THE FUNHOUSE TO RE-OPEN IN EL CORAZON FRONT BAR!
As a person who doesn't necessarily enjoy giant sweeping changes in the cultural landscape of a city or paying higher rent because of said changes, I can't honestly say I've been excited about the changes I've seen in Seattle in the past 6 years since I've moved here. While I'm sure there are multiple people who have enjoyed some fantastic career prosperity because of these changes, it's been hard to watch some of the grimier, more colorful bits of Seattle evaporate into immeasurably deep holes that magically sprout gigantic condos overnight.
One of the casualties of the gigantic South Lake Union/Queen Anne wipeout of the past few years has been stalwart punk venue The Funhouse. When The Funhouse's building was purchased in late 2012, it left a gaping hole in the city's scene for growing bands. Many venues exist for a good portion of the established local and touring bands playing in Seattle, but where were the fledgling bands supposed to play? While venues like Barboza, The Black Lodge, and The Rendezvous have stepped up their game, it's still left a void in the venues for a city of this size.
Thankfully, it appears that El Corazon and The Funhouse have teamed up for a joint venture. Former Funhouse booker Brian Foss will now be in charge of the front room of El Corazon, as well as a co-manager of El Corazon. “About a year and a half ago, I made a drunken pledge to my friends and my wife that I was going to grow this beard out until I found a new place for The Funhouse,” Foss says in an article from Seattle Weekly.
Kudos to El Corazon for embracing change and uniting with one of the better clubs this city has seen, and kudos to Brian Foss for never giving up hope. The Funhouse rides again (no joke) on April 1, 2015.