Who killed Cock Robin?
The jury’s still out on that one, but the doing in of Westport’s Beaumont Club is a far easier crime to solve.
Let’s solve it right here, right now, shall we?
For starters, running a massive bar and concert venue (15,000 square feet) with a hefty five-figure rent ($20,000 a month) and questionable parking isn’t an easy proposition. And while the Beaumont made its mark in its early hey days mixing cool concerts and a dance floor packed with country line dancing types, those days have long since been over.
Five years ago the club’s former principal owner sold it to a consortium of local investors.
I spoke with that owner at the time and he expressed great relief for having unloaded the club, which had been behind the financial eight ball – rent, taxes – for some time even then.
A ton of money was then spent putting in a new stage and sound system, cleaning up the place and adding other amenities.
All of which might have served the Beaumont Club well were it not for the financial reversal of one of its lead investors, a wave of competition from other local venues, the inability to book outdoor shows because of noise complaints by the Tivoli theater, a neighboring tenant in Manor Square and the negative publicity and crowds generated by hip-hop club America’s Pub.
Think of it as a Quadruple Whammy.
“How was the Beaumont supposed to stay open when the Power & Light District is putting on 50 free outdoor shows every year and the city is footing the bills?” says a source close to the situation. “And the Crossroads is doing 40 shows and the Midland is doing shows that only attract 600 people?”
As part of the Power & Light District the Midland also enjoys financial advantages over the Beaumont which has no Sugar Daddies outside of its ownership group.
The Beaumont might have fared better were more bands touring during the winter – indoor show – months because “it was built for doing concerts properly,” the source says. “But if you can’t get the business in the summer, how can you stay open?”
Therein lies the problem, ladies and gentlemen. It’s that simple.
Look for the lawyers to sort things out from here, sources say.
You are right on the money Hearne. Time and the lack of any new rock music killed the concerts. Too many venue’s offering cheap one night deals. Of course its easier to sell the Midland then Beaumont…hey they had a nice run.
I’m actually surprised they lasted as long as they did. I got to play once on the outdoor stage and it was fabulous. Great summary article Hearne. I still miss the old Grand Emporium and Crosstown Station too.
whatever
looks like someone disagrees with hearne on his story. i would like
to hear what the owners have to say.
I’msure that hearne only gets his information from reliable sources (lol)
and could never be wrong.
I remember the beaumont…great place…fun….but hadn’t been down
there is a long time…
maybe someone will reopen it..
but it would be nice to hear the true facts once and for all.
truth des apply to gossip columns thats how the national enquirer and similar columns work
hearne
Oh BS there is lots of groups to fill that stage out there playing today.
Running a place like the Beaumont takes work and I mean working everyday. Investing and sitting around waiting for the money to come rolling in isn’t how it’s done or going to work. I mean even Craig gets up on stage and works most days at his place or does his radio shows druming up business, not that I am back Craig on his business but what a person has to do in the enertainment business. To many fingers in the pie has brought more than one place down as well as not doing the business hustle to keep it going. Westport businesses might not get the P&L freebies but if they tried they can go one on one with any business down there and win in fact most probably are.
I don’t know who killed Cock Robin, but THIS is what killed Robin Cocking.
*Robert Cocking (1776 – July 24, 1837) was the developer of an early unsuccessful parachute design and the first person to be killed in a parachuting accident.*
“On 24 July 1837, at 7:35 pm, Cocking ascended hanging below the balloon, which was piloted by Green and Spencer. Cocking was in a basket which hung below the parachute which in turn hung below the basket of the balloon. Cocking had hoped to reach 8,000 feet (2,440 m), but the weight of the balloon coupled with that of the parachute and the three men slowed the ascent; at 5,000 feet (1,500 m) and with the balloon nearly over Greenwich, Green informed Cocking that he would be unable to rise any higher if the attempt was to be made in daylight. Faced with this information, Cocking released the parachute”
“A large crowd had gathered to witness the event, but it was immediately obvious that Cocking was in trouble. He had neglected to include the weight of the parachute itself in his calculations and as a result the descent was far too quick. Though rapid, the descent continued evenly for a few seconds, but then the entire apparatus turned inside out and plunged downwards with increasing speed. The parachute broke up before it hit the ground and at about 200 to 300 feet (60 to 90 m) off the ground the basket detached from the remains of the canopy. Cocking was killed instantly in the crash; his body was found in a field in Lee.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cocking
This was also the basis for the very first “Roadrunner” cartoon and inspired Mr. Acme to create an entire line of usefull products.
http://www.norcalblogs.com/watts/images/acme_tornado.jpg
I don’t know who killed Cock Robin, but THIS is what killed Robin Cocking.
*Robert Cocking (1776 – July 24, 1837) was the developer of an early unsuccessful parachute design and the first person to be killed in a parachuting accident.*
“On 24 July 1837, at 7:35 pm, Cocking ascended hanging below the balloon, which was piloted by Green and Spencer. Cocking was in a basket which hung below the parachute which in turn hung below the basket of the balloon. Cocking had hoped to reach 8,000 feet (2,440 m), but the weight of the balloon coupled with that of the parachute and the three men slowed the ascent; at 5,000 feet (1,500 m) and with the balloon nearly over Greenwich, Green informed Cocking that he would be unable to rise any higher if the attempt was to be made in daylight. Faced with this information, Cocking released the parachute”
“A large crowd had gathered to witness the event, but it was immediately obvious that Cocking was in trouble. He had neglected to include the weight of the parachute itself in his calculations and as a result the descent was far too quick. Though rapid, the descent continued evenly for a few seconds, but then the entire apparatus turned inside out and plunged downwards with increasing speed. The parachute broke up before it hit the ground and at about 200 to 300 feet (60 to 90 m) off the ground the basket detached from the remains of the canopy. Cocking was killed instantly in the crash; his body was found in a field in Lee.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cocking
This was also the basis for the very first “Roadrunner” cartoon and inspired Mr. Acme to create an entire line of usefull products.
http://www.norcalblogs.com/watts/images/acme_tornado.jpg
The Beaumont sucked as a musical venue. I’m sorry, but that’s my opinion. I made the mistake of going there once for a concert and it was just a brutal place to see a live band. Extremely long lines for anything (beer, take a piss, etc) God awful sight lines unless you were over 6’5″, and it smelled like death. Plus when the concert was over, they were shooing everyone out the door so the shitkickers could come in and line dance themselves into a stupor. There have been numerous bands over the years that I was dying to see that have appeared at the Beaumont, but I didn’t go see them simply because of where they are playing. Look, I don’t mind crowds…but that place was just a shithole. Doesn’t matter to me whether it’s closed or not, cause I was never going back there anyway.
“limited parking?” how about the enormous parking garage located directly behind the beaumont? and the giant surface parking lot a block away? and the many smaller lots around westport? and the plentiful free street parking within a several-block radius.
many things may have contributed to the beaumont’s demise, but lack of parking isn’t one of them.
I don’t know about you, but parking in that garage is about the last place I’d ever consider leaving my car. I suppose you could count the Sunfresh too where people have been shot and has been a magnet for late night trouble.
KC has been passed up on many awesome shows for omaha, stl and Lawrence. I bet the promoters had a lot to do with it too. As well as the sound always being horrible and it was hard to see the stage. If someone who knew how to run a venue of that size got in there booking and promoting good shows I bet it would be fine.
You should interview one of the Record Bar owners about getting viciously attacked by a bully Beaumont Club security guard. I think he continued playing shows there regardless of the incident.
There were some serious azz bouncers down there.
They loved the work.
All good ideas and
businusses come to an end at some point Until this recent Court case with
State of Kansas V The Two Lesbians I
was making a handsome living donating sperm on CraigsList. That too has now cum to a close.
My best friend is an attorney, Stan Greenburg in Scottsdale, huge class
action guy, retired, but he’s come out of retirement
to
help me on this one. I have all the facts and figures
as I alway dew that will vindicate
me and I wont
pay a dime child support and likely win ONEmillion bucks
in a counter defamation case as this hurts my image.
At $25 a “donation”
I was making $500 a day on this one single venture, so I understand what was once a
good
thing now going down the sink, wasted.
For all my desipples followers and reeders, if you want to follow my progrtess
on this case
email me at
sperm4life1000@yahoo.com
hahahaha…
someone who’s followed all my comments trying to make some funny stuff
up.
You get an F !!!!!!
bam!
When I died for your sins, I had no idea what an enormous douche bag you would turn out to be 2000 years down the road. Im perfect and I missed that one.
You try to write, you get an F; bam! And when I say “bam” its a lighting bolt kind of bam.
I created this world and you are a byproduct of what I did? I have to walk down my streets of gold and talk to George Carlin, only he can make sense of what I did here and cheer me up.
Harley, stay off Craigslist, you have no business reproducing. Dont make me go all sterile on your ass, just do it yourself, Im really busy.
+1
Harley is a Jew don’t make him kill you again!
hey jesus…you forgot a few things….
you didn’t create my world…
you left a few tasks undone…
you should have listened to the rest of your tribe…
and your name is being used in vain…
now…when you get real come join my flock and
see the light dude.
If you have to go to george carlin for help you are
really ,essed up!!!!
sorry …wrong guy…maybe when you return we
can talk…til then….keep wishing…because harley
knows all…and he knows the difference…
happy new year..
harley knows religious foundations…don’t doubt
harley…it will come backto haunt you.
Now…maybe instead of writing crap like this sir
you should go punish men who beat their wives@!!!!!!!!
bam! harley rules!
bam!
bam!
OUCH…
BAM!
ouch!
SMACK!