Crocodile cafe in seattle closed

evenflowman

Man what a sad day today the croc is closed saw alot of great seattle bands there and other bands no one knows why they closed the door said they locked it on sun night man what a great place and they had the best music and pancakes hopefully they get some money to get it back open here is the add
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004078691_webcroc17m.html

slightofjeff

I was just there less than three weeks ago. Wow.

(I live in Texas. It was my first trip to Seattle. I went to a show there just to say I did).

Bummer.

mark arm

Looks like it got closed because Peter Buck from REM divorced from his wife (They were the owners)

jeffbr

Here's another thread in Other Music:

http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=267047


The writing was definitely on the wall earlier in the month when they lost their booker. I hope someone jumps in and brings it back to life.

Duder5k

Well that's a bummer. I have Mad Season's first show from there too..

billtospill

i was thinking why wouldn't peter buck try to keep it open since it was an excellent hangout for all his pals when they came to town, but the divorce explains that.

i have a million great memories and good stories about the croc. the second week i lived in seattle, my roommate took me out to see a show at rckndy and then we went to the croc to hang out (rckndy may have been alcohol free at the time). while sitting in the back bar, dave says, don't freak out, but eddie vedder is behind you. he was about ten feet away, standing outside the bathroom talking to someone. when we left we walked through the cafe and he was standing at the end of a table, in the walkway, so i brushed him as i walked by. i was surprised at how short he was because you always think they are ten feet tall. i didn't know that i would see 'rock stars' all the time while just hanging out in seattle, but that night was still one of the greatest i've had in 14 years!

i also saw the gacy bunch aka mad season the first time they played there. one night while hanging out, the guys from bush and gwen stefani came in to hang out after their show in tacoma, with of all people, kim thayil. you never knew who was going to be there hanging out on any given night. i haven't been to the croc in ages, but it will truly be missed. maybe like moe's it can come back as newcroc or something.

sennin

damm, that sucks!

It's kind of sad....the situation.

pjtaper

when I was in seattle for the gorge, my friends told us to meet them at this little cafe, we walked there, buzzed already... it took me about 5 minutes to realize I was in the Crocodile Cafe, then I started talking to people because it was FUCKING PACKED and everyone said Pearl Jam is playing a show tonight, never happened, but still, awesome place
I love seattle!

hopethatuchoke

billtospillhe was about ten feet away, standing outside the bathroom talking to someone. when we left we walked through the cafe and he was standing at the end of a table, in the walkway, so i brushed him as i walked by. i was surprised at how short he was because you always think they are ten feet tall. [/quote wrote:

So you deliberately brushed/touched him? That is really strange.

billtospill

hopethatuchoke wrote:

So you deliberately brushed/touched him? That is really strange.

jealous? yes i did do it on purpose, but even if i hadn't done it dilerately i likely would have brushed him as i passed because the place was packed and the walkway from the back bar through the cafe was narrow. it was 1994 and as a twenty-something, it seemed like the best thing to do to tell my friends back home.
jeff ran into me one night at the backstage and i'm not trying to accuse anyone, but it seemed like he might have done it on purpose but i'm not trying to judge anyone, so you shouldn't either.

wash_

Now that's some sad news.

A real shame for Seattle. That place is awesome.

hopethatuchoke

billtospill wrote:

jealous? yes i did do it on purpose, but even if i hadn't done it dilerately i likely would have brushed him as i passed because the place was packed and the walkway from the back bar through the cafe was narrow. it was 1994 and as a twenty-something, it seemed like the best thing to do to tell my friends back home.
jeff ran into me one night at the backstage and i'm not trying to accuse anyone, but it seemed like he might have done it on purpose but i'm not trying to judge anyone, so you shouldn't either.

Not jealous at all. I don't make it a point to bump into people, celebrity or not. Whatever floats your boat though.

RAT!

this is just one more blow to the seattle music scene with just having the showbox bought by corporate america, and the block of pine and belmont being turned into more fuckin condos. its really fuckin sad!!!!

LukinFan

evenflowman wrote:

Man what a sad day today the croc is closed saw alot of great seattle bands there and other bands no one knows why they closed the door said they locked it on sun night man what a great place and they had the best music and pancakes hopefully they get some money to get it back open here is the add
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004078691_webcroc17m.html

Who have you seen there- just wondering

Trujeeper

Damn. Was just there in October but did not have time to go to that particular stop...Agenda was too full...Damn...

sigh eternally

i'm going to miss their potatoes

mark arm

Mudhoney, Melvins, Silkworm did awesome shows there. Fuck you Peter Buck

jeffbr

mark arm wrote:

Fuck you Peter Buck

What did Peter Buck do?

GivenToFlyFreak

Peter Buck was about as involved in this as you and I were... this was his wife's club. She owned it before she ever met him!

As for the club closing, it's on the front page of the local Seattle paper (the Seattle Post-Intelligencer). They apparently had TONS of financial issues (employees paychecks bouncing, checks to bands bouncing etc...). It's too bad as it was a Seattle institution.

This city is becoming very unfriendly to music venues, they've recently passed a noise ordinance for clubs that can result in a $2,000 fine per violation (OUCH!). That and the new nightclub regulations, I'd say the smaller venues in areas like belltown & capitol hill (those surrounded by swanky condos) are doomed!

gabers

GivenToFlyFreak wrote:

Peter Buck was about as involved in this as you and I were... this was his wife's club. She owned it before she ever met him!

As for the club closing, it's on the front page of the local Seattle paper (the Seattle Post-Intelligencer). They apparently had TONS of financial issues (employees paychecks bouncing, checks to bands bouncing etc...). It's too bad as it was a Seattle institution.

This city is becoming very unfriendly to music venues, they've recently passed a noise ordinance for clubs that can result in a $2,000 fine per violation (OUCH!). That and the new nightclub regulations, I'd say the smaller venues in areas like belltown & capitol hill (those surrounded by swanky condos) are doomed!

Sounds like Seattle is rapidly becoming another boring big city. Too bad. Oh well, we still have Portland.

laudenum

what a shame.seems like another era is gone. u could go to the croc and see hovercraft ,watt,with ed maybe sitting in the back.thats where we chatted anyway. it was a great place to catch bands. ucould sit and talk to the guys from mudhoney,all sorts of folk. perhaps someone will pick it up,so there isnt another void in the city. like ed said"when will music get some respect in this town"......well hopefully the croc wont turn to dust,as it has quite a history.

yellowledbecca

RAT! wrote:

this is just one more blow to the seattle music scene with just having the showbox bought by corporate america, and the block of pine and belmont being turned into more fuckin condos. its really fuckin sad!!!!

I know, it makes me SICK to my stomach. That's all we really need, right? More baby-shit colored condos.

Surf Life

Great memories there.

I'm not preachin' but....
Everyone should phone city hall and ask for Mayor Greg Nickels. Do your part to remind him and the city council, that places for young musicians to learn there craft and get exposure is an important part of the life and art in this community. Let them know that they are systematicaly
deystroying what makes this city a place people want to live in just for the sake of the developers.

Just my opinion.

DriftingByTheStorm

gabers wrote:

Sounds like Seattle is rapidly becoming another boring big city. Too bad. Oh well, we still have Portland.

And ... TONIGHT ... WE ... ROCK ...

.. PORTLAND!



RIP The Croc -- I was only there once, 1994 at age 14, during the day, with my father, no music. But i could "feel" the vibe and understand the sadness.

:(

Ms. Haiku

I left Seattle when undercurrents were brewing against live music venues. This was in 2003, and I remember thinking that the last place to go would be the Croc. I only went a couple times. Once for a benefit, and once to see Tuatara (Buck's band). I had hummous there, once

Dang, Seattle must really be a shithole now for a nationally recognize venue to close. When I left Sit N' Spin had a fence around it, and garbage strewn on the sidewalk. Very sad. I liked Sit N' Spin.

Dogman3

Why are all the Seattle music venues closing?

With Seattle closing everything, what cities are there that have a good amount of music venues? I know Miami has like, very very little.

MagnusonPark82

I remember going there one night in '92, chasing a rumor that PJ was going to play a secret, unannounced show. The atmosphere was electric, everyone charged with anticipation. As it turns out, the rumor was false, but Peter Buck did play an unscheduled solo set, so that was cool.

MagnusonPark82

hopethatuchoke wrote:

Not jealous at all. I don't make it a point to bump into people, celebrity or not. Whatever floats your boat though.

I gave Angus Young (AC/DC) a slap on the back once in '81 at Keyarena. He would come out in the crowd (on a roadie's shoulders) during his Bad Boy Boogie solo. They came right towards me, so I reached up and patted him on the back.

roar

i shall miss you, ceiling snakes.

r.i.p.

jeffbr

http://seattleweekly.com/2007-12-19/music/the-croc-is-closed-for-good.php

Stephanie Dorgan is a bitch for doing what she did, the way she did it. No wonder Peter Buck divorced her.

Jason P

This is a bummer. What a great place to see a live show and get some good grub.

Seeing Mudhoney there will be a lasting memory for me.