32 Bleu is cornerstone of burgeoning music scene

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jan 24, 2003 by BILL REED

Some good things are happening in the world.

Thanks to global warming, January is downright balmy. They took the metal staples off the Chinese take-out boxes, so I can pop them right in the microwave. And 32 Bleu is bringing a steady stream of great live music to Tejon Street.

The club gets a lot of ink in this column because it's one of the most important developments in the local music scene in a long time.

Not only does 32 Bleu pull in acts that used to skip over Colorado Springs during their frequent Front Range tours, but it's giving local bands a cool venue to grow into.

When 32 Bleu opened in October, the owners made a declaration of faith: Yes, Colorado Springs is ready to support a 600-capacity music club with shows every night of the week. So far, their faith has been rewarded.

They're pulling in about half their revenue in the downstairs restaurant and half in the club (a smart mix). They hope the volume of people in the club keeps growing.

"I'm more than happy with the turnout so far," says co-owner Jason Spears. "Granted, we've had our share of slow nights, too. This city hasn't had a venue of this size - other than Manhattan's - but nothing that was serious and clean and gave people a reason to come out."

Downtown clubs such as Jack Quinn's and Utopia Cafe are doing their fair share for live music, too. The view of the Springs music scene is gradually turning more positive. Bands believe in themselves and dare to dream big. It's turning into a musical community. "People are thinking about what they can do rather than just bitching," Spears says. "There's definitely a more positive attitude."

The Springs is still a finicky market, and nobody has this town completely figured out. (You should hear the Denver promoters wonder aloud about what sells here and what doesn't.) But here are five things Spears learned in his first three months running a big downtown club.

Local shows are good.

"Our biggest shows have been local shows," Spears says. "People aren't coming out for some of the bigger names that I thought they would."

Hip-hop is very good.

"I've been really surprised with hip-hop," he says. "Hip-hop's definitely been the best (genre), and I'm looking for more."

Hip-hop is his most consistent draw, and the Spearhead, CaliComm and Cool Keith shows all sold more than 500 tickets. Coming up are Ming & FS, Mista Sinista, The Pharcyde and the Jungle Brothers.

"I like the way the shows turn out," Spears says. "With hip-hop shows, the kids get down on the floor and the crews interact with the audience so much more."

Check out the breakdance contest Saturday night with DJ Prominent.

Jam bands aren't so good.

Spears can't fill the big place for jam bands, other than the Big Wu (which did 400 tickets). Maybe all the jam-band fans are at Utopia Cafe - or maybe the intimate Utopia is a better fit for the size of the jam crowd.

Colorado College kids aren't reliable customers.

Club owners keep trying to cater to the college crowd, and they keep getting burned. For some reason, the college a few blocks to the north still isn't fully integrated into downtown life.

Book it and they will come.

The Springs audience is still learning about the live music scene downtown - a lot of us spend so much time driving down Powers Boulevard that we haven't noticed the growing scene yet.

Spears is confident that if he keeps offering good stuff, the crowds will keep growing. Honestly, I thought 32 Bleu's music schedule would get less ambitious after the first few months. Instead, the lineup is getting stronger. Spears promises even more, as the club gets a track record in the music industry and develops booking partnerships with clubs around the state.

BLEU NOTES

A few upcoming 32 Bleu shows:

Sixpence None the Richer, Feb. 3 - Happy pop with a Christian twist. And the cute lead singer begs you to "Kiss Me." ($15.50-$17)

Cowboy Mouth, Feb. 7 - Drummer/singer Fred LeBlanc calls his band a "rock and roll orgasm." ($15)

Cabaret Diosa, Feb. 8 - Funky Latin rhythms, wild characters on stage, and a guaranteed good time. ($8-$10)

Nina Storey, Feb. 12 - Singer-songwriter who gets called "eclectic," "soulful" and "sultry." And she's got great hair. ($12)

Seven Nations (with Carbon Leaf), Feb. 16 - Celtic rock all night. Bring your penny-whistle. ($10-$15)

Eric Johnson, Feb. 20 - Come all ye guitarists and drool. ($21.50- $27)