By Brooke Bates   bbates@dnronline.com

DJ Mark Maskell hosts Wednesday night dance party at Bourbon Street on Main, which keeps the restaurant at its 140-person capacity, he says. Maskell, who also serves as entertainment promotions director at Bourbon Street, is planning to add even more ente Courtesy Photo

From B.Y.O.B. parties in loud, crowded basements to national recognition as an East Coast music port, Harrisonburg’s music scene is maturing.

The common reaction is often: “What scene?” Well, just look at the growth of restaurant venues.

From basements to bars
Basement shows put Harrisonburg on the East Coast’s musical map, according to long-time local audiophiles. James Madison University students who were involved in WXJM — like the kids who came up with MACRoCk — provided places for their friends to play small gigs.

The scene just “needed to sprout its head in a more public place,” says Jeremiah Jenkins, general manager of Clementine Café. That, and cops were busting parties for noise and underage drinking.

So the music began moving out of basements and into bars. In the 1980s, before The Little Grill was a collective, rock bands could rent the space for weekend shows.

“You know what you’re gonna get” at those venues now, Jenkins says. Typically, Garibaldi’s is the spot for hardcore and metal, local cover bands go to Finnigan’s Cove and college rock and country acts head to Rocktown Grill.

Dave’s Downtown Taverna cut back on entertainment, according to Jess Martin, who used to book and promote shows there. Acoustic and jazz jam bands have backed off, shifting the focus to food and atmosphere, she says. But new venues like Clementine, Blue Nile and Bourbon Street on Main are restoring the town’s musical awareness by making diversity key, Jenkins says. Eateries are reconsidering their entertainment options to “encourage the town to embrace live music and the culture of traveling musicians.”

With Charlottesville’s loss of Starr Hill Music Hall and Satellite Ballroom, along with the venue void in Harrisonburg, touring bands didn’t have a central Virginia stop en route from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., says Mark Finks, booker, soundman, events promoter and weekend DJ at Blue Nile.

Motivated by music
Promoters know Harrisonburg isn’t ready for a music venue that houses concert crowds of 500, Jenkins says, but they can’t ignore the city’s convenient location.

Being “an interstate away” from tour hotspots, Harrisonburg is the perfect pit stop between two big gigs.

Local venues, which have to share space with a kitchen and a bar, can’t support shows big enough to turn a profit. Managers like Jenkins don’t expect to earn money on tickets sales, especially when fans are reluctant to pay $5 to see shows that small — even though fans paid double or triple that for the same show at The Norva the night before.

Chuck Troutman, whom many consider the backbone of booking in the Valley, now brings acts to Rocktown Grill. After 15 years of booking in 15 different venues, he summarizes the challenge of booking in Harrisonburg with two words: “It’s hard.”

Jenkins already shares the frustration, realizing the only thing that keeps promoters going is a desire to introduce new music and see listeners open their ears. The benefit of seeking music more than money is the cooperation it creates.

“We don’t feel like we’re competing,” Finks says of downtown promoters, many of whom are long-time friends. “We’re not trying to outdo each other.”

Instead, they’re trying to provide different music for different crowds every night.

“Some people just listen to the radio and others download weird electronic music from Sweden. We can be all of those things at once,” Jenkins says. “You can have your John Jorgenson, your cover band and your top 40 DJ …  and still hold yourself together.”

Diversifying the tunes
Even before he became entertainment promotions director at Bourbon Street on Main, Mark Maskell knew the importance of musical diversity. The DJ, who spins on XJM on Tuesday nights and at Rocktown Grill on Thursdays, was used to adapting his own shows to match different crowds.

“The same event back to back doesn’t work,” he says. “We try to appeal to a different audience each night.”

Entertainment is one of many facets getting yet another facelift at the restaurant this spring. Looking for “a good place to throw a party,” Maskell had his eye on it when it was still Bombay Courtyard. When it reopened as Bourbon Street on Main and failed to take off, he presented his suggestions to owner Wilma Cambata.

She put him in charge of entertainment. Using his personal booking agency, Restless Promotions, Maskell threw more music in the mix, adding to the Mardi Gras flavor Bourbon Street was after. His first dance party drew 30; the next, 100.

By the third week, there was a line out the door. It’s been packed every week since, keeping the restaurant at its 140-person capacity.

That success allowed him to add more shows throughout the week, like karaoke on Tuesdays, DJ JMungz on Thursdays and live bands on weekends.

Bourbon Street is re-reopening on June 23 with new items on the menu, new staff headed by Celia Perle, the former late-night face of IHOP, new head chef, new décor and a new emphasis on entertainment, starting with California alt-rock band Siko.

Keeping music off the menu
“There’s a separation between the menu and music,” says Maskell, bucking the use of acoustic shows as background noise during dinner. “We don’t need entertainment to keep dinner going. But you gotta have atmosphere and entertainment to keep the bar going. You need a reason to go out after 9 p.m.”

Blue Nile emphasizes the separation between its downstairs venue and upstairs restaurant. Shows in the cave-like basement don’t start until the dinner crowd has cleared the eatery, which closes at 8 or 9 p.m. The basement bar serves from 5 p.m. until last call.

When Blue Nile moved from its High Street location, general manager Micknai “Mickey” Arefaine envisioned the new downstairs as a space for her friends’ bands.

“Harrisonburg has a rich tradition of basement shows,” Finks explains. “We wanted to provide a place for those bands to play. It’s still a basement but not in someone’s home.” That gives music fans who feel too old to bring six-packs into a college kid’s basement an adult place to hang out, and deletes the fear factor of cops crashing the party.

But that separation can only go so far. Jenkins makes it clear that Clementine, with “food+music+art” as its slogan, is first and foremost a restaurant — albeit one with “an impeccable sound system” and a vision for filling its 199-person capacity with fans of anything from jazz fusion to electronic new wave.

“We’re not a nightclub where 100 people can roll in and get up and wiggle,” he says. “You get to watch the band you come to see.” And when that band features a world renowned guitarist like John Jorgenson, patrons are informed at the door that there is no talking during the show.

Jenkins says demanding silence is the least he can do to make the atmosphere more like a theater, where clinking glasses and clanking plates aren’t an issue.

It will be a while before Harrisonburg can handle a music venue like that, but bookers won’t turn the music off until it happens.

“We’re creating an environment, a moment for you,” Jenkins says, expanding the city’s music scene one show at a time.

ARTFUL DODGER COFFEEHOUSE & COCKTAIL LOUNGE, 47 W. Court Square, 432-1179 or www.artfuldodger.org. Open until 2 a.m. daily. Free Salsa class from 9-9:30 p.m. with a live DJ and dance to follow every Thursday. Also featuring Acoustic Deuce every Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Free.

BLUE NILE ETHIOPIAN CUISINE, 1251 Virginia Ave. 432-6453. DJ Finks plays Bmore club, hip hop and afro beat on Saturdays at 10 p.m. Other upcoming shows are free and start at 10 p.m. unless otherwise indicated: DJ Fason Jellows, techno, on June 12; The Greg Ward Project with the Righteous Friendz Band on June 13, $4; DJ Misa, downtemp electro on June 20; DJ Fason Jellows, techno, on June 26; DJ Permville, hip hop, at 11 p.m. on June 27; Aleuchatistas on June 29, $4.

BOURBON STREET ON MAIN, 1588 S. Main St. DJ Maskell on Wednesday nights, DJ Jimmy featuring techno music on Thursday nights; live music featuring Dance Doz on Friday night and live music on Saturday nights. Righteous Friendz Band on June 14, iRon Lion with GWP reggae band on June 20, Siko on June 23.

CLEMENTINE, 153 S. Main St., 801-8881 or www.clementinecafe.com. Free DJs at 9 p.m. DJ Mike Hill on Sunday, ’70s, garage, psychedelic and rock; and DJ Neels Barkley on Thursday, rocksteady, electro post-pop. Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade, 9 p.m. on June 13, $5.  Secret Life of Sofia with the Cinnamon Band at 9 p.m. on June 20, $3.

OLD DOMINION COFFEE CO. & CAFE, 2 N. Main St. 433-0313. Me and Martha, American rural roots music, on Wednesday nights, a jazz trio on Friday nights and a variety of music on Saturday nights. Shen Fine, a Celtic folk group, plays at 7 p.m. on Mondays.

DAVE’S DOWNTOWN TAVERNA, 121 S. Main St., 564-1487 or www.davestaverna.com. Dave’s features Twinkie the Kid (jazz) from 9 p.m.-midnight every Wednesday. Old No. 7 on June 21, Greg Ward Project on June 28.

FAREWAYS RESTAURANT, Massanutten Resort. 289-5794. Free acoustic concerts from 8-11 p.m. on weekends. Jimmy O plays every Sunday. Randy Black on June 13, Trent Wagler on June 14, Rob Byer on June 20, Danny Schnieble on June 21, Scott Murray on June 27 and Jeremiah Proffit on June 28.

FINNIGAN’S COVE, 30 W. Water St., 433-9874. Jimmy O every Thursday evening. SP511 on June 13. Shows start at 10 p.m. Cover charges vary.

GARIBALDI, 928 W. Market St., 432-1094. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

HIDEAWAY LOUNGE, Massanutten WaterPark. 437-3390. Free live acoustic music from 7-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Kenny Rublee on June 20, Rob Byer on June 21, Todd Schlabaugh on June 27 and Randy Black on June All ages welcome, no cover charge.

L’ITALIA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE, 815 E. Market St., 433-0961. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

LITTLE GRILL COLLECTIVE, 621 N. Main St., 434-3594. Old Time Music Night from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Open Stage Nights at 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Free. Blue Line Highway and Soy Hero at 8 p.m. on June 13, $5. Adrienne Young and Little Sadie at 8 p.m. on June 27.

THE PUB, 1950 Deyerle Ave., 432-0610 or www.dothepub.com.  Wednesday is college band night at 9 p.m., 18 and older shows; Friday night dance to local bands; Saturday features regional and national bands. Show times and cover charges vary.

ROCKTOWN GRILL, 2061 Evelyn Byrd Ave. 434-7282 or www.rocktowngrill.com. Open Monday, Wednesday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-midnight, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Live music on the patio with Jerry Wimmer, lead singer of The Worx, and others on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Every Thursday is Ladies Night, featuring DJ Maskell. Live acoustic music on the patio on Fridays. Live bands every Friday and Saturday in the concert hall: The Worx on June 13, Aparallax and Livid Illusion on June 14, The Reflex on June 20, Most Wanted on June 21, Silver Creek on June 27 and Hackens Boys on June 28on 

TINI’S LOUNGE, Downtown 56, 56 W. Gay St. 438-5600 or www.downtown56harrisonburg.com. Tuesdays on the Terrace with Scott Murray from 7-10 p.m. Jim Budzius on Wednesdays (ladies night) from 7-10 p.m. Free. Scott Murray plays every Thursday from 7-10 p.m.