After Ofeno quit organizing the Hump Day parties, Ofeno started booking events at the recently opened Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge. But her Where House shows have become the stuff of legend.
“You know when you see a party in a movie and say, ‘Nobody does parties like that in real life?’ ” Wilkinson said. “We did those parties.”
In addition to Jurassic Park, Star Wars, and Halloween, The Where House also hosted parties themed around superheroes, Tim Burton, and post-apocalyptic Earth. Then there was the Bill Murray Can Crash Here party oranized by sax wizard and self-proclaimed Murray superfan Jeff Dazey, in which Dazey’s fusion band Gunga Galunga played a set of songs culled from Murray’s movies. Even less-imaginative bashes like toga and pajama parties live on in minor infamy.
“I wouldn’t advise doing a pajama party,” Ofeno said, laughing. “Ours got kind of raunchy.”
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As The Where House’s raison d’etre evolved from a multi-purpose hangout to a music venue, so did its alcohol policy.
“Honestly, the BYOB thing was terrifying,” said Ofeno, who tended bar at Scat Jazz Lounge and The Boiled Owl Tavern. “Having to monitor so many young people … it was just nerve-wracking.”
Smith said that the only time he was ever nervous about going to jail was on a BYOB night. “A TABC agent came in and watched the bar for 30 minutes, waiting to see if anyone tried to buy a drink,” he said. “During the entire time of The Where House, that was probably the one night I was really worried about getting arrested. But everyone knew the deal, so I stayed out of trouble.”
The “deal” with the BYOB policy is perhaps one of the space’s greatest mysteries to most of the people who showed up there, because it never seemed legal.
You’d pay a cover charge and then give your booze to the bartender for storage. Smith usually brought some liquor and beer, too, with the understanding that tips were accepted. Initially, The Where House’s liquor flowed like an open bar at a wedding or a keg at a fraternity party.
“It was totally legal, but the TABC kind of advised us that we probably shouldn’t do that kind of thing so frequently,” Smith said.
Adams remembers sitting down with a TABC agent who gave them the lowdown on how to legally maintain a BYOB.
Eventually, Smith elected to provide the booze for shows via outside catering, first through arrangements with The Chat Room and The Usual and then through a series of other clubs.
Of course, when you have a funky space with a dubious alcohol policy, you’re practically inviting gnarly stuff to happen. Brighton Grisel, who worked security at The Where House and cleaned up after parties for five years, witnessed all kinds of craziness.
“I could tell you a thousand stories,” he said. “I’ve kicked out crackheads, pimps, prostitutes, scary gangsta types, even Nazi dudes.”
These human hassles, when combined with a typically wacky Where House party situation, created surreal experiences. “One time, this big dude took a swing at Casey,” Grisel said, “and a bunch of us got together to kick this guy out because he was huge and belligerent.”
It was also Halloween.
“We were all dressed up in costumes, so this guy ends up getting his ass kicked by a clown, a sheep, and Peter Pan.”
During the scuffle, the drunk managed to knock the cash register off its ledge by the front door. It was a windy night, and Smith ended up trying to corral about $3,000 before it could blow into the street.
“Brighton and these other guys in costumes were fighting this one big guy, trying to get him out, and meanwhile there’s all this money whirling around,” Smith remembered.
Well this is all well and good except for the comment about Lola’s booking agent being somehow a negative. As said agent, I can assure you that the level of organization and professionalism at Lola’s is eons beyond anything that ever occurred at Wherehouse. Thats kind of the point of the whole thing. Lola’s isnt a DIY venue.
But wasn’t that kind of Ofeno’s point, Where House was NOT like a more structured Lola’s? That wasn’t negative at all, chill out.
But wasn’t that kind of Ofeno’s point, Where House was NOT like a more structured Lola’s? Not better or worse, just different? That wasn’t negative at all, chill out.
yeah lolas is a venue that uses bands to bring in bar sales with a booked that is hired by the bar to bring them in the most money. The wherehouse was an event space that was rented out directly by the owner who acted as booking agent. so in a way, yes it was a more available space to hold different kinds of events. that was of ofenos point that Wherehouse was a DIY space and Lolas is a venue.
yeah lolas is a venue that uses bands to bring in bar sales with a booker that is hired by the bar to bring them in the most money. The wherehouse was an event space that was rented out directly by the owner who acted as booking agent
yeah lolas is a venue that uses bands to bring in bar sales with a booker that is hired by the bar to bring them in the most money. The wherehouse was an event space
yeah lolas is a venue that uses bands to bring in bar sales with a booker that is hired by the bar to bring them in the most money.
yeah lolas is a venue that uses bands to bring in bar sales
yeah lolas is a venue that uses bands