A SURPRISE HIATUS FOR ALL-AGES MUSIC CLUB

Madison all-ages club Journey Music closed abruptly during a show
Friday night, but the alcohol-free performance space will remain open
for at least another week and likely much longer.

Headlining act Madison band Apparently Nothing, was shocked when
Journey manager and concert promoter Tom Klein told the group the
club was being shut down immediately by property owner Bob Sieger -
moments before the band's set.

"It was like, 'Is this a joke?' " said singer and guitarist Aaron Shekey, 20.

Journey Music, 1517 Regent St., less than a block from Camp Randall
Stadium, also houses Journey Coffee and a worship space for Madison
Metro Foursquare Church, also known as The Journey. Journey Music has
a staff of 10 volunteers and features national and local bands in the
pop-punk and independent rock genres.

According to Klein, Sieger approached him on Friday night with a
complaint that patrons may have been smoking marijuana and urinating
in an alleyway behind a nearby bar, which is also Sieger's property.

Klein said Sieger originally told him the club would be closed
permanently, but Journey church senior pastor Stephan Cecil said on
Monday that the situation has eased. Sieger wasn't available Monday
for comment.

"There was an upset owner and we weren't around at the time. But
we've worked through things and it should be fine," said Cecil. "It's
not as bad as anybody thought." Cecil also said Journey would
continue to have live music.

Journey's troubles come on the heels of a closure of an all- ages
music space in a warehouse on South Park Street that was neither
properly zoned nor up to code.

Klein already had begun to find new locations for some of the more
than 30 upcoming Journey shows set between now and August.

"Sieger has agreed to let us stay there until (June 14)," Klein said,
"after which we have to have some meetings and come to some
agreements in order stay there."