Gone but not forgotten: If you could bring back one Pittsburgh club ...

By Scott Mervis / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In the immortal words of The Grateful Dead, “the music never stopped.” Or, to put it in the present tense, “stops.” 

Clubs come, clubs go, leaving behind all sorts of ecstatic and bittersweet memories, but the music finds a way and the players find open doors — or push them open. Granted, it’s not always for the better.

Back in the day, it hurt to lose The Decade, Graffiti, The Electric Banana, Club Laga, etc., but we have Mr. Small’s, Spirit, The Thunderbird, Spirit and Stage AE to help fill the void.

Soon, the South Side’s Club Cafe and Lawrenceville’s Cattivo will join the long list of shuttered venues after decades of hosting bands. What becomes of those spaces remains to be seen.

While we wait, let’s reminisce on the ones we’ve lost.

We asked Pittsburgh musicians what local club they would bring back to life if they could. Most of them zeroed in on Oakland, where the music stopped (outside of the house shows in South Oakland).

The Decade, on the corner of Atwood and Sennott streets, opened in 1973 and, during the City of Champions era, the gritty place where college kids and blue-collar locals intersected became home to such bands as the Iron City Houserockers, The Silencers, Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band, and Norman Nardini and the Tigers.

Along with hosting such heavies as U2, The Police, The Ramones, The Pretenders and Stevie Ray Vaughan, there were surprise appearances there by Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. Among the stars to pass through were Jack Nicholson, Danny Devito, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Meat Loaf. It closed in August 1995.

Graffiti (1984-2000), on Baum Boulevard, was a more polished “showcase room” with four times the capacity of The Decade. The Clarks and Rusted Root were among the Pittsburgh bands to make their name at the venue which hosted the likes of Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, X and The Replacements.

The last corner of the “Bermuda Triangle” was The Electric Banana (1980-1999), home to punk, hardcore and metal and the first Pittsburgh stomping grounds for bands like Black Flag, Hüsker Dü and Sonic Youth.

Club Laga (1996-2004), the fourth-floor Forbes Avenue venue with the caged-off bar, popped up just in time to greet the pop-punk/emo era, hosting Bright Eyes, Death Cab for Cutie, New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday — as well as some heavier stuff like Lamb of God, Danzig and Queens of the Stone Age.

Find out which one Pittsburgh musicians miss the most below.

Anthony Lamonde (The Borstal Boys): “The Decade. Nothing will ever be like that again. It was a place to go to see music. You went because it was The Decade, not necessarily for the band. There was always a good band there.”

Rishi Bahl (Eternal Boy): “Come on, that’s easy. Club Laga. It existed during the peak of the genre that I love (punk/pop punk). The location of it made it so accessible to young people, the actual inside of the club was unique being on the upper floor of a building, and it was nationally recognized by bands. Even today, bands get on stage at other clubs and say ‘Do you remember Club Laga?’”

Megan Williams (The Turpentiners): “It would definitely be Graffiti! That venue was iconic for having amazing touring acts. I saw Nirvana there back in 1991 right before they ‘broke’ and was pulled on stage by bassist Krist Novoselic before the show because he told me that I would die if I stood right in front of the stage. I sat right underneath his feet for the entire show. After the show they apparently almost burned the entire place down by setting a couch on fire. Graffiti also made their mark by hosting the Graffiti Rock Challenge every year. It marked the beginning of making local bands like Rusted Root and The Clarks a household name. Lots of great local bands from that period received enormous exposure from this yearly event, including The Affordable Floors, Brownie Mary and The Gathering Field, to name a few. I think Pittsburgh is sorely missing this venue and what it did for the local and national music scene.”

Greg Joseph (The Clarks): “I’m going with Nick’s [Fat City]. I think Graffiti will be well represented by a lot of local musicians. Nick’s was our club the way that The Decade was The Houserockers’ club. We spent a lot of nights there, whether it was with The Clarks or acoustic nights with the Dick Clarks. Nick’s was THE club for local bands at a time when there was a true emphasis on local music, and the South Side was vibrant in a positive way. The intimacy of the room was phenomenal and the folks who worked there were special. I’ve got lots of wonderful memories.”

Scott Anderson (jazz pianist): “For me, it will always be the Shadyside Balcony. That was where I ‘came of age’ as a player. It was also the club where I felt the most welcome and a member of a very close community of musicians and staff. All of us went there after our gigs to hear each other play. It was a special place. Great food, too!”

Deb Levine (Lady Beast): “Howlers! It was free to have shows (maybe just had to pay sound guy), it sounded good, it had a stage with lights — which seems like an obvious thing for venues to have, but after all these years of playing, you’d be surprised what we’ve walked into!”

Mike LaVella (former Half Life): “I’m very nostalgic about the years that The Five would play the Banana twice a month. They were so consistently great, and seeing them in other venues, even The Stanley Theatre, just never seemed the same. The first time I ever stepped on a stage — it was just a floor back then — was singing with Ground Zero there, which gave me the courage to form Real Enemy, who of course played there many times. Between them, Half Life and Moist, I played the Banana over 100 times between 1983 and ‘88. It always felt like home. Judy’s amazing meatball sandwiches sealed the deal.”

Gregg Gillis (Girl Talk): Millvale Industrial Theater! A lot of chaotic fun there.

Weird Paul (Weird Paul Rock Band): “I've been performing live in Pittsburgh since 1988. I've lost count of how many different venues I've performed at. Almost all of them are gone now. I think my best experiences, as a performer and as part of an audience, were at the Upstage in Oakland. I did my first show there in September 1990 and my last in November 2002. I had both of my record release shows there (where Karl Hendricks joined me on bass), opened for Daniel Johnston and got onstage with Sebadoh to sing ‘I Love Rock 'n’ Roll.’ Even saw Manny Theiner perform there! I remember enthusiastic audiences who really loved music.”

Mike Shanley (Harry Von Zells): “It's tempting to say either The Electric Banana or Howlers, but I think my final answer would be the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern. Load-in was a little tricky when hoisting amps and there was that even- your mom won't get in without an-ID policy, but the mood there was always cool. Steve Frankowski was always great to work with, the craziest shows wouldn't phase him (as long as there was no foul language — another BBT rule) and the size of the room was usually perfect for the kind of crowds that my bands would draw. I have a lot of great memories of seeing and playing shows at the BBT. There was the food too. And somehow, Steve often handed me a drink and, with a wink, said that certain people called the bar saying they bought that round for me. That never happened anywhere else.”

Jenn Wertz (Jenn Wertz Band, former Rusted Root): “For me, it would obviously be Graffiti because we had such great memories there. It was an excellent showcase for music. They had a floor and then balcony seating that went around. Everybody had basically a front row seat at graffiti. The sound was always excellent. The vibes were always excellent. Honorable mention would go to The Decade, was one of a kind. I only age wise was able to see a handful of shows there, but we don’t have that kind of rock ‘n’ roll bar anymore.”

Norman Nardini: “Probably Fat City. Not the one on the South Side, the one in Swissvale. The Nighthawks played there with both Gregg Allman and Jimmy Hall ... The Fabulous T Birds, Willie Dixon, Albert King.”

Billy Price: “I’d go with The Decade. I played there regularly on Sunday nights and had some of my most fun gigs there with the KRB. I’m ready to take over that Sunday night slot again at any time, but reopening The Dirty O would have to be part of the deal. I’m gonna be hungry after the shows, and I’m not going to that corporate taco joint.”

Lauren DeMichiei (singer-songwriter): “Zythos. We would have some fun, raging, sweaty shows on the second floor. The vibe always felt a little dangerous, in a good way.”

Shy Kennedy (Funerals): “If it were a venue from back in the day, Club Laga would be the one. In more modern times, the 31st Street Pub left the biggest void in our punk and heavy music scene. While some venues were known for cliques, the Pub had regulars but felt welcoming to everyone. It was raw, DIY, but done well — a place where you could feel safe and part of something bigger. It was a cornerstone of the music community, and its absence is still felt.”

Jon Belan (Gene the Werewolf): “Club Laga, right in the heart of Oakland! Not too big, but not too small ... the room could make headlining local bands look like rock stars with only a few hundred people, but was large enough in capacity to be a national tour stop for some of the most popular acts!”

Jimmy Smerecky (Bastard Bearded Irishmen): “I think it would have to be Graffiti or Club Laga. Just so many great memories of so many good shows there. And then when I started playing, I got to stand on the same stages of the icons I grew up watching. It was a feeling of pride and accomplishment. Wish those stages were still around.”

Frank Czuri (The Silencers): “Decade. It was the coolest for me.”

Byron Nash (NASH.V.ILL): Graffiti. Great sound, view and a way to bring up-and-coming nationals, but break as a local.”

Steve Sciulli (Steve and the Millers, former Carsickness, Ploughman’s Lunch): “Probably on the top of my list would be the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern, because it was family run and they always made you feel welcome. It was not the best stage, lights or PA, but the warmth of the family vibe transcended all of that.”

Kelsey Barber (Brownie Mary): “I LOVED Rosebud, The Artery, The Decade, Nick’s, but I think I’d have to go with Graffiti. Graffiti is kind of where it all began for us. We won the Graffiti Rock Challenge, and from that day forward, things just started happening. So many more doors opened for us because of Graffiti. The room had such a killer vibe… a true MUSIC VENUE. You couldn’t help but feel like a rock star when you sold the place out. Everything about it just felt real.”

Oyo Ellis (Battered Citizens): “Although the sound sucked in my opinion, I’d have to say Graffiti. Saw a lot of classic shows there (Fishbone/Chili Peppers, A Tribe Called Quest, Black Uhuru. etc.) Cool vibes, and for a broke kid like myself there were several ways to sneak in. I was actually banned for a couple of years for stage diving at a Hector in Paris show...and some minor vandalism. Got unbanned in May 1989, so that Battered Citizens could play with H.R. from the Bad Brains.”

Angelo Amantea (Royal Honey): Well, The Decade, because all my faves I grew up on (locals) played there...plus amazing nationals. I'm biased. I grew up in the place. Greatest Pittsburgh bar ever. Plus it's in Oakland! And for the love of God, we need a place there badly!”