Continental Ballroom
Continental Ballroom
Text by: Brittany Kemp
The Continental Ballroom, nothing more than part of an old factory, was a hotbed of activity for punk rock and hardcore from 1989 to 1996, featuring acts such as Jawbox, NOFX, Shudder to Think and the Vivians, among countless others.
"Honestly, regarding it's impact, it spawned a scene," said Matt Sonzala, promoter and Erie native.
And twenty years later, on July 25, the dawning of the Continental Ballroom will be celebrated at the Beer Mug.
As for that summer in 1989, the birth of the Ballroom, Sonzala remarks, "It was a great summer. I think we inspired a whole lot of kids to book shows as well. People started really putting in work and a scene was born. Especially the hardcore scene. I mean, Erie is a major stop on every hardcore and all sorts of indie bands' tour schedules. Bands like Brothers Keeper, from right here in Erie, have toured the world. It's my opinion that having that one little spot we could use and call our own inspired a whole musical revolution in this town.”
And for Sonzala, it was a personal turning point. It inspired his two major mantras: a.) "Ain't nothing to do but do it," and b.) "Build it and they will come" (stealing from Field of Dreams there).
"Don't be afraid and don't let anyone stand in your way. There will always be naysayers and people trying to bring you down, but fuck them," Sonzala advised. After all, where would he be if he let fear direct him? Or where would the Erie music scene be?
"I was 17 years old. I thought that Paul [Younger, of popular Erie '60s band, the Younger Brothers] from the Continental was gonna look at me and brush me off as being just some dumb kid when I asked him about renting the place to throw shows. He didn't. He was wide open to my ideas and rented the place to us for almost nothing, with a smile. I never thought that John Brannon of the Laughing Hyenas would book a show with me off one phone call, but he did. I mean, this shit is simple. Just get out there and do it. You'll have successes and you'll have failures. If you can make the failures a tax write-off," the last point of advice of Sonzala - "Fuck it!"
Sonzala, who has gone on to live in Amsterdam, New York and most recently Austin, was a key player in the concerts staged at the Ballroom. About Younger, Sonzala remembered, "He was a real influence on me [and] pretty much taught me a lot of what I know about putting together a successful show." A wisdom that has carried Sonzala far, even to helping organize festivals like the fabled South By Southwest. At the age of sixteen, Sonzala was already an active participant in Erie's music panorama for young fans that seemed to be limited, with either the "heavy metal" offerings at the Tullio Arena or cover bands playing in dusty church basements.
However, the problem didn't arise from a lack of good music, but simply "a lack of outlets for the young crowd."
"When the Continental started letting us book shows there it became a central spot for original music that young people could go to," Sonzala explained.
Sonzala is not the only person responsible for the "20th Anniversary of the Summer of the Continental Ballroom." Others include Ben Frazier (Last Man Standing), Larry Weaver (My 3 Scum), John Johnston (Johnny James And The Absolutes) and Jason Otto "Iggy" Imig (Abinigation).
The Beer Mug show will feature an impressive line-up of the bands Easy Action, Johnny James And The Absolutes ("Erie supergroup" as Sonzala described), The Trashed,The Killerinas and Diesel Houdini, as well as a reunion of Last Man Standing and possibly My 3 Scum. Sonzala and Weaver will deejay punk between sets. The show is expected to run from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Members of all these bands played crucial roles in the development of Erie's fledgling music scene, near and far. Easy Action, hailing from Detroit, features the lead singer of the former Laughing Hyenas, John Brannon.
Part of the show also is a benefit in the memory of the late Danny Parry, who died in a car accident in 2006. Parry was a major supporter of the local scene.
"Danny was one of the most positive and supportive dudes in the scene ever," said Sonzala. "Everyone knew him since he was a young teenager and he's always been motivated and down for the cause. I always respected the kid and liked his sunny attitude/demeanor."
Collections will be taken for his foundation throughout the evening.
Whether you were alive in 1989 and conscious of what was going in Erie (in musical terms) or whether you just want to listen to some great music for a great cause, the Beer Mug will be the place to be on the night of the 25th, bringing the memory of the Continental Ballroom fully alive.
www.austinsurreal.com
myspace.com/easyaction
myspace.com/johnnyjameseriepa
myspace.com/thetrashed
myspace.com/thekillerinas
myspace.com/dieselhoudini
myspace.com/my3scum
6:37 PM
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Text by: Brittany Kemp
The Continental Ballroom, nothing more than part of an old factory, was a hotbed of activity for punk rock and hardcore from 1989 to 1996, featuring acts such as Jawbox, NOFX, Shudder to Think and the Vivians, among countless others.
"Honestly, regarding it's impact, it spawned a scene," said Matt Sonzala, promoter and Erie native.
And twenty years later, on July 25, the dawning of the Continental Ballroom will be celebrated at the Beer Mug.
As for that summer in 1989, the birth of the Ballroom, Sonzala remarks, "It was a great summer. I think we inspired a whole lot of kids to book shows as well. People started really putting in work and a scene was born. Especially the hardcore scene. I mean, Erie is a major stop on every hardcore and all sorts of indie bands' tour schedules. Bands like Brothers Keeper, from right here in Erie, have toured the world. It's my opinion that having that one little spot we could use and call our own inspired a whole musical revolution in this town.”
And for Sonzala, it was a personal turning point. It inspired his two major mantras: a.) "Ain't nothing to do but do it," and b.) "Build it and they will come" (stealing from Field of Dreams there).
"Don't be afraid and don't let anyone stand in your way. There will always be naysayers and people trying to bring you down, but fuck them," Sonzala advised. After all, where would he be if he let fear direct him? Or where would the Erie music scene be?
"I was 17 years old. I thought that Paul [Younger, of popular Erie '60s band, the Younger Brothers] from the Continental was gonna look at me and brush me off as being just some dumb kid when I asked him about renting the place to throw shows. He didn't. He was wide open to my ideas and rented the place to us for almost nothing, with a smile. I never thought that John Brannon of the Laughing Hyenas would book a show with me off one phone call, but he did. I mean, this shit is simple. Just get out there and do it. You'll have successes and you'll have failures. If you can make the failures a tax write-off," the last point of advice of Sonzala - "Fuck it!"
Sonzala, who has gone on to live in Amsterdam, New York and most recently Austin, was a key player in the concerts staged at the Ballroom. About Younger, Sonzala remembered, "He was a real influence on me [and] pretty much taught me a lot of what I know about putting together a successful show." A wisdom that has carried Sonzala far, even to helping organize festivals like the fabled South By Southwest. At the age of sixteen, Sonzala was already an active participant in Erie's music panorama for young fans that seemed to be limited, with either the "heavy metal" offerings at the Tullio Arena or cover bands playing in dusty church basements.
However, the problem didn't arise from a lack of good music, but simply "a lack of outlets for the young crowd."
"When the Continental started letting us book shows there it became a central spot for original music that young people could go to," Sonzala explained.
Sonzala is not the only person responsible for the "20th Anniversary of the Summer of the Continental Ballroom." Others include Ben Frazier (Last Man Standing), Larry Weaver (My 3 Scum), John Johnston (Johnny James And The Absolutes) and Jason Otto "Iggy" Imig (Abinigation).
The Beer Mug show will feature an impressive line-up of the bands Easy Action, Johnny James And The Absolutes ("Erie supergroup" as Sonzala described), The Trashed,The Killerinas and Diesel Houdini, as well as a reunion of Last Man Standing and possibly My 3 Scum. Sonzala and Weaver will deejay punk between sets. The show is expected to run from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Members of all these bands played crucial roles in the development of Erie's fledgling music scene, near and far. Easy Action, hailing from Detroit, features the lead singer of the former Laughing Hyenas, John Brannon.
Part of the show also is a benefit in the memory of the late Danny Parry, who died in a car accident in 2006. Parry was a major supporter of the local scene.
"Danny was one of the most positive and supportive dudes in the scene ever," said Sonzala. "Everyone knew him since he was a young teenager and he's always been motivated and down for the cause. I always respected the kid and liked his sunny attitude/demeanor."
Collections will be taken for his foundation throughout the evening.
Whether you were alive in 1989 and conscious of what was going in Erie (in musical terms) or whether you just want to listen to some great music for a great cause, the Beer Mug will be the place to be on the night of the 25th, bringing the memory of the Continental Ballroom fully alive.
www.austinsurreal.com
myspace.com/easyaction
myspace.com/johnnyjameseriepa
myspace.com/thetrashed
myspace.com/thekillerinas
myspace.com/dieselhoudini
myspace.com/my3scum
6:37 PM
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