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House of Blues General Manager Dan Smith and Marketing Manager Laura B. Tennyson take a brief respite in a Foundation Room booth from their busy schedules of bringing musical diversity to New Orleans.
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During the past decade, House of Blues has treated
music, art and culture lovers to a diversity of music, African-American folk art
and progressive ideas. The New Orleans venue, which opened nine years ago, is
capitalizing on the landmark anniversary a little early, kicking off its celebration
with B.B. King on Dec. 5.
"Time flies when you're having fun," says
HOB New Orleans General Manager Dan Smith. "We're ready to do some big things
here to celebrate both anniversaries. What could be more appropriate than starting
off with B.B. King?"
Lots has changed since House of Blues (225
Decatur St., 529-BLUE; www.hob.com)
opened in a decaying section of the French Quarter. Other businesses revitalized
buildings in the area and the street now is a place frequented by tourists and
locals who once avoided that stretch of desolation. Much has changed inside
as well, with HOB expanding not only its music offerings to include national
touring acts and local favorites as well as building the upscale private-membership
Foundation Room upstairs and The Parish, an interestingly decorated room that
accommodates bands with smaller audiences as well as private parties and receptions.
Downstairs, HOB offers a restaurant, dining in the Voodoo Garden outdoors and
Sunday brunches that include live bands, tantalizing food and as many champagne
mimosas as you can handle. Throughout the club, visitors are greeted with an
innovative visual feast of brightly colored artworks and whimsical décor.
There's even a retail store that sells CDs on the special House of Blues Music
label, T-shirts, jewelry, artworks and souvenirs.
Nationwide, HOB has expanded to eight clubs
and also books 20 concert venues with audience capacities ranging from 1,200
at the Commodore in Vancouver to 20,000 at ampitheaters in Austin, Texas, San
Diego, Calif., Seattle and Dallas.
"When we acquired (the larger concert venues)
it placed us in a more universal position, making us the second largest concert
promoter in the country," says Marketing Manager Laura B. Tennyson.
"It allows us to create some flexibility with
tours and concert availability," Smith adds. "For the most part we work with
agents across the country ... to get music acts when they're on a route or making
a path through the South. That's how you get the (range of good) tours. We have
all these venues, so we can help connect the dots along a band's tour. It also
helps us create our own tours," such as the upcoming Voodoo Music Experience,
which brings Gov't Mule plus Drive-By Truckers to the Orpheum Theatre for late-night
shows on Halloween and Nov. 1 as well as Taproot, Project 86 and Pulse Ultra
in The Parish, also on Nov. 1. HOB also books acts into Twi-Ro-Pa and other
area theaters.
"House of Blues New Orleans brings a lot to
the community in a lot of ways: altruistically, business-wise and in the way
we do business," Smith says. "At the end of the day, we try to balance everything.
We're trying to be everything to everybody. We're dealing with different targeted
audiences, different demographics and different genres every night."
It's a plan that has worked well for House
of Blues, music lovers and the club's employees. "What's unique is our role
with locals," says Tennyson. "(Opening the club) gave people here a chance to
work with a company where they had a future. Some have been here for nine years
and others have moved from here to other House of Blues venues." There also
is mobility in the ranks, Smith and Tennyson say. One employee, for example,
rose from answering the telephone to the executive assistant to Smith. Similar
stories abound at other HOB locations. Allowing such growth as well as providing
exposure to a diversity of music, art and human ideals is part of Isaac Tigress'
original mission for House of Blues, Tennyson says.
"It's pretty amazing to see how people react
to the whole concept," Smith says. "To do hip-hop and Dolly Parton at the same
place takes some ability. When I walk through a full restaurant or club and
see people having fun, it's all worth it."
Grand Fin-ale
G.W. Fins' Executive Chef Tenney Flynn has
received the Culinary Excellence Award from the food services executives convention
that met in the city last week. As part of the national meeting, Flynn joined
with Chef Guenter Seeger of Seeger's in Atlanta, who won the Clever Ideas Cutting
Edge Award, to cook up a memorable feast Oct. 14 for the most picky of diners:
members of the convention and media representatives. The dinner was held at
G.W. Fins (808 Bienville St., 581-3467).
Riding the Hurricane to Memphis
New Orleans icon Pat O'Brien's bar, home to
the world-famous hurricane cocktail as well as entertainment and dining, has
opened a location in Memphis' Beale Street Historic district. The Tennessee
bar, which opened last month, was constructed to replicate the 1789 French Quarter
building that has been home to the original Pat O's (718 St. Peter St., 525-4823)
for more than 68 years. In addition to Memphis and New Orleans, there are Pat
O'Brien's clubs in Cancun, Mexico, and Orlando, Fla.
