28 replies to this topic

[JRC]

this is a sub-topic to the subject at hand, but have you guys read some of the inane snarky comments on the NT blog about all this--including some from a person who's profession should exclude them from such smug/knowitall trash talk . . .

New Times Bloggy Blog

Some of the stuff is as jerky as the usual crap from the AZ Republic's site, which also has a piece about the change of direction:

Republic Article

I guess what I'm saying is get we all just get along?
*Instantly clubbed by member of the LAPD*

Anyway, its a bummer to see Kimber move on, but ya gotta go when the call comes.
She/They trailblazed a path that we've meekly followed in, and losing that will definetly make downtown less of an destination/option for the tempe/mesa folks.
I do wish the best for the new owners, and hope their excitment caries over into the programing they chose to take on.

Sincerely,
JRC & The Trunk Space Family

[unluckycharm]

I looked over the new times comments---gah who has time to read all that?

I do understand being bummed when a favorite place closes down (Emerald Lounge RIP). But honestly, how many other places are there in a 10 mile radius that will host an indie show? The Trunkspace, The Ruby Room, The Phix, The Rhythm Room, The Ice House Tavern, The Lost Leaf & Paisley Violin. Were spoiled to have so many places & also in such a relatively close proximity.

[Jacki O.]

word.

From the perspective of a musician i can see how this is a bummer but from the perspective of a working visual artist i am welcoming the change.

yes there are a lot of galleries in that area but the majority of those only show their collective member's works.

this opens the door for other venues to take advantage of the lost space and it opens the door for more artists to take advantage of phx's art scene.

it's a bummer yes. I've seen so many great shows at modified. but at least it's still functioning. it could just close and be another empty building on Roosevelt or it could have been sold to a high end condo developer or something horrendous.

[Hooray For Everything]

What I do like about the new owners is their commitment to high the high standards that Kimber established for Modified as a gallery. It seems most galleries will hang any crap that one of their buddies threw together.

I've known the new owner(s) for awhile, they're awesome.

There still will be some music, just a different kind of a thang.

It goes without saying that there will obviously be a even larger void in the downtown music community.

We have great bands down here, just no great venues.

[Hooray For Everything]

I looked over the new times comments---gah who has time to read all that?

I do understand being bummed when a favorite place closes down (Emerald Lounge RIP). But honestly, how many other places are there in a 10 mile radius that will host an indie show? The Trunkspace, The Ruby Room, The Phix, The Rhythm Room, The Ice House Tavern, The Lost Leaf & Paisley Violin. Were spoiled to have so many places & also in such a relatively close proximity.

Wow.

I so disagree.

I'll give you Trunk Space, because the people who run it are fucking amazing, & the Rhythm Room, um, because it's a real club, but that's it.

Sure man, anyone will HOST one, it's about having good booking & a room/PA that is of a professional quality.

We're not spoiled in that department. Hardly.

The Lost Leaf is a bar, with a PA. The ICEHOUSE is a bar with a PA. The Paisley Violin is cafe with a PA....

I can't think of one, real club down here...I mean let's not lower our standards that much, c'mon....

I mean, Christ, I have a PA & a backyard, but that don't mean I'm gonna pretend that it's an awesome place to have a show.

Even Modified wasn't awesome, not at all. It was a stinky room with a decent PA, damn good sound people & great booking.

It blows my mind how little we have in terms of infrastructure & how bent we all are on pretending that we've got something awesome going.

We have great bands & artists, I'll give you that. But as far as good, pro, small rock clubs, no fucking way. I'm talking standards here, like the Rhythm Room or Plush.

Sorry to be like that kid in the Emperors New Clothes....but I gotta call bullshit on this one.

I will say that Last Exit in Tempe could be cool, if the staff was cool & they had good booking & took down the stupid beertitty adverts on the wall.

But, alas, bad location.

I hate that just because we're Phoenix means we have to pretend that things are better here than they are....even Flagstaff has better places to play. let's be real.

[Hooray For Everything]

word.

From the perspective of a musician i can see how this is a bummer but from the perspective of a working visual artist i am welcoming the change.

yes there are a lot of galleries in that area but the majority of those only show their collective member's works.

this opens the door for other venues to take advantage of the lost space and it opens the door for more artists to take advantage of phx's art scene.

it's a bummer yes. I've seen so many great shows at modified. but at least it's still functioning. it could just close and be another empty building on Roosevelt or it could have been sold to a high end condo developer or something horrendous.

I agree. As a music dude, I forget about the visual media folks, and I guesssssssssss it's just as valid, as (gulp) music.

I've just seen so much crap on the walls downtown that I've become immune to it....

[capharnaum]

i'm pretty bummed about this too, modified was always my favorite place to play/see shows.
good luck to the new people/concept. looks like my last show as an attendee will be
nov 12 for an albatross (very appropriate), where i will make sure to leave all that i have to leave behind,
make peace with the changes, remember the incredible memories and move on.

[unluckycharm]

I looked over the new times comments---gah who has time to read all that?

I do understand being bummed when a favorite place closes down (Emerald Lounge RIP). But honestly, how many other places are there in a 10 mile radius that will host an indie show? The Trunkspace, The Ruby Room, The Phix, The Rhythm Room, The Ice House Tavern, The Lost Leaf & Paisley Violin. Were spoiled to have so many places & also in such a relatively close proximity.

Wow.

I so disagree.

I'll give you Trunk Space, because the people who run it are fucking amazing, & the Rhythm Room, um, because it's a real club, but that's it.

Sure man, anyone will HOST one, it's about having good booking & a room/PA that is of a professional quality.

We're not spoiled in that department. Hardly.

The Lost Leaf is a bar, with a PA. The ICEHOUSE is a bar with a PA. The Paisley Violin is cafe with a PA....

I can't think of one, real club down here...I mean let's not lower our standards that much, c'mon....

I mean, Christ, I have a PA & a backyard, but that don't mean I'm gonna pretend that it's an awesome place to have a show.

Even Modified wasn't awesome, not at all. It was a stinky room with a decent PA, damn good sound people & great booking.

It blows my mind how little we have in terms of infrastructure & how bent we all are on pretending that we've got something awesome going.

We have great bands & artists, I'll give you that. But as far as good, pro, small rock clubs, no fucking way. I'm talking standards here, like the Rhythm Room or Plush.

Sorry to be like that kid in the Emperors New Clothes....but I gotta call bullshit on this one.

I will say that Last Exit in Tempe could be cool, if the staff was cool & they had good booking & took down the stupid beertitty adverts on the wall.

But, alas, bad location.

I hate that just because we're Phoenix means we have to pretend that things are better here than they are....even Flagstaff has better places to play. let's be real.

I know where you're coming from & knew you'd probably disagree with my post. I am comparing where Downtown Phoenix is at for indie venues NOW as compared to when Modified started out.

When I first moved here there was The Mason Jar, and The Mason Jar, for bands in the area to play at. And love the place or hate it, it did have a "real" soundsystem. Then Modified came along. So there were 2 places you could play if your were an indie band. The Rhythm Room was also around, but didn't host indie shows. Now there are more choices....though I'll give you that better sound systems / sound-people and configurations for live music are sorely needed.

[Hooray For Everything]

I'm with ya...

I just hated feeling like I was fighting with you, I adore you.

I'm sure you know that, though.

[unluckycharm]

keep fighting the good fight shane! the fight for better venues, better beer, better scene. lol, well we can go on a date sometime if you get me home by midnight. wait a minute, i might have to check with lkelly first on that.

[psykosteve]

I thought I would re-post here what I wrote on my blog:


I wish I could say I was more surprised when Kimber called me this morning to tell me about the changes she had planed for Modified. It has been a long time coming. While I am definitely saddened by the news I am not shocked. I don’t think that 11 years ago anyone would have thought that her small volunteer run arts space would last as long as it has or be the home of so many memories for so many people or would have given a home to so many great bands and talented artists over the years.

I remember in ‘99 when I was just 16 I saw a band called The Anniversary open up for the Get Up Kids at The Nile, I had no idea who they were before that. A few weeks later they played again at the recently opened Modified, when it was half the size and before it was “Modified Arts.” I think this may have been the first sold out show there and it was certainly the first time I had come downtown for a show. I remember someone in the band had their mom on tour with them selling their merch. The idea that a band that GOOD could play a show so intimate and personal was a huge revelation to me, one that has had a huge impact on my life. Just a few months later I was setting up my own shows at Modified with line ups I wanted to see.

In the almost 10 years since then I have seen some of the best shows I have ever seen on that stage, many bands few will remember One Line Drawing, The Fire Bird Band, Tristeza, but also band that everyone would know now but would not have know then, Jimmy Eat World, The Decemberists, Of Montreal, Rilo Kiley, Architecture In Helsinki, to name only a few. If someone were to book a festival today with just the bands that had played at Modified in the past it could rival Lalapalooza or Cochella. If you ever wanted to know who would be playing those festivals in a year you would have a good guess just looking at Modifieds calendar today. No club in Phoenix over that time has consistently booked the same high caliber of talent as Modified has been able too.

In the 9 years I have been promoting shows in Phoenix many of the events I am most proud of having produced were at Modified; Hella, Two Gallants and The Cold War Kids, Rocky Votolato, The Jealous Sound, Motion City Soundtrack, Crystal Antlers (on Election Night 2008), Polar Bear Club and more Limbeck shows than I can count. It’s odd to think that when I produce events like these in the future they wont be at Modified.

With the success and growth of downtown one fear many of us have had is that as it grows it might lose some of its character, that new businesses coming in might lack the personality that has caused this growth in the first place. With the size and scope of all the other projects Kimber works on daily it was only a mater of time until she would have to leave the labor intensive Modified. With Kim and Adam taking over and leading Modified in a new direction I am relieved to know that Kimber has found a way to step down from Modified while ensuring that it will be in great hands and the spirit of it will go on unchanged, although I never doubted Kimber would find a way to leave on terms like these.

I know there will be many misconceptions and rumors about these changes, some I have already heard and read. People will falsely speculate that this has something to do with economics. Anyone who thinks that finances had anything to do with this never understood what Modified was about from the beginning. Modified is just as profitable today as it ever was, that is to say that it is just as unprofitable as it was when it was opened 11 years ago. Other people will think it is some sign of Kimber being less involved in the music and art scenes in Phoenix, that some how she loosing interest in it, that she is “leaving the biz.” This could not be further from the truth. If anything it is the opposite. I wish I understood half of the projects she is working on at any given time to improve our community. I think it is great she will have more time for all the big important projects she works on that I don’t fully grasp with out having to worry about the details of Modified. I am excited to see what else is up her sleeves.

It is amazing how much this little art space in what was once a bad part of town has come to mean to so many people, myself included, and to the city as a whole. And even more amazing still is what a small piece Modified is on the large list of what Kimber has does for the art community, the music scene and the businesses environment of Phoenix. It is truly remarkable and impressive.

I have been so proud of the very small part I have played in this great space. I am really looking forward to seeing what the next chapter that Kim and Adam are going to create for this space will look like. I am so glad it’s spirit will live on even as it changes. I hope I can find even some small way to help them and the future of Modified Arts.

[donald]

A deserved 1up to your post Steve.