The nightclub game ain’t nothin’ to mess with… Word on the block is, that after a long run of after sundown success including a revolving door of DJs and promoters and crowds of patrons that began their 21 runs and are now approaching their 30, once a powerhouse, downtown Tacoma’s Loft has closed its once heavily secured doors for the last time.  Entertaining thousands into the new millennium, word has it that the club that has maintained a monopoly on Tacoma-area nightlife for so long is over, done with — caput.  I know that it was looking a bit vacant during a recent weekend run of mine to The Fish House Café, but is it really over? 



It is always a spectacle to watch clubs and promoters compete for turf — or in their cases, people cruising the turf for a place to party.  One club opens (a la The Factory) and makes some noise — then somebody acts a fool, because he’s insecure and his girl is getting macked on — so he shoots up the parking lot — GRAND CLOSING!  Tis the tale of so many a nightclub and those who enter this game of late night excitement and escapades — 3 a.m. back office conversation and money changing knowingly waltz into a world of wild. 



The Loft like any venue endured skirmishes and conflict, but had no such demise as many other clubs where nights of lust and lore were crushed by bullets, screaming and red and blue lights doing 360s.  Nope, The Loft endured and ran strong for years.  The Tacomans and Olympians alike made The Loft pop-off every Thursday and Saturday, so for those whose hearts have a hole in it — I am told that the official place to be in T-Town has become Juno.  Located in the heart of The Tac (933 Market St., Tacoma), Juno has been open for more than a hot second, but apparently it has just recently taken over the hip-hop and trendy crowd’s desire to see and be seen.  Anchored by Olympia veteran DJs, Joey La Rock and Drastik along with performances from local legend XTC and KUBE 93’s Vinnie The Pooh, Juno does not lack credibility on the wheels of steel — but how long will the ride last?  We shall see.  So if it is true, what happened to the mighty Loft?  I don’t know.  Do Juno?  I couldn’t help it… wacka, wacka, wacka (all luvv to Fozzie!)



HAPPENINGS

Ah ha!  It may have been kismet or destiny even, that Josh Rizeberg was mentioned recently in The 25360… The brother is live on-stage at Tacoma’s King's Books in downtown Tacoma on Sept. 12 at 4:30 pm.  The veteran wordsmith did recently release his well-received Spoken Worlds this summer and is obviously hustling to promote it.  Rizeberg is a talent.  Also if you are an artsy cat, jaunt east to the beautiful PLU campus at The Cave and be a part of Ears and Eyes Music & Art on Sept. 10.  There you will find an impressive MC by the name of John Crown (I saw him live and liked his work…), along with Scribes & Sol.   Another dope going-on that occurs reportedly every two weeks is the Freshblends night at Hell’s Kitchen in downtown T-Town.  Also on Sept. 10, Freshblends showcases The Against All Odds Tour featuring Rheteric, Dolok Shaman, Caddilack Ron, Precise One, Sore One and DJ Alkalyne… be a part of it!



In some dope ‘who’s in the studio’ news.  Sawchosiz (“Sarcosis” – sorry mayn, I spelled your name wrong last time) is in the studio and reportedly dropping his album, The CarnEVIL, this Halloween.  He recently dropped The Sawchotic Series in late August.  Not to be outdone by his homeboy, Tacoma’s favorite hustler Jay Barz is working on the completion of The Starving Artist to be released on the very next holiday, Thanksgiving.  I like the holiday hopscotch album-release strategy.  The dope duo from Tac-Town are on their game.  Another rugged MC who’s appeared in this lovely column, Can-U is finishing some preview tracks to a forthcoming album.  Look for his as yet untitled release sometime in late 2008 or early 2009, allegedly.  Big shots to 253hiphop.com. 



Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. is an editor, writer and producer. A graduate of Washington State University and student at The Evergreen State College, he writes and edits the Pacific Northwest section of OZONE Magazine and hosts and produces Live From I-5 Radio (since ‘89) every Friday at 3 p.m. on KAOS 89.3 FM in Olympia. He writes a weekly hip-hop column in the music section on the Weekly Volcano’s Web site — weeklyvolcano.com.