Rockwell

Back in 2014, Towson-local band All Time Low's guitarist, Jack Barakat, jumped into co-ownership of the previously titled Vale Tudo (known as Cheerleaders before that), to redraw the aesthetic of the bar to focus strictly on varieties of rock & roll (as opposed to the "iPod on shuffle" variety making the venue's appeal very hit or miss).

Kevin, Rob, and I stopped in this past Wednesday night after dinner, figuring we'd grab a round of drinks and enjoy the entertainment of the night. Silly us, it was a Wednesday night... nobody goes to a club on a Wednesday night. But, being stubborn people, we went in anyway and wound up having a neat conversation with the bartender/manager that night, going over the details of the venue's ownership and occasional nightmares of its maintenance (case and point, the projectors splashing the cool effects on the canvas wall panels burn out at least twice a year, and require rental of a skyjack that barely fits through the door to replace the bulbs).

Once upon a time, a monthly tradition was for different artists being showcased on the projector panels in special events. I'm rather disappointed I missed my chance with this venue. It would have been pretty fantastic as a time lapse showcase. Perhaps in its next iteration... The half-life of club venues rarely extends beyond the first 2 or 3 years without a shuffle in ownership and/or aesthetic. It's the nature of the business.