New Raleigh pointed out earlier today that Downtown Event Center, the rock club occupying the third floor of the space at 14 W. Martin St. in downtown Raleigh, has closed its doors. Owner Charles Norwood told the Independent Monday afternoon that he couldn’t confirm or deny the reports that the club was closing, just that “there are a couple of things that need to be worked out before I know what’s going on.” Norwood has been unavailable for comment since making that statement, but former D.E.C. booking manager Mike Dillon said Tuesday morning, referring to a show by band Earth scheduled for Saturday, May 3, that “I guess the show is kaput…. The club is done. Death sentence. Kaput.” The space has experienced high turnover in the last several years: What was once Retail Bar has also been Martin Street Music Hall and Raleigh Music Hall since 2004.
The Independent scrapped its advance coverage of the Earth show on Tuesday morning, but Dillon and members of opening bands In the Year of the Pig and Des Ark have been scrambling to find a venue for Saturday’s show. They have found nothing yet; Dillon says members of Earth are willing to lower their guaranteed payment in order to find a show in the area. We’ll update you as we hear more.
Originally posted on the Indy‘s music blog, Scan.
