| 08/23/09 05:16 PM |
#2506
|
|
Bill Kent
Shirley...
From the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History:
LA CAVE, located at 10615 Euclid Ave., began as a coffeehouse folk club but became one of Cleveland's most memorable ROCK 'N' ROLL clubs. Owner Stan Kain and his investors opened the doors to this 200-seat basement room in 1962. In those early folk days, La Cave presented Simon & Garfunkel, Buffy Sainte Marie, Jose Feliciano, Tom Rush, Ian and Sylvia, Phil Ochs, Janis Ian, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins, Odetta, Josh White (an investor in the club), Tim Buckley, and Tom Paxton. As the music of the 1960s evolved, so did La Cave. They introduced audiences to Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, the Youngbloods, the Butterfield Blues Band, the Jeff Beck Group featuring Rod Stuart, Canned Heat, the Fugs, the Hello People, Iron Butterfly, Terry Knight & The Pack, the Stone Poneys, the Velvet Underground, Blood Sweat & Tears, and Pacific Gas & Electric.
La Cave's dimensions were 60'x125' with a seating capacity of 250-300. The club would generally book rock bands to play Fri-Sat, two shows a night with an occasional 3:00 Sunday afternoon show. For the mere sum of $3.50 entrance was gained to a dimly lit rectangle with burlap and church pews covering one long wall, the stage on the other, and tables in between.
La Cave was a former Chinese restaurant and a bowling alley. Its long stairway to the downstairs room, the grubbiness of the decor, and the mismatched tables and chairs created the perfect atmosphere for the explosion of progressive rock `n' roll. The club's demise was caused by long-term debts, a decline of ticket sales, and legal troubles. La Cave closed its doors in 1969.
|
|
