"As I plopped down on one of the comfy couches, families were already pouring into the place. Kids scampered everywhere. Musicians, artists, librarians, college students, retired county employees and veteran downtown shopkeepers all gathered to celebrate their memories of this outré outpost. Within 10 minutes of me sitting down, numerous attendees drew me into conversations about local comic book history, surf bands and the various locations of San Jose Office Supply 40 years ago."
"For Chris Landon's birthday, the bands at Art Boutiki and the audience all created a grand-scale reunion of the original SoFA District rock scene in the early '90s-the part of town where Art Boutiki first started. At least half of those in attendance were also present the night Cactus Club closed in 2002. According to Art Boutiki staff, the crowd certainly drank like it was the last night at Cactus."
Art Boutiki operated for 16 years, mainly on Race Street near The Alameda, and supported many different music and arts scenes. The venue hosted family-friendly events like Drink and Draw, attracting parents, kids, musicians, artists, librarians, students, retirees and longtime downtown shopkeepers who exchanged local memories. Conversations at final gatherings covered comic book history, surf bands and decades-old local businesses. A birthday show created a large reunion of the SoFA District rock scene, with many attendees who witnessed past venue closures like Cactus Club. The venue's final weeks became a nostalgic celebration of downtown San Jose music history.
Read at Metro Silicon Valley | Silicon Valley's Leading Weekly
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]