Channing-Murray foundation stage

Having opened a mere two weeks ago, the Red Herring Coffee House’s music performance series at the Channing-Murray Foundation stage is guaranteed to gain a strong following of local music fans. Known for its delectable vegetarian cuisine and “Espresso Yourself” Coffee House, the Red Herring will be expanding its entertainment services to include prescheduled live acts.
Sean Gordon, manager, promoter and booking agent for the Red Herring, met for a short chat with buzz to discuss the venue’s future.
Gordon aims to book the venue each weekend both Friday and Saturday nights at times that coincide with Red Herring’s Coffee House. Attendees are thus encouraged to enjoy a cup of fair trade joe in the basement’s low-key, open-mic atmosphere and later venture toward the more dynamic scene upstairs.
The Channing-Murray Foundation stage’s intimate layout is ideal for those who crave high levels of audience-performer interaction. In explaining how the space differs from larger venues, such as the Canopy Club, Gordon stressed both its intimacy and the building’s no-alcohol policy, which function to shift the emphasis from partying to the music. For Gordon, the venue celebrates “music for its own sake, in addition to providing an atmosphere that allows people to develop a real sense of community.” As such, the Red Herring encourages a dialogue between the musicians and audience that addresses issues of social awareness and activism.
Meant to be “more of a place of development rather than showcasing,” the Red Herring will focus its energies on booking local acts this fall with the possibility of expanding to include more regional acts (such as Jaik Willis) on the spring schedule. According to Gordon, the majority of shows offered during the first month of the venue’s opening will be free and will feature local bands seen frequently at the Canopy Club, such as Zmick and Underpaid Packy.
For now, however, the Red Herring, as well as the wider CU music community, has its focus set on one thing: Pygmalion Music Festival. Friday, Sept. 19, as part of Pygmalion, the Red Herring will host an indie night, featuring acts such as Peoria’s Jared Bartman and Dr. Manhattan before transitioning on Saturday, Sept. 20 to hip-hop artists such as locally renowned Krukid and the intense beats of Treologic.

About WPGU Music Staff

We're a gang of music lovers.

View all posts by WPGU Music Staff →

Leave a Reply