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Venue of the Month
Edited by David Saslavsky
Calvin Theatre: The Grand Reopening
By David Saslavsky ( saslavsky@parentsplus.com)Ed. note: I have been very fortunate to have had great submissions from venue fans nationwide. This month my luck ran out. So, if you would like to talk about your favorite place to hear live music, send me your ideas. ( saslavsky@parentsplus.com)
Size doesn't matter. When seeking live music, some of the bigger cities can be a downright disappointment. While Northampton, with a population of only 31,000, provides better venues and more choices than cities ten times its size. Tucked away in western Massachusetts, Northampton is home to artists, musicians, writers, and the most thriving New England music scene outside of Boston. Legendary venues such as The Iron Horse and Pearl Street have been a regular stop for small to midsize touring acts for years.
However, Iron Horse, and as of last February, Pearl Street owner, Eric Suher saw the need for a larger venue. Sitting vacant on King St. in the center of town was the Calvin Theater. Named after local boy, Calvin Coolidge, the Calvin Theatre opened as a vaudeville theater on April 17, 1924. By the 1930's, The Calvin began showing only movies. It remained a movie theater until it closed in 1994 rundown, and a victim of the multiplexes.
Suher purchased the theater and hired architects, Thomas Douglas and Joe Kruczynski to restore the theater by bringing back the best elements of the original Calvin and including things today's audiences wants. The result is a theater with all the grandeur of the 20's and the amenities of the 90's. Seating was limited to 1,350 so there wouldn't be a single bad or obstructed view. For rock bands (recently moe. and Widespread Panic from the jamband world) , the front section of seats are removed, leaving a general admission dance area. If you chose to stay in the seats, you are assured a decent view as the floor has an adequate slope. The balcony is small and does not cover much of the orchestra. Therefore a seat in the back of the orchestra maintains good sound. Take a moment to look up and appreciate some of the Calvin's originality. Over the proscenium, the original sunburst medallion and guardian angel have been restored. Directly overhead are five of the original chandeliers.
A friendly staff greets all patrons, and explains that you will need a ticket stub and hand stamp if you want to leave. For the jamband crowd, this liberal policy means an intermission visit to one of the many taverns nearby. Across the street, the elegant Northampton Inn has two bars, which fill up rather quickly. Upon your return adequate bathrooms facilities are available.
Eric Suher closely watched the restoration, as well as added his own ideas. For Suher, one of his main goals is nurturing talent, with The Calvin as the next progression from The Iron Horse and Pearl Street. "We get a thrill out of watching someone who started out as a fifty-dollar national act enjoy a national reputation." he said. "I adore seeing a performer walk off the stage and the crowd walk out saying 'What an incredible show.'"
Eric, we love being in that crowd.
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