myspace.com/lauder

dalemusic

A. A. Bondy released his solo debut entitled American Hearts on Fat Possum Records April 15. The former front man for Verbena’s new solo project heads in a more bluesy folk direction than his previous releases with his past bands.

www.myspace.com/aabondy

Tuscaloosa’s The Dexateens recently released their new album for free download

through Skybucket Records. To get the new record, Lost and Found, go to the Skybucket website, www.skybucket.com/media/

dexateens. Donations are welcome.

www.dexateens.net

Birmingham heavy metal alt-country band Caddle has been touring the country this spring and summer in support of their latest album Raise Em’ High. Look out for the band’s upcoming shows in Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Florida, Ohio, Indiana and, of course, Alabama.

www.caddle.com

Atom Moon has finished a new EP entitled My Love...The Executioner and hopes to release it soon. It is the follow-up of the band’s self-titled debut released in 2007.

www.myspace.com

/atommoon

The Broken Letters will be on tour through August in support of their new album

Sing The Burning Alphabet, due out on June 10. Their vinyl LP I is also available for purchase and digital download from their website.

www.theburningalphabet.com

Houston County, Ala. hosted a Country Crossing community support rally this past April. Country Crossing is a musical community/

venue/resort for the area, featuring luxury hotels, RV parks, stages, and other events for country music stars and fans. The family oriented resort is meant to foster a new music community involving fans and the artists of the area. Houston County is also going to be the new permanent home of Bama Jam Music and Arts Festival (a strictly country music Bonnaroo) that will be held on the 5-7 of this month.

www.musiccitynews.com

The Photonicas were recently featured on Tapestry WBHM Birmingham in support of their new EP. They are currently working on material for their debut album while touring Alabama and surrounding states, including a local show at The HighNote.

www.myspace.com/the

photonicas