And just when the Chat Room Pub on the South Side was putting Fort Worth on the indie-rock map, booking agent Ben Rogers has just announced that the Chat’s last show will be on Wed., July 29 (with Orange Coax, Lychgate, and South Carolina’s Oicho Kabu). Part of the reason is Rogers’ new endeavor, the Metrognome Collective, and also a start-up vinyl-only record label, Real Vinyl. Here’s what he had to say about everything:
“In September last year, James Watkins handed control of the Metrognome Collective to me, and I’m only just now getting the wheels on it. We’ve just moved into the Firehouse Gallery and have had some really excellent experimental shows, great photography, and mixed media from challenging new locals. We actually broke even our first month, which is incredible to me. Staff and I are excited to see how it continues to grow. (B&W darkroom and photo studio weeks away.) We’ve already got some really cool merch from local artists in our retail shop.
“Metrognome,” he continued, “has also been supplemented by two other projects: One Hundred Second Dash and Real Vinyl, a vinyl-only Fort Worth label that plans one, maybe three releases by the end of ‘09.
“For the last year and a half I’ve had a blast bringing music to Fort Worth, and without my chance at the Chat Room, I wouldn’t have been asked to take over the Metrognome. It’s very bittersweet, then that I permanently suspend all booking for the Chat Room Pub. I can only stack a plate so high. I’ve got to give more to the Metrognome, as we are making plans to open yet another location, hopefully a mid-sized venue.”
In addition to the July 29 show, the last Chat shows are:
Sun., July 12, with The Theater Fire and Illinois’ Good Night and Good Morning. Cover charge is $5.
And the Metrognome Collective benefit show, Sat., July 18, with Fight Bite, Akkolyte, Darktown Strutters, Eat Avery’s Bones, The Great Tyrant, and Personal Victories of George Quartz. All proceeds from the $5 go to the ‘Gnome.
