The new Full Moon Saloon
John Saki of the Fells Point restaurant Louisiana bought the neighboring blues club the Full Moon Saloon a couple weeks ago.
Sun food czar Elizabeth Large wrote about Saki's culinary plans for the new club in last week's Table Talk. Here's an update on the nightlife side.
Saki plans to keep the same name, but redo the interior and exterior and bring in live jazz and blues bands. He wants to book regionally and nationally touring groups and pair them with local acts.
"We’re going to keep the music alive, but we’re definitely not going to keep it as a dive bar," Saki said.
The old Full Moon was the definition of a dive bar: a dirty blues joint where beer was served out of Coleman coolers and on a good night, two dozen people showed up to watch the band play.
Ideally, Saki wants to re-open the Full Moon in six months. But you know how these things go.
Elizabeth and I will keep you posted.
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
God forbid they open a dive bar... you know who that attracts ...
Posted by: Don | June 27, 2007 12:02 PM
Hey Don,
Personally, I liked the old Full Moon Saloon, with its blues pews and cheap drinks. I played in an organ trio in college and we jammed there once several years ago. Anybody could just show up with a guitar and play there.
But I just don't think the Saloon was run well. A new owner who's more committed to bringing in national talent will be good for the place. So it's bittersweet for me to see it go.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | June 27, 2007 12:08 PM
NICE! Baltimore needs a good Blues/jazz joint for this style music!!! ..."Sweet home, Blue Chicago!"
Posted by: Mather | June 27, 2007 1:29 PM
I'll agree wholeheartedly with that Sam. The place was run terribly as a matter of fact.
The first whiff of air you took as you walked in could cement that opinion.
I am bemoaning the lack of "real" bars in Fells Point (where i live) that are welcoming to all, not just the well heeled and well dressed.
Can't the original Fells locals have a bar to call our own without someone snatching and making it an "upscale" place?I think there's room in town for both kinds of places.
Posted by: Don | June 27, 2007 2:28 PM