Our abundant all-ages music scene certainly has its share of supportâthe Vera Project, the Paradox, EMP's Sound Off!, S.S. Marie Antoinette, the L.A.B., the Old Fire House, Ground Zero. Well, you get the pointâbut I'm not alone in the belief that there can never be too much all-ages action (hell, it keeps me employed!). Rusty Stuver and Frank "DJ Paco" Cardzoa believe it, too, so they've started a new music night at Capitol Hill's Richard Hugo House called Homeroom.
"Coming from the East Coast, I really appreciate all the clubs and venues we have in Seattle for all-ages shows," says Stuver when asked why he wanted to start the concert series. "At the same time I love the energy and spontaneity that comes from shows that take place in more informal settings."
Arming themselves with enthusiasm and high standards, the men are renting out the Hugo House's cabaret space (which sorta feels like a fancy basement) on a monthly basis, turning the room into a rock venue and calling on both local and national artists to grace the stage (or at least the floor where the stage would be). The first installment of Homeroom happens Friday, February 24, and features Exit Stories, Birds of Prey, Lady Krishna's Peppermint Lounge, and Crucivex. And they've already booked the Abodox, Stabmasterarson, and Coconut Coolouts for the upcoming months.
"I think we both want to have shows that feature bands that aren't in the same genre, but complement each other musically," says Stuver. "It's kind of a tricky thing to do, so we're going to ease our way into it. One of my favorite things about shows is falling in love with a band I never heard of before."
Cardzoa adds, "Another one of our goals is to establish young bands with those that are already well-known. We want to expose smaller bands to more experienced musicians and kind of create a community on the Hill."
It's been a while since both men have had a hand in the all-ages scene, but they're certainly not new to the music community. Currently, Cardzoa spins around town as DJ Paco (you can catch him at Club Pop nights at Chop Suey), and he also used to volunteer at the Velvet Elvis before it closed in 1999. And Stuver has been involved at the Hugo House since October, when he put on a successful Red Cross benefit show.
"We're very influenced by DIY venues like the Velvet Elvis, the Punkin House, and the Huntington Beach Library, which I used to attend and volunteer [for] rather frequently in my teens," says Stuver. "We definitely have a lot of work to do to live up to those venues. Hopefully, the kids will take notice and attend!"
To inquire about booking, for full show schedules, or to just tell the guys how much they rule, visit the Homeroom page at www.myspace.com/homeroomallages. Or, just show up Friday night. And don't forget your Trapper Keeper.
