Save The Room
Donation protected
The following is the bulk of an open letter from The Room to Foo Fighters. It tells our story and (I hope) explains why The Room deserves saving.
About five years ago my buddy, Jimmy, and I decided to open a rock club. Jimmy and I both have daughters, his, Madison was 14, and mine, Lily, was 5 at the time. We wanted to open a place where Lily could come see what Daddy does. A place parents would feel comfortable bringing, or even leaving kids like Madison and her friends for a few hours to enjoy some kick ass bands live on a stage. NOT YOUTUBE.
A lifelong musician myself, I remember far too well how tough it is to find a place to put on a great local show if you’re in a band and happen to be 15 years old. Having to rent out the local fire house only to be interrupted mid-song by A FIRE makes for a funny story at parties later in life, but nothing reminds you that you’re no rock star like “Okay boys, you can play now”, as the last firefighter out the door flips the overhead lights back off and you’re left trying to decide whether to start the song over again or just pick up where you left off. What we wouldn’t have given for a gig at an actual music venue that our friends and fans could come to make us feel like rock stars. We would’ve killed it in a place like The Room.
We each kicked in considerable funds (for us – we’re steamfitters – look it up, we don’t make much) and soon we found our place in Brookfield, a suburb of Danbury, CT. Not so soon after, we’d passed extensive town and state inspections and were ready to open. Depleted of our initial advertising budget before the doors ever opened we began with little fanfare and well…there we were. That was January 2011.
Almost four years later and I’ve got to be honest… we’re struggling. We’ve had success. Amazing moments within our four walls. First gigs, last gigs, video shoots, EP release shows, benefit shows for causes like breast cancer awareness, anti-bullying campaigns, and suicide prevention, and bands reaching young new fans who are legitimately there for the MUSIC. But our success has been in ways you can’t measure in a bank account. Don’t get me wrong – we never expected to make a killing in an all-ages venue – no bar=no money. We get it. Ask my wife, she’ll tell you she works for music (and the occasional band t-shirt). And considering how we spent most weekends as young parents before this adventure I can safely say being at The Room is way more fun. Even for no pay. But we’re falling farther behind on the rent and other bills and the biggest problem of all is simply that no one knows we’re here.
That’s where Foo Fighters comes in. Come to The Room. There, I said it. You’ll be in New York all week and it’s not that far. For a moment, imagine what Foo Fighters in Brookfield could do to a place like The Room. You could do for the Room what The Ramones and Blondie did for CBGB's or What Mötley Crüe or Alice Cooper did for the Wiskey. Come because you remember what it was like to be 15 and in a band trying to find a decent gig. Because along the way there have been people who’ve given you a chance. Come because your first band had a home at some local club, Or because it didn’t, and you wish a place like ours had been in your scene. Come to The Room because between sets we only play music by bands who play The Room and Foo Fighters isn’t in our playlist... YET.
Come because on our stage brand new bands play with and connect to artists who have battled the local scene or even toured the world for decades and there’s no class or reality show that can cover what they have to teach. Our stage has seen musicians as young as 9 and as old as dirt in the same night. We’re so damn proud of that. Come because you know it’s all about the music and any place that gets that is worth saving.
While we haven't heard from them yet, and we still hope to, we continue to search for other ways to save The Room from closing. Some musicians looking to help, have put together a series of shows to benefit The Room and we hope they'll be a great success in rasing money and in celebrating the true spirit of our place. But, we know that money won't be enough. Others have asked how they can help even if they can't make it to any of the shows. That's where this gofundme campaign comes in.
We did not meet our year end ultimatum, but we did raise a chunk at a few benefit shows. We are still fighting. Your help is still needed. Any donation large or small is greatly appreciated. We're doing everything we can to keep The Room alive.
Thanks for your support!
About five years ago my buddy, Jimmy, and I decided to open a rock club. Jimmy and I both have daughters, his, Madison was 14, and mine, Lily, was 5 at the time. We wanted to open a place where Lily could come see what Daddy does. A place parents would feel comfortable bringing, or even leaving kids like Madison and her friends for a few hours to enjoy some kick ass bands live on a stage. NOT YOUTUBE.
A lifelong musician myself, I remember far too well how tough it is to find a place to put on a great local show if you’re in a band and happen to be 15 years old. Having to rent out the local fire house only to be interrupted mid-song by A FIRE makes for a funny story at parties later in life, but nothing reminds you that you’re no rock star like “Okay boys, you can play now”, as the last firefighter out the door flips the overhead lights back off and you’re left trying to decide whether to start the song over again or just pick up where you left off. What we wouldn’t have given for a gig at an actual music venue that our friends and fans could come to make us feel like rock stars. We would’ve killed it in a place like The Room.
We each kicked in considerable funds (for us – we’re steamfitters – look it up, we don’t make much) and soon we found our place in Brookfield, a suburb of Danbury, CT. Not so soon after, we’d passed extensive town and state inspections and were ready to open. Depleted of our initial advertising budget before the doors ever opened we began with little fanfare and well…there we were. That was January 2011.
Almost four years later and I’ve got to be honest… we’re struggling. We’ve had success. Amazing moments within our four walls. First gigs, last gigs, video shoots, EP release shows, benefit shows for causes like breast cancer awareness, anti-bullying campaigns, and suicide prevention, and bands reaching young new fans who are legitimately there for the MUSIC. But our success has been in ways you can’t measure in a bank account. Don’t get me wrong – we never expected to make a killing in an all-ages venue – no bar=no money. We get it. Ask my wife, she’ll tell you she works for music (and the occasional band t-shirt). And considering how we spent most weekends as young parents before this adventure I can safely say being at The Room is way more fun. Even for no pay. But we’re falling farther behind on the rent and other bills and the biggest problem of all is simply that no one knows we’re here.
That’s where Foo Fighters comes in. Come to The Room. There, I said it. You’ll be in New York all week and it’s not that far. For a moment, imagine what Foo Fighters in Brookfield could do to a place like The Room. You could do for the Room what The Ramones and Blondie did for CBGB's or What Mötley Crüe or Alice Cooper did for the Wiskey. Come because you remember what it was like to be 15 and in a band trying to find a decent gig. Because along the way there have been people who’ve given you a chance. Come because your first band had a home at some local club, Or because it didn’t, and you wish a place like ours had been in your scene. Come to The Room because between sets we only play music by bands who play The Room and Foo Fighters isn’t in our playlist... YET.
Come because on our stage brand new bands play with and connect to artists who have battled the local scene or even toured the world for decades and there’s no class or reality show that can cover what they have to teach. Our stage has seen musicians as young as 9 and as old as dirt in the same night. We’re so damn proud of that. Come because you know it’s all about the music and any place that gets that is worth saving.
While we haven't heard from them yet, and we still hope to, we continue to search for other ways to save The Room from closing. Some musicians looking to help, have put together a series of shows to benefit The Room and we hope they'll be a great success in rasing money and in celebrating the true spirit of our place. But, we know that money won't be enough. Others have asked how they can help even if they can't make it to any of the shows. That's where this gofundme campaign comes in.
We did not meet our year end ultimatum, but we did raise a chunk at a few benefit shows. We are still fighting. Your help is still needed. Any donation large or small is greatly appreciated. We're doing everything we can to keep The Room alive.
Thanks for your support!
Organizer
Vern Room
Organizer
Shelton, CT
