One year ago the Beaumont Club in Westport was poised to bite the dust…
Go for a dirt nap. After 20 years, to disappear from the annals of Kansas City pop culture and live music history forevermore.
From its inception as a country and western dance club in 1993 to its lame battle of the local bands finale late last December, the Beaumont Club carved out its niche in local history books by introducing the Cowtown to its first ever “bubble room” experience and hosting theĀ stickiest, glittery-est, hardest to clean up after show ever with the Insane Clown Posse.
And while the room, when crowded, was as poor a place to watch a show as it got, the Beaumont hosted some of the top talent ever to grace the small stage here; from Hank Williams III to Jane’s Addiction to Big & Rich.
That all ground to a mysterious end, as reported here first, then expanded upon later by other media. Including an item in the local newspaper last January reporting that the Beaumont’s landlord was suing the club for just under $200,000 in back rent.
Which brings us to an unreported $328,765.32 judgement this past May by landlord “Manor Square,” against Pennsylvania Partners, the promoter operators of the club for “past due rent and charges per the Lease Agreement.”
Trust me, for these fine gentlemen that’s a ton.
Enough to all but ensure that the club will remain dark as a live music venue for the immediate future and into the future.
Here’s the deal.
Right now between the Uptown Theater, Midland, Crossroads KC and Liberty Hall and the Granda in Lawrence, the mid size concert market is not just being served, it’s being over-served.
The Beaumont had its moments – had its day, its place in local music aficionados hearts and minds- but that’s all history at this point.
All that remains are the memories and the unpaid bills.
Did ya call to see how Jon Lunkwitz (sp?) is doing?
Haven’t talk to him lately, but I see him on Facebook from time to time. From what I can tell he was not a party to the judgment.
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It had to be the worst sound in the area. All those angles and elevations.
Saw some great artists there. In a sense it was like hearing them when they started. You know, crappy room with crappy sound and beer on the floor.
I thought it was OK when it wasn’t crowded. Because once it went wall-to-wall the sight lines went to heck. However the last set of operators spent a ton of dough redoing the sound, so if you didn’t see a show there the past five years you probably missed out on that.
Yeah, extremely bad when packed.
Think it was that long, I ducked in for the after-party for Cowtown doc but it was too crowded for me.
Fck The Beaumont, I still mourn the loss of Heart-Throb.
āHearne: Beaumont Club Grinds to Tranquil but Costly End | KC
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