This year saw the loss of several longtime venues, Toledo’s music scene hit some hard times in 2015. The Ottawa Tavern dimmed its stage lights as a mainstay for local and touring musicians. Frankie’s was met with a complete (yet temporary) shutdown. The Moxie opened, then closed. It seemed that the local music scene might be gasping a last breath.
Luckily that drought was short lived. In these early months of 2016, Frankie’s has reopened. Additionally, a new and promising venue owned by The Oliver House, will soon be filled with concerts, to be booked by Future Best Friends. This new venture is made up of Adam Sattler, who was formerly responsible for booking shows at the Ottawa Tavern from 2008 to early last year, and Dan Brenner, musician and accomplished sound man.
From his days booking shows at The Ottawa Tavern, Sattler has maintained contact with popular bands and labels. “I still get emails to this day from agents of bands passing through that are interested in booking a show in Toledo. It’s something I’ve wanted to get back into,” says Sattler.
With a capacity of 300, the space at 201 Morris Street, is sound system-ready. Regarding the frequency of bookings, Sattler explains, “we’d like to do a couple shows a month. It’s a big space, so just to fill it and staff it, it’ll definitely be more of a special occasion kind of thing. For now, this is essentially a trial period.”
Though relatively unknown, the building has been the location of choice for other events– most recently, a screening of “Undercover Boss” that featured Marco’s Pizza and a Christmas party for Costco. In order to accommodate these events, a full bar is already in place. “Andrew Appold (of The Oliver House) approached me about doing something here. He bought the lights and the sound system. We were going to wait until summer, but with everything in place, we decided to just start doing it now,” says Sattler.
Shmotel did a test-show recently, and “even with minimal sound treatment, and no audience to fill up the space, the sound in the room was really good,” says Brenner. “It’s a really cool space. It’s an active warehouse with a bar built in and a full liquor license. It’s really something you have to see.”
Future Best Friends will host their first two shows, Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5.
Friday Night: Bliss Nova, Shmotel, The Zimmerman Twins, goLAB and Tim Korenich
Saturday Night: Dark Fantasy, Awesome Job, Shitty Neighbors, Outside, Good Personalities
Doors at 8pm, with a $5 cover. 21+. Oliver House Complex, 27 Broadway St.
For more information visit the Facebook event.
