END OF AN ERA

Bluebird Patrons Get Sober News

The interpretation of those two tiny words turned Denver's final live
concert with alcohol at certain all-ages shows Sunday night into the first
under a new city policy that bans alcohol when minors are present at venues
with a capacity of fewer than 2,000.

Sunday's lineup of five punk bands at the Bluebird Theatre was intended to
defiantly usher out a 10-year era during which alcohol was allowed to be
served to those of age while minors were kept physically separated from adults.

But after publicity for the event came to the attention of Denver's
department of licensing and excise, Bluebird management received a stern
warning Friday that the new policy was effective as of April 15, not after
April 15.

The punkers got punked. The show went on, but the bar was shut down, save
for sales of bottled water and soda. To make up for the bar shortfall, the
price of soda was increased 25 percent and bottled water 150 percent.
Still, the countertop was dry, the tip jar empty and the electronic cash
register dark as a mostly sullen crowd estimated at 170 watched the music
with their backs to the bar. The lone bartender spent most of the evening
sitting on a barstool quietly reading The Onion newspaper while one of the
few bouncers present sipped coffee near the edge of the stage.

"Don't let all-ages music die," Shogun lead singer Warren Zeger urged the
crowd, but the resignation already was apparent.

"We came out here to support this cause because we believe this kind of
music is for everybody, not just those of legal age," Zeger added. "If the
city wants to make a difference in kids' lives, they would cut out smoking
in indoor places. That's something that would really benefit them."

The past three weeks, several area promoters have been predicting what
happened Sunday at the Bluebird's bar, which is exactly the reason they
will schedule fewer all-ages shows. That will result in fewer opportunities
for minors to watch music, and fewer opportunities for area bands to land
gigs. The clubs simply will not make enough money in $6 covers, such as
Sunday's, to pay for multiple-band lineups. And higher cover charges, they
say, would only drive minors away.

Last month, the Denver Police Department pressed for the removal of an
exception to the city's alcohol policy, which since 1991 had allowed
certain cabaret-licensed venues to split their premises and sell alcohol to
those 21 and over. Police cited the need to fight so-called club drugs such
as Ecstasy, but one patron who requested anonymity Sunday pointed out that
removing the need for a split premises "just made it easier" for drug dealers.

Under the split-premises policy, mingling between minors and adults was
forbidden, but is allowed because of the removal of alcohol. "Take a look
around," he said. "If someone were selling Ecstasy here tonight, now he has
uninhibited access to every minor in the place."

Members of the Denver-Boulder band Eiffel, which plays only all-ages shows,
stood in the alley behind the Bluebird after their set wondering what, if
any, future they have in the metro area. Several of their scheduled shows
already have been canceled, they said.

"One of the few places we had to play at (The Cat) already has closed
because of this," said drummer Joey McChan, , "and there weren't a lot of
places to begin with."

Added guitarist Chris Sorensen: "All they've accomplished is breaking apart
the local music scene."

Guitarist Adam Tymn said the all-ages problem has nothing to do with
Ecstasy. "This is not a dance, trance-inducing scene," he said. "People
come here for the music. Nobody is doing Ecstasy in there."

Lighting designer Greg Daniels said the police have taken the wrong
approach. "Drugs are available anywhere," he said. "If they want to do
something about that, why don't they shut down the schools?"

Many of the minors in attendance, some as young as 14, said it was
important they attend Sunday's show to assert their right to be part of the
local music scene. One of the few printable adjectives they used to
describe what is happening: "It's lame," said 20-year-old Kory Grow of
Longmont.

"They've taken away one of the only outlets for kids to go to," added Kerri
Myers, a 20-year-old University of Colorado student. "There are dance clubs
and there are places to see music. That is not what this place is about at
all."

Caleb Quinn, a 19-year-old, admitted he didn't have much of a life to begin
with, "but if I did," he said, "I'm sure this would really (screw) it up."