Mad River's 5th anniversary party is tonight
Happy birthday, Mad River!
From 9 p.m. until close today, the South Baltimore pillar of Miller Lite swilling and crazy partying celebrates its fifth anniversary.
When I heard about the occasion, I called the bar to ask what kind of specials they were doing.
The person I talked to said they weren't doing anything special, just hoping they'd get a lot of people out to help them celebrate.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? ...
I mean, shouldn't they be running some crazy specials to thank all the regulars for keeping them going for five years?
To be fair, the woman I spoke with said she wasn't entirely sure, and would take down my name and number and have the manager call me. That's bar speak for "get lost."
This is one of the most aggravating parts of my job. Unless I already have a bar owner's cell phone, getting a hold of a manager or owner is almost impossible. They're almost never at the bars during the daytime (and sometimes only once or twice a week). And when I leave messages for the bar owner to call me back, they never do.
Most bar owners tell their employees not to speak to a member of the press. And then they tell their employees not to give a member of the press their cell phone numbers. How much sense does that make?
Grr.
Sorry for the tangent. But this really gets my goat.
(This Sun archive photo of Mad River was taken in 2004)
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
Think Portside is having an 'anniversary' party tonight as well?
Posted by: JD | November 20, 2008 3:39 PM
I like the idea of a Portside party. But I've always hated Mad River... and don't me wrong, I love my Miller Lite and crazy partying.
Posted by: NR | November 20, 2008 3:54 PM
JD, good call. I got a hold of someone at Portside, who said yes indeedy, their 4th anniversary party is 8 p.m.-close tonight.
That means $2 Miller Lites, $5 Redbull and vodkas and an ice luge.
2821 O'Donnell St. http://www.portsidetavern.com/
Posted by: Sam Sessa | November 20, 2008 4:03 PM
Sweet. Tonight, I'm going to celebrate 5 years of not going to that crap-hole.
Posted by: BA | November 20, 2008 4:13 PM
I think Mad River celebrates and gives back to its community everyday by contributing to the spreading of STDs. Just kidding. Well, kinda.
Posted by: CantonK | November 20, 2008 4:21 PM
I got the email for Portside's party earlier this week. Drink & food specials. DJ Smoky from the Starboard will be there. I know I sound old, but does anyone remember when Mad River was Boomerang's?? I remember being there when the Raven's won the SuperBowl
Posted by: Sturmy | November 20, 2008 5:50 PM
I was there for the Raven's super bowl victory as well. Some guy was standing on the stairs and broke a bottle over his own head.
Posted by: Samuel | November 21, 2008 11:13 AM
you have a goat?
Posted by: ss2 | November 21, 2008 12:04 PM
well, i did, until it ate through the brick walls of my row house and escaped. now it's on a feeding frenzy, rampaging through downtown baltimore.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | November 21, 2008 12:06 PM
This place is purgatory. Both times that I was unfortunate enough to be there, there were bloodied dudes coming out of the bar.
Posted by: Alf Fan | November 21, 2008 12:40 PM
Samuel,
That wasn't me.
Posted by: Sturmy | November 21, 2008 1:06 PM
I feel your pain, Sam. Have you ever felt like you were lost in a bar's voice mail black hole?
Posted by: Laura | November 21, 2008 3:33 PM
Laura, oh yes. I've even gone out to bars and confronted managers before. It's harder for them to dodge you face-to-face. I just rarely have the time to do it these days.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | November 21, 2008 3:36 PM
I've only been to Mad River a handful of times, but I do have a memorable experience. I was there with two friends and once we got up to the second floor, my one friend walked away to go use the bathroom. In the meantime, my friend was leaning over the railing with his beer. Within seconds, the bouncer flew over to my friend, got in his face and said if he had his beer over the railing again that he would drag him out of the bar.
So my other friend comes back from the bathroom not knowing what just happened and before we could tell him, he leans over the railing with his beer in hand. The bouncer ran over and grabbed my friend who had no idea what was going on. He then dragged him by his shirt and threw him out of the bar all the while my friend kept saying "what did I do, what did I do?".
Good times!
Posted by: Brent | November 21, 2008 8:07 PM