As community members meet with organizers Thursday night to discuss the neighborhood impact of a bigger-than-ever Capitol Hill Block Party, one area business owner is planning a music event of her own. And, unlike the fenced masses a few blocks over in Pike/Pine, people who attend this block party won’t have to pay 20 bucks to get in.
Laura Olson, the entrepreneur behind the Po Dog hot dog chain (a CHS advertiser), tells CHS that she is planning a free outdoor music event to help celebrate the opening of her new bar, Auto Battery, on E. Union. The only hang-up she foresees is in the state liquor board permit process but Olson says she expects to have that worked out in time for a free show the same weekend as Block Party.
“It’s not a big secret by any means,” she told CHS. “I’m still waiting on a call back from the liquor board but I didn’t happen to see anything in the book about special permits.”
Olson’s planned show could help address one criticism of the main Block Party event as it has become more and more a large music fest like Sasquatch and less and less about the neighborhood by providing a free alternative to locals. The likelihood of smaller, local acts would also help round out the bill as Block Party’s mainstages will be manned by a mix of national and, rightly so, big-time local acts. Meanwhile, it might also add to issues in the neighborhood related to noise and crowd control during the weekend.
While the opportunity to showcase more local acts is there, the only evidence we can find of a band making plans to play on E. Union during CHBP weekend is a Tahoe-based hip hop act Continental Soldiers. MySpace says they’re scheduled for a show Friday night, July 23 in Seattle. Twerk Ethics is also rumored to be involved with the hot dog show.
Free music in a bar, all over town every night.
Free drinks, no, very taboo.
Ask any bar owner.
Outside, requires special permits.
Why not? Options for all ….. cheaper hot dogs will be a draw. Hint, hint.
Their hot dogs are worth the price.
Their hot dogs are worth 2.50 – sorry, and if they knew marketing they would lower the prices and sell the hell out of them …. all day and all night … and make money on beer and soda … hmmmmm
(and use Hebrew all beefs)
I don’t know if I am dismissing their intentions here, but I find it odd that a place that sells really expensive hot dogs is complaining about not having a free option for locals. Good idea, bad messenger I guess.
Create a brand, charge a premium. Marketing…
Wrap a hotdog in bacon and I’ll pay any price. It’s not Po Dog that’s expensive. It’s the price of the street dogs that need to come down.
the bloc party is just a way to promote these over priced, poorly presented wieners and the gay sports bar next to it. the only thing worse are the fries. but the fact that the only band committed to perform, is a hip hop band speaks for itself. especially since the name of the business starts with the word “po”. brilliant.
The SHOW is a 2 day event Sat.24th and Sun 25th
this is for the locals
both shows are from 3-7
July 24th July 25th
– D.J synap -Jbre
– out on the streets -sports
– sex panther -buckets and bottles(THE STREET DRUMMER)
– death valley murder squad -chelsea speed party
– twerk ethics -the new law
-CONTINENTAL SOLDIERS
I think this is a great idea. This is not a local event anymore. It’s not about cap hill anymore. And that sucks.
Used to be only 5 bucks and all local bands.
Now it’s a show for the underage and people who live in bellevue/west seattle/ballard.
It needs to be about the hill and for the people who live on the hill.
I KNOW….. come out to the COMET TAVERN on Wednesday 9-29 and see the show! Its going to be a blast***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKLkDP_aEts