wipe the sleet from your rusting eyes, I want you to see me for the 1st time...
Out of commission for a couple weeks with the flu and being really busy.
Since last time we met, I added a shipwreck to my home piece:
credits: the lovely Rusty, for the artwork and the slightly less lovely, but still pretty bad-ass Mikey Vigilante for the ink...
Oh! and these unfortunate souls for the inspiration.
I also finally came up with a better explanation for my hesitancy toward anything on my life side (better than the token "I hate symmetry" excuse I often toss out for the sake of absurdity). Metaphorically speaking, I think it is wise to use one side to document my past and leave one side a blank slate as to be open to the future.
I don't think I have any terribly strong long-term plans at this point in my life. The only things I had planned out for me are done, so it's all choose-your-own-adventure at this point. That's pretty exciting when I actually think about it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other than that, the most exciting revelation in my life over the past two weeks is that I, as more of a lark than anything, sent some Cartridge Family .mpegs to Ron Artest's label, Tru Warier, a while back when I first heard about it and I got a request for more .mpegs this week. For what it's worth, it kinda' makes sense.
I'm not expecting anything and I'm totally happy doing our shit myself, so not having to feel that pressure, yet being open to anything is already paying off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recently, the City Pulse tapped me to do a story on the "new Mac's" and made me feel like they kind of wanted me to write it in a way that didn't particularly characterize how I actually felt about the direction of Mac's as a venue.
The story actually ended up being one of my best writings in long time (I believe so, at least) because I managed to encapsulate my Editors' take that Paul Fata is a great bar manager and Mac's will benefit with a dose of him as well as my take that Paul Fata has no sense of what Mac's has meant to a great deal of its patrons over last 3 years and is, essentially, turning the venue's proverbial back to them.
Not everyone is a local culture geek like me, but I know there are a few on my friends list that are and will really appreciate this, so I'm going to provide the full-story, unedited, under the cut in case the Pulse decides not to run it next Wednesday (or runs a severely castrated version of it).
Mac’s Bar Turnover-
After several months of speculation regarding the fate of many a twenty-something Lansing-ite’s favorite dive tavern, a new owner - or an old owner, depending on your take - has regained control of Mac’s Bar. “I owned Mac’s for the majority of the past decade,” recalls owner Paul Fata, who recently reacquired the bar from the man he sold it to three years ago, Matt Ellison.
Fata, a lifelong Lansing resident is more than equipped with the surefire know-how and savvy necessary to pump life into a struggling establishment. “I’ve been in the bar business for nineteen years,” states Fata, giving nod to his involvement with such notable locales as the Westgate Tavern, Reno’s West, Shortstop Bar, and Paulie’s Pub among others. “I’m just here to make sure the customers are happy, the employees are happy, everyone’s happy and (I’m) hoping to straighten things out a bit.”
Over the past three years, Mac’s Bar has gone from a dive bar with character to a dive bar with renown reputation around the Midwest as solid touring spot for original bands, to eventually gaining that same reputation with bands nationally (and even internationally) yet struggling mightily on the financial front. Booking agent Steve Lambert, who is largely responsible for Macs’ rise to a prominent tour stop for mainstays on the college rock charts, is still working with Mac’s however has found himself having to move some larger acts that require an eighteen-and-over crowd to other venues. “Drink sales are a bar’s bread and butter,” notes Lambert. Some speculate that the all-ages and eighteen and over crowds have deterred a portion of Macs’ more liquor-centric patrons and steered them to similar area hang-outs on Lansing’s East side such as Dagwood’s or Stober’s. Fata has planned to counter this defection by making the majority of Mac’s events twenty-one-and-up, as well as keeping a better inventory of drinks in stock.
Mac’s patrons and bands have noticed subtle differences since the ownership change took effect. “The place seems mostly the same with the biggest noticeable difference being service,” notes Ryan Roberts, drummer of local punk-rock upstarts, the Battle Scars. “When we most recently played there, we noticed a few new faces that wouldn’t be as quick to come out to the all-ages shows. There were always friendly waitresses available to get you anything you needed, as well.” “More than anything,” adds Roberts, “having the reality settle in that we could have lost Mac’s just seems to have made us appreciate it more.”
Though it is still operating as a venue for mostly original music at the moment, another change in format could not be far off. “I’m here to get things on track,” says Fata, “but we are still looking at prospective owners.” As most are aware, anything is possible when a business changes hands.
Guitarist of local metal act My Friend Rudra, Scott May, sees Mac’s not changing much at the moment, but knows things may not stay that way long. “Last time we were there the sound was great as always, with Matt McDonald behind the boards,” he says. “The prices seemed about the same but there was a lot more liquor - offering more creative drinks.” He continues, “it seemed like there were more tables and seating but they ripped most of the cool shit off the walls. That was part of what gave it its ‘dive-y charm’…like it was one of the last ‘true blues.’” May addresses Macs’ financial troubles, despite its ability to attract large national-acts, as a potential case of too much for too little. “The bands and the reputation just seemed to outweigh the size of the venue and interest.”
This may just be the case in Lansing. Perhaps the overhead involved in running a bar puts too much pressure on the almost entirely separate venture of large-scale booking (i.e., keeping the entertainment satisfied and still managing to pay the bills)? Maybe there is a reason why that undertaking is predominately reserved for either Clear Channel (the conglomerate that monopolizes most big-time concert promoting/hosting) owned ventures or enterprising young people renting out halls and centers? Mac’s has found a way to combine the world of the friendly dive-bar and the main-event show destination but it remains to be seen as to whether that combination can substantiate the necessary profits for either end of those business archetypes.
May’s comments echo much of what I’ve witnessed personally of the “new” Mac’s. It’s strikingly similar to the Fata-run Mac’s of three years ago. It remains top-shelf when looking for that “fun, dive-bar” atmosphere, yet does little to separate itself from other local music venues. The patrons seem to be bar-goers, enjoying themselves, though paying little attention to the band on stage. The free popcorn is always full, the drink menu includes anything from run-of-the-mill mixes and beers to that oddball concoction or microbrew your uncle from upstate New York hipped you to, there are always servers available to get you another drink, and only a handful of the patrons are paying any mind to the band, its music or its merchandise.
Since last time we met, I added a shipwreck to my home piece:
credits: the lovely Rusty, for the artwork and the slightly less lovely, but still pretty bad-ass Mikey Vigilante for the ink...
Oh! and these unfortunate souls for the inspiration.
I also finally came up with a better explanation for my hesitancy toward anything on my life side (better than the token "I hate symmetry" excuse I often toss out for the sake of absurdity). Metaphorically speaking, I think it is wise to use one side to document my past and leave one side a blank slate as to be open to the future.
I don't think I have any terribly strong long-term plans at this point in my life. The only things I had planned out for me are done, so it's all choose-your-own-adventure at this point. That's pretty exciting when I actually think about it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other than that, the most exciting revelation in my life over the past two weeks is that I, as more of a lark than anything, sent some Cartridge Family .mpegs to Ron Artest's label, Tru Warier, a while back when I first heard about it and I got a request for more .mpegs this week. For what it's worth, it kinda' makes sense.
I'm not expecting anything and I'm totally happy doing our shit myself, so not having to feel that pressure, yet being open to anything is already paying off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recently, the City Pulse tapped me to do a story on the "new Mac's" and made me feel like they kind of wanted me to write it in a way that didn't particularly characterize how I actually felt about the direction of Mac's as a venue.
The story actually ended up being one of my best writings in long time (I believe so, at least) because I managed to encapsulate my Editors' take that Paul Fata is a great bar manager and Mac's will benefit with a dose of him as well as my take that Paul Fata has no sense of what Mac's has meant to a great deal of its patrons over last 3 years and is, essentially, turning the venue's proverbial back to them.
Not everyone is a local culture geek like me, but I know there are a few on my friends list that are and will really appreciate this, so I'm going to provide the full-story, unedited, under the cut in case the Pulse decides not to run it next Wednesday (or runs a severely castrated version of it).
Mac’s Bar Turnover-
After several months of speculation regarding the fate of many a twenty-something Lansing-ite’s favorite dive tavern, a new owner - or an old owner, depending on your take - has regained control of Mac’s Bar. “I owned Mac’s for the majority of the past decade,” recalls owner Paul Fata, who recently reacquired the bar from the man he sold it to three years ago, Matt Ellison.
Fata, a lifelong Lansing resident is more than equipped with the surefire know-how and savvy necessary to pump life into a struggling establishment. “I’ve been in the bar business for nineteen years,” states Fata, giving nod to his involvement with such notable locales as the Westgate Tavern, Reno’s West, Shortstop Bar, and Paulie’s Pub among others. “I’m just here to make sure the customers are happy, the employees are happy, everyone’s happy and (I’m) hoping to straighten things out a bit.”
Over the past three years, Mac’s Bar has gone from a dive bar with character to a dive bar with renown reputation around the Midwest as solid touring spot for original bands, to eventually gaining that same reputation with bands nationally (and even internationally) yet struggling mightily on the financial front. Booking agent Steve Lambert, who is largely responsible for Macs’ rise to a prominent tour stop for mainstays on the college rock charts, is still working with Mac’s however has found himself having to move some larger acts that require an eighteen-and-over crowd to other venues. “Drink sales are a bar’s bread and butter,” notes Lambert. Some speculate that the all-ages and eighteen and over crowds have deterred a portion of Macs’ more liquor-centric patrons and steered them to similar area hang-outs on Lansing’s East side such as Dagwood’s or Stober’s. Fata has planned to counter this defection by making the majority of Mac’s events twenty-one-and-up, as well as keeping a better inventory of drinks in stock.
Mac’s patrons and bands have noticed subtle differences since the ownership change took effect. “The place seems mostly the same with the biggest noticeable difference being service,” notes Ryan Roberts, drummer of local punk-rock upstarts, the Battle Scars. “When we most recently played there, we noticed a few new faces that wouldn’t be as quick to come out to the all-ages shows. There were always friendly waitresses available to get you anything you needed, as well.” “More than anything,” adds Roberts, “having the reality settle in that we could have lost Mac’s just seems to have made us appreciate it more.”
Though it is still operating as a venue for mostly original music at the moment, another change in format could not be far off. “I’m here to get things on track,” says Fata, “but we are still looking at prospective owners.” As most are aware, anything is possible when a business changes hands.
Guitarist of local metal act My Friend Rudra, Scott May, sees Mac’s not changing much at the moment, but knows things may not stay that way long. “Last time we were there the sound was great as always, with Matt McDonald behind the boards,” he says. “The prices seemed about the same but there was a lot more liquor - offering more creative drinks.” He continues, “it seemed like there were more tables and seating but they ripped most of the cool shit off the walls. That was part of what gave it its ‘dive-y charm’…like it was one of the last ‘true blues.’” May addresses Macs’ financial troubles, despite its ability to attract large national-acts, as a potential case of too much for too little. “The bands and the reputation just seemed to outweigh the size of the venue and interest.”
This may just be the case in Lansing. Perhaps the overhead involved in running a bar puts too much pressure on the almost entirely separate venture of large-scale booking (i.e., keeping the entertainment satisfied and still managing to pay the bills)? Maybe there is a reason why that undertaking is predominately reserved for either Clear Channel (the conglomerate that monopolizes most big-time concert promoting/hosting) owned ventures or enterprising young people renting out halls and centers? Mac’s has found a way to combine the world of the friendly dive-bar and the main-event show destination but it remains to be seen as to whether that combination can substantiate the necessary profits for either end of those business archetypes.
May’s comments echo much of what I’ve witnessed personally of the “new” Mac’s. It’s strikingly similar to the Fata-run Mac’s of three years ago. It remains top-shelf when looking for that “fun, dive-bar” atmosphere, yet does little to separate itself from other local music venues. The patrons seem to be bar-goers, enjoying themselves, though paying little attention to the band on stage. The free popcorn is always full, the drink menu includes anything from run-of-the-mill mixes and beers to that oddball concoction or microbrew your uncle from upstate New York hipped you to, there are always servers available to get you another drink, and only a handful of the patrons are paying any mind to the band, its music or its merchandise.