Birchmere in Silver Spring, MD?????

Subject: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:58 PM

My wife, a native Washingtonian, told me this morning that as she was toolin' down Colesville Road, right in the heart of Silver Spring, she noticed a sign in the window of the long-empty JC Penney store that read something like "Future Home of The Birchmere" or "Coming Soon: The Birchmere".

Is the Birchmete moving to Maryland? Is it opening a second stage there? If the answer to either of these is "yes" -- when???

Does anyone out DC way know? Inquiring minds in Idaho wanna know.

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: jeffp
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 03:59 PM

I read recently, I think in the Post, that they are opening up a second location in Silver Spring. I don't know about the timing though.

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: Fortunato
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 04:21 PM

It's a done deal. there will be a second Birchmere in SS. No none has published a solid date.
cheers, chance

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 04:27 PM

OK...what is Birchmere?

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 04:29 PM

Bob Clayton, who posts as "SongBob", lives over within walking distance of the new location...he says the banner has been up for awhile, and I saw an article about it. My only problem is that The Birchmere ain't cheap!

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 04:37 PM

The Birchmere is a commercial nightclub, currently in Alexandria, Virginia, that features a fair number of folk performers. They are contemplating opening a second branch in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, assuming Montgomery County (Maryland) will build them a building and let them use it for bupkis.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/090606/wheanew214242_31939.shtml

The timing depends on when the county decides to pay for it, and if us vocal folkies who live in the nearby neighborhoods would rather see the public tax money go to help build non-profit venues for folk music (like the Folklore Society of Greater Washington or Class Acts Arts or the Institute of Musical Traditions) rather than a private business like the Birchmere which charges an arm and a leg to see performers.

Given the history of local activists in Montgomery County who raise questions delaying a project, I'd guess the opening of the Birchmere is still a decade or two away.

--Charlie Baum, who lives about 5 blocks from the proposed site for the Birchmere.

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: M.Ted
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 06:01 PM

Gee, Charlie, a Montgomery County subsidized Birchmere would be a perfect companion to the wonderful AFI Silver Theater, which the county subsidizes to the tune of about a million dollars a year, in order to show films that no one goes to see. And it will be an excellent smaller alternative to the $180 million Strathmore Hall, which is empty most of the time--

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: GUEST,Dan Schatz at work
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 07:10 PM

*SIGH* Only twenty years too late. How I would have loved to blow my allowance on Birchmere concerts when I was in high school.

Other clubs have had success with second locations in that area - I think of Twist and Shout's Tornado Alley, which at least lasted awhile (I don't know if it's still a going concern). Still - I think it's a great idea. AND support the FSGW!

Dan Schatz

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring?????
From: GUEST,Nancy King at work
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 08:21 PM

Well, I for one can hardly wait! I think it will be a great asset to Silver Spring, and will allow me and a lot of other folks I know to see performers we don't have convenient access to at the moment. I don't think it will compete with FSGW, Charlie -- the Birchmere will bring in acts we could never afford. And a lot of them won't be strictly "traditional," either, but worth seeing nevertheless.

Nancy

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring, MD?????
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 09:10 PM

The Blue Moon Barbeque, about 4 blocks south of the site on Georgia Avenue, which brought in lots of roots acts in its back room, just failed a couple of months ago. Of course, it was a smaller room, and didn't have any subsidy from the government.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring, MD?????
From: jbailes
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 09:08 AM

charlie, the rodeo restaurant a couple of doors down from the blue moon has taken over presenting the latter's music. charlie bean, pearl bailes, and i performed there last wednesday as The Capitol Hillbillies. Lisa Null of the fabulous singing was there and did 3 tunes with us!

Subject: RE: Birchmere in Silver Spring, MD?????
From: Fortunato
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 08:30 PM

We drove to Arlandria to the Birchmere to Steven Wade's show last week. It wasn't exorbitant. Performers have to eat, too.

I'm happy to see folks like Doc Watson in a reasonably small venue and it's worth the money.