R.I.P.: The Five Spot (1996-2007)
Tell the truth: You probably hadn’t been to The Five Spot much recently. I’m pretty sure I was at the opening of The Five Spot in the mid-1990s, and let me tell you: For a hot second there, this was the place. Philip Cohen had the definitive UArts hang, The Last Drop, before this place, and coupled together with the Five Spot’s unfortunate marriage to the 90s swing dancing resurgence, the pair of places said a lot about their place and time. (Throw in the first-generation Fringe Festival and, say, The Interpreters, and you have a pretty good representation of the Philly scene, such as it was, circa 1996.) And while The Last Drop has troopered on, something had felt a little MIA about The Five Spot for far too long. There was also the bit about it being for sale and all. But the club’s effects are going to reverberate through town for a long time to come.
Among them: Black Lily, first and foremost ‚Äî it was the heart and soul of an entire movement of music, even internationally. And what about the perfect combo ratty/swank look? The Five Spot, intentionally or no, upped the ante on what a small club should look like and project; after this place, vibe became essential whereas before, people were mostly just happy to get booked anywhere. And in its heyday, the booking at the Five Spot was among the most broad under any one roof in the city. The Strokes did a residency there. Beth Orton and Elliot Smith played there in quarters so close it’s almost hard to believe. An entire generation of totally hot ex-goth chicks bared their buxom retrochests there. I spun there every Friday night for six months in 1998 in between Cesar & His Latin Playboys. The place was great.
But after the Black Lily moment, The Five Spot could never quite get back on board. Heyday, who now book the Khyber and the North Star, tried a live music resurgence there a couple years back, but it was not to be. And every once in a while, somebody would throw a great party or show there and you’d think to yourself, “Wow, The Five Spot. Awesome.”
God bless you, Five Spot. We got drunk in you quite a few times.
— Joey Sweeney
Inky: Goodbye Old Paint
KYW: Slideshow
Firehouse: That Really Was Quite A Fire
The Five Spot: Official Site
Got a Five Spot story? Feel free to add in your memories and stories in our comments section.
February 5th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Obviously, I prefer to sit on my ass than soak Philly’s nightlife, especially since I write down the times for all of Miss Honeypenny’s picks wrong; but the Fivespot was actually the first place I’d ever been to in Philly. So, it’s sort of sad. Still, is Philly trying to make a wink-wink nudge-nudge insinuation when they close their coverage with a mention that (one of?) Cohen’s other property’s was also shut down due to fire damage? Nah, they were probably just being responsibly thorough. That’s what I’m guessing.
February 5th, 2007 at 9:27 am
I’d always thought it to be a shame that no investor had stepped up to revive to venue. The few times I’d been there, I felt the place was very unique and could really offer the Old City culture a different experience.
And for those of you keeping score at home- this now makes two clubs lost to fire in recent months. The Pirates Den in South Jersey burnt down on December 13th, 2006.
February 5th, 2007 at 10:08 am
That’s actually a really nice eulogy. I had forgotten why the place even mattered.
February 5th, 2007 at 11:03 am
I took my mom to the Peek-a-boo Revue for her 60th birthday… it was life-affirming for her and hilarious fun for me and my girlfriend. Now my mom is taking stripper-pole dance lessons at Bally’s in the suburbs b/c she had such a great time.
(OK, so that second part’s not true but the first part is… RIP Peek-a-boo @ The Five Spot…)
February 5th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
I played there when it was “The Casbah”. How old skool is that?
February 5th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
I went periodically over the last few years. While The 5 Spot ceased to be a viable rock venue, it continued to showcase some of the best hip-hop, house, nu-jazz, progressive soul, and afro-punk. I saw Donny and Julie Dexter during a snow storm 3 years back. Philmore Brown and The Popos either last year or late 2005. Went 2 nights in a row in 05, checking out Tortured Soul on a Thursday and a sold out Brazilian Girls the following night. Was blown away by Younglao and J*DaVeY last July( a lot of these shows were booked by Little Giant Production’s Tayyib Smith). Its a shame, because I’m not sure what other downtown venue will be willing and able to pick up the slack. BTW, One time in 96 or so, I was denied entry to the oh so swanky club because I was wearing jeans. The dress code must have been junked around the same time they stopped serving steak dinners.
February 5th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Denied entry due to jeans? Sounds like my house.
Oh, Five Spot; for a fleeting moment, you were sooo money.