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For the In-the-Know people, why did the Varsity in BR move away from live music?
Posted on 4/9/25 at 7:54 am
Posted on 4/9/25 at 7:54 am
The Varsity used to book so many up-and-coming and established bands, but now their live music is few and far between. Does anyone have the inside info on why this happened?
Live-music mecca: A peek into the history of The Varsity Theater as Baton Rouge’s premier music venue
Live-music mecca: A peek into the history of The Varsity Theater as Baton Rouge’s premier music venue
6
Posted on 4/9/25 at 9:15 am to Locoguan0
They lost Glen Prejean...
Posted on 4/9/25 at 10:08 am to Statestreet
quote:
They lost Glen Prejean...
He got the Wallflowers in the Varsity when they had the top hit in the country.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 11:52 am to Locoguan0
It was more of a passion project for Tim Hood. I think they moved away from the music venue after he passed away.
Also, it is hard to make money in that space. LSU students are not going out like they used to. Even if you can get them out during the week, they don’t drink enough to cover the costs anymore.
Also, it is hard to make money in that space. LSU students are not going out like they used to. Even if you can get them out during the week, they don’t drink enough to cover the costs anymore.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 1:04 pm to tigeralum06
The Bends come May 2nd, great band can't wait 
Posted on 4/9/25 at 1:21 pm to YungBuck
quote:A great local band.
The Bends
My daughter played a couple of their songs for me.
They sound very promising.
Remind me of Kings of Leon.
I hope they find success.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 1:23 pm to Locoguan0
Their booking guy went to Laberge. After Covid, they basically got bought out by a Canadian company that has made booking a huge PITA. They’ve gotten good crowds when they’ve managed to book decent stuff, but they’re so bureaucratic, out of touch, and incompetent that they’re not worth dealing with.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 3:26 pm to kingbob
quote:
Their booking guy went to Laberge
Who is/was a jerk and not really that good ... Probably for the best - what a listless and boring schedule he churned out.
The Varsity reopened my first year of college in 91' and had an incredible decade run under Glenn. So many big names came through (Public Enemy, DMB, Widespread, Pavement, White Zombie, Danzig, Ice T, Tori Amos, The Breeders, The Jayhawks, Wilco, Dwight Y, Lucinda Williams to name a few).
And they had fun parties to fill in the gaps ... just a different time where college kids drank and supported music ... they/we actually sought out music on the weekends, whether we knew them or not. At Chelsea's, the Bayou, The Spanish Moon. A real scene then.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 3:29 pm to JW
We know, things were awesome when the drinking age was 18, LSU was open enrollment, no one had student loan debt, and gas was under a dollar a gallon.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 3:36 pm to kingbob
It was more than that, but of course that was awesome. I hope that wasn't a dismissive "get off my lawn" type dig. I was reminiscing more about the supportive scene from the early nineties well into the early 2000's ... not prices and simpler times.
This post was edited on 4/9/25 at 3:38 pm
Posted on 4/9/25 at 4:03 pm to JW
In my opinion, the raising of the drinking age combined with the harsh crackdown on bars and drunk driving that followed in the mid-late 90’s are what killed the local scene more than anything. However, those massive economic changes have contributed as well. It’s easy for people to support going to see live music every week when they have the disposable income to literally go out every single night. College aged people mostly can’t afford to do that anymore.
This post was edited on 4/9/25 at 4:05 pm
Posted on 4/9/25 at 4:09 pm to kingbob
quote:
We know, things were awesome when the drinking age was 18, LSU was open enrollment, no one had student loan debt, and gas was under a dollar a gallon.
Gas wasn't under a dollar.
More like $1.10.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 4:12 pm to Cdawg
quote:
Gas wasn't under a dollar.
More like $1.10.
It was $.90 my senior year in 95-96.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 4:15 pm to JW
Varsity had a great run from 2015-2019. It looks like it would have continued if not for covid. Chelsea's is doing well but Varsity is a bigger place and could get bigger names if they got their act together.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 4:16 pm to Locoguan0
I remember those brief moments when it dropped below $1.00. The lowest I can recall in the 90's was driving to the SECCG in '98. Stopped in a rural area of AL and it was $.79. Crazy to think about.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 4:18 pm to Locoguan0
Bands from those early years would make a killer festival lineup these days-
1993-95
Flaming Lips
Living Colour
Squeeze
Gin Blossoms
The Breeders
DMB
Collective Soul
The Urge
Sheryl Crow
Hootie
Our Lady Peace
1990-93
BTE
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Dr John (RIP)
Widespread Panic
Social Distortion
Tori Amos
No Doubt
Los Lobos
Blind Melon
Spin Doctors
Ugly Kid Joe
311
Blues Traveler
1989
Meat Puppets
Johnny Winter
Butthole Surfers
Billy Bragg
1993-95
Flaming Lips
Living Colour
Squeeze
Gin Blossoms
The Breeders
DMB
Collective Soul
The Urge
Sheryl Crow
Hootie
Our Lady Peace
1990-93
BTE
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Dr John (RIP)
Widespread Panic
Social Distortion
Tori Amos
No Doubt
Los Lobos
Blind Melon
Spin Doctors
Ugly Kid Joe
311
Blues Traveler
1989
Meat Puppets
Johnny Winter
Butthole Surfers
Billy Bragg
Posted on 4/9/25 at 5:02 pm to CBDTiger
Varsity would easily be the top venue under the right leadership ... parking doesn't seem that bad these days, though I haven't lived in BR in over 20 years so maybe i'm wrong about that.
And good points King Bob ... I didn't think of it in those terms exactly.
And good points King Bob ... I didn't think of it in those terms exactly.
Posted on 4/9/25 at 6:06 pm to CBDTiger
I dont think that list is exhaustive. I know from 91-94 I saw the Smithereens, Go Go's and some others not listed.
Ok I remembered, Motels and Concrete Blonde.
Ok I remembered, Motels and Concrete Blonde.
This post was edited on 4/9/25 at 6:26 pm
Posted on 4/9/25 at 8:04 pm to kingbob
Yeah, but there was a pretty strong community of folks in that state/chimes/carlotta area that supported the scene... you didn't really have to have a lot of cash back then to have a good time and support music...
Posted on 4/9/25 at 8:55 pm to kingbob
quote:
College aged people mostly can’t afford to do that anymore.
This came up in a New Orleans bar thread. Its not that young folks dont want to sit at the neighborhood dive and watch an afternoon baseball game, they dont have the 80 to 100 bucks it would cost.
For Varsity shows we had a classmate that lived behind Chimes, would park and pregame there then walk to the show. We were all broke but I dont have any memory of thinking it was expensive.
And small venues never came back after Covid. I'm guessing the margins were to thin but how nice was it to go to a local place, pee and get a beer, see a good band then walk to your car a block away.
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