Peabody’s Concert Club closing
The Black Dahlia Murder lead singer Trevor Strnad greets fans after their show at Peabody’s concert club late Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013, one of the last shows the club will host. During the performance, Strnad thanked the concert club and audience for many years of shows at the venue and expressed his sadness in the club’s closing. Photo by Jenna Watson.
Peabody’s Concert Club in Cleveland will be closing after three decades of business.
Cleveland State University is razing the property to put up a new building, owner Chris Zitterbart said.
Zitterbart has been the owner of Peabody’s since 2005. He said he will take over the Agora Theatre and Ballroom Saturday, just three days before his ownership at Peabody’s is up.
Artists who have performed at Peabody’s have primarily been outside the mainstream, Zitterbart said.
“People seek out their music a little bit more than kind of just listening to whatever’s on the radio,” he said.
Ian Dzurik, freshman digital science major, is one of these people. He said he has seen around 30 or 40 bands at Peabody’s in the last five years. One of his favorite shows was Woe, Is Me with Capture the Crown.
“The one thing I like about (the venue) most is it’s small, and it gives you a chance to interact with the people there,” Dzurik said.
Zitterbart said sometimes bands would stopin at Peabody’s to hang out and watch a show. People standing in the audience often wouldn’t realize the person standing next to them was a famous rock ’n’ roll or TV star.
“I love that part of what Peabody’s has been,” Zitterbart said.
Peabody’s is hosting a series of farewell shows, including Attila on Monday, Oct. 28, and the last performance, Dying Fetus, on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Stephen Kuhn, freshman international relations major, said he hasn’t been to Peabody’s in a while but enjoyed the acts he has seen there, which include Woe, Is Me and Machine Gun Kelly.
The venue has hosted a wide variety of musicians, ranging from rock bands like Misfits and We Came As Romans to rappers such as King Chip. At a previous location, Peabody’s hosted acclaimed alternative rock bands Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and Jane’s Addiction.
Zitterbart said he hopes to bring diverse acts to the Agora, a larger venue with a with its seating capacity of 1,850. He said he has put together shows in Kent, and there are a lot of local venues for students visit.
“Watch the calendar for what’s going on just all over northeast Ohio,” Zitterbart said.
Contact Patrick Williams at [email protected].