The Shim Sham’s Last Night and the Deterioration of 80s Night
Gloria, a local on myspace.com, has posted a video made of bits of the last night at the Shim Sham: Watch it here.
The video is weak in its depiction of the last night…it failed to catch the line around the block for hours, the fact that the air conditioning stopped working, that they ran out of everything to drink getting rid of their stock, and that the Shim Sham did indeed keep going past 6am… I guess I can’t expect a documentary but at least it is something to keep the memory alive.
Thursday at One Eyed Jacks doesn’t have quite the same crowd from the Shim Sham (so many have moved on, truly the end of an era) but even the time gap between venues (the carry-over to 735 obviously does not count) couldn
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Mike,
I think that you’re right. Once again, we tipped the curve on this one; eighties night became the next cool thing and is now the “in” thing. And I did notice (just a few months ago when I still lived in the Quarter) that the crowd was becoming more hip and less eclectic, more college.
Where does a guy go now? The Whirling Dervish has the crowd but not the feel, and certainly not the space…
Try LIVE FOREVER (Brit Pop Night) at TwiRopA on Friday nights… it just started last week.
I heard about that… sounds like it could be the start of something. The only problem it sounds like Twiropa is having with theme nights: one word-of-mouth warning and no one wants to go out in the middle of nowhere to be miserable - especially if you’re drinking and hopping cabs.
Because of that, Twiropa will never have “the next big night” - I buy into the saying that it’s better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. I’d rather have an emphemeral experience of something spectacular than have to hide off of Tchopitoulas and Orange street for something mediocre.
I guess that makes sense if your world is the French Quarter. For me TwiRopA is much in more in the middle of somewhere than the hassle of getting to One Eyed Jack’s. (i live in the LGD).
I can bike to TwiRopA then the Saint then dollar drinks at Moonlight all in minutes. Makes for great times.
And if I’m drunk biking I dont have to worry about tourists walking out in front of me in the quarter as I crash into them.
One Eyed Jack’s 80s night - to me - has always been a medicore version of what used to be at the Shim Sham.
It’s just not the same and now that Im hearing more and more that it is becoming “fratty” I’m even less inclinded to go.
besides, 80s nights have been going on for years… they are fun but personaly I like variety and other types of music.
anyway, if you dont like TwiRopA stay in the Quarter.
But if you have good taste in Brit Pop Fridays at TwiRopA certainly arent medicore.
sounds like the “emphemeral experience” youre talking about is being seen by people you think are cool. If I go to these nights it’s for the music, not to be around the ‘cool kids.’ Geez.
I’ll definitely make it out to try the Brit Pop night. Maybe it’ll be my saving grace for a decent theme night.
As far as being around “cool kids” is concerned, I’ve met lots of great people as a result of being over at 80s night and wouldn’t trade anything for some of those experiences. Going out is never purely about the music…you might as well stay home and DJ in your bedroom. You might just end up doing a better job.
ha, you’re likely to hear all your favorites if youre DJing in your bedroom!
Despite the haters Twiropa’s Leighties night is much better.
The music is better and the quality of people is just better, IMHO.
Aren’t all 80s nights kind of … well, 90s?
I’m waiting for someone to start throwing a “1997!” party myself …
…and you’ve hit the next big thing…