I was walking by tonight and its absolutely lights out. It's bizarre to walk past it and not see people hanging around outside or see the glow from the inside. In the end, if it was closed, is it really a shock to anyone based on the past few weeks? According to some, they'd bet their mortgage on it. I, for one, hope it doesn't close but might need a change of ownership to keep it going. It's a wonderful venue (despite the line of sight issues) filled with far too many great experiences. Sadly, my last show there would be the Luckies. My first show, Gas Huffer. In between those shows was a lifetime of great concerts, ok drinks, and amazing friends.

Best shows:
Carissa's Wierd Farewell
Explosions in the Sky (first show there)
Spain
Versus and Cinerama
Decemberists and CW on Valentines Day

on and on...

It looks like it is true (if the reports that say the same thing as Dana's on Reverb and Lineout are to believed - and you know they are). I feel especially bad for the people I know who have worked so hard in booking shows there in the very near future (including this week). I hope some other venues like Chop Suey and Neumo's step up to take on some of the other shows that were booked there and it isn't too big of an inconvenience.

FYI, from Reverb:

UPDATE: SW calendar editor Aja Pecknold has confirmed that Croc booking agent Eli Anderson received a voicemail from owner Stephanie Dorgan saying the club no longer has the capital to continue. More to come...

Sigh. This is a very, very sad night for Seattle music.

And yes, TIG had an awesome show booked for the Crocodile Thursday night, featuring Tullycraft, Your Favorite Book, and a very special performance by Rachel Flotard (Visqueen) with Jon Rauhouse (Neko Case). The show is igLiz's birthday party and our annual holiday party, with John Roderick as indie-rock Santa and everything.

We are in the throes of seeking out an alternate location as I type -- the show must go on!! We will keep you posted as soon as we have an update! Send ideas our way if you've got 'em.

PS ~ @lincoln -- your list of special shows made me tear up. That CW/Decemberists show on Valentine's Day was one of the best nights of my life!!

First I find out the only two professional teams with championships in this city are leaving (Sonics and Storm) and now this. What the hell?!? Next I'll find out the Space Needle is being demolished. This city is losing personality by the second.

The Crocodile was a world renowned club that hosted some of the most diverse musicians and had an atmosphere unmatched in Seattle. This is a HUGE loss for our area and the local music scene.

Ben @ 5 - At least you get an MLS team, eh? Am I right?

Bad Dream Good Breakfast is booked there for Dec 29th...

I hope you find a new venue for the TC show, Dana.

Trippy... sad.

sad news indeed. I've seen a handful of sweet shows there. One particular highlight for me was seeing Emiliana Torrini after discovering her as the opening act for Dido at the Key (RIP Sonics/ Storm)... Huge voice, beautiful sound and band and at the conclusion of her set with the crowd chanting 'encore!' she came back on and sheepishly said,' thank you all very much but we don't know anymore songs..' (I think she sang Happy Birthday or something?

tears,
~"D"

wow. this is a blow. last night's show was amazing.

but why! it just shouldn't be.
i feel you, TIGs, good luck in finding a new venue!

I've long since moved away from Seattle but, FUCK that makes me sad.

Wow. I can't believe it.

Best shows I saw at the Croc, just off the top of my head...

Diamanda Galas
Mavis Piggott
Kristin Hersh/Grant Lee Phillips
Slender Means

Much like "D" said, it's like a piece of the city has just been demolished. First the Showbox gets sold to a massive corporate interest, then this? Just leaves me thinking why? It's not as if the venue had lost it's relevancy.

To think just last night I was walking by there and thinking how great it was to see a line out the door again. Makes me even more thankful I got to see the sold out Fleet Foxes/Cave Singers show a couple of weeks ago. A good note to go out on at least, if such a thing is possible.

And we were so excited for the chance to play there come March...

What a f'n shame.

dp

This is tragic!

OK I've only been there once, but it was amazing!

My band was booked to play the Crocodile this Wednesday, and tonight we got word from the other two bands on the bill (but not directly from the Croc as yet) that the venue is definitely closed. Apparently El Corazon is picking up our show, which is really good of them. But I sure was looking forward to playing the Croc...

What a pisser of a night -- not just for my band, but for Seattle music. Let's hope someone buys the place soon and figures out how to make it work!

A few months ago, I went to shows at the Croc on consecutive nights (one of several times in the last year). The second night, the bartender recognized me and made a comment about seeing me the night before.

At the time, I felt really awkward about it - I'm not the kind of person who drinks often and/or heavily enough to be recognized by bartenders - but suddenly, that's turned into a really fond memory.

@Lincolnish -- I'm glad you found another venue for your show! We're working on rescheduling our Thursday night show as well. Wish us luck, and once we get it all sorted all you imaginaries will be the first to know!

@Dr. Obvious -- that is a really sweet story. Sigh.

When Sam and I started writing songs I told him that the ultimate goal to all this rocking out was to play the croc some day. We just got booked to play there Jan 17th..........bummer. What a weird time this is.
Sam Squared

Wow!
Shocking! As all the rotten clubs that have come and gone the Croc just seemed like an untouchable institution. The list of amazing shows I have both seen and played there is a long one. Jim the soundguy was the best in town (I am 100% positive about this claim). The odd decor never changed since I started going in 1991. Grunge, emo, electronica, twee, alt country, and more, some of the best acts to ever come through seattle played there. It's a 16 year history of amazing shows I saw there.
I've got to get my head around this, the Croc is now only...memories

YAY!!!!!! Ding dong the bitch is dead! They never let any of the bands I liked play there anyway. They weren't conformist to the seattle scene enough. It's a good sign that this shithole has closed.

If you really think 'indie sucks', why are you even reading this blog, you stupid troll?

Cuz, you indie fucks have made my life in Seattle hell for the past decade and I am happy to celebrate and dance on your ashes every time something pisses you off or one of your precious institutions dies. The crocodile closing actually fills me with hope that indie rock is finally dying and leaving Seattle for good. I can only hope and pray that The Stranger and KEXP and TIG will soon follow suit. Hopefully all the scenesters will wither die or move to somewhere with a lower cost of living like portland. Losers!

IndieSucks ANGRY! IndieSucks SMASH!!! DEATH TO FALSE METAL ROOOWWWWWWRRRRRRR

@ 20, 22 - Char, use your real name when you post! ha ha.

I'll miss the croc, fer sure. As everyone else mentioned, have seen a number of great bands play there. Had the cajones to do a TIG Karaoke thing once with my label mates and yes, had a new CD release show booked there for Feb. At the same time, though, I guess I took the Crocodile for granted. I didn't go to as many shows there of late. I loathed that freaking pole in the middle of the room and thankfully only ate there once. But it was good to know you could probably show up there any night, see some great music and run into some friends.

Hopefully they will turn it into some hipster BBQ joint a la Frontier Room. *smirk*

Finally, there will be some space for a swank place that serves $12 kool-aid martinis and plays techno/trance! Oh wait, Belltown already has about 40 of those places...

oh man

this is really shitty news....r.i.p.

we spent our early 20s dreaming of one day perhaps being cool enough to be playing there and coming up from tacoma to see the treepeople and flop. when the scene was new and vibrant.

croc was one of the first places to ever give our band 'biography of ferns' a show. they had a rating system they would give you stars on and if they liked a band, they were really generous about the slot you could secure, not making you wait a year to open for a big out of towner. one of the few places you could get a gig at within 2 months of having a demo.

best shows i ever saw there:

-built to spill right after doug formed it. it was shortly after treepeople had broken up. there were like 13 people in the crowd. he played stuff off 'ultimate alternative wavers'. he was nervous. it was sweet and powerful without any of the subsequent hype of the years that followed.

-melt banana. and we played with them!

my brain is foggy this morning, so this is the only other show i can recall there

c average was good there too....

and okkervil river

jim is the best sound guy in town, hands down.

-justin

Gah!!

I think a lot of people smelled this coming, but that doesn't mean it sucks any less.

Favorite shows there? Mission of Burma, The Church, Lou Barlow + The Folk Implosion. Not to mention watching with a mix of glee and horror as my former band mate Marcel Feldmar completely mangled a Fixx song in TIG Karaoke...

Goodbye Croc.

Man, I guess my review of Dave Bazan aka the Last Show of the Crocodile, will be a bittersweet one. At least the show was great. Look for my review forthcoming!

Good Riddance! There are plenty of other clubs in town with better parking/drink prices/covers/friendly staff/payouts. With the exception of Jim, the soundguy, I will miss it none!

This is the saddest fucking thing. I loved that club.

Wow, even NME has picked this up.

WOW! Our Eli is quoted in NME!

So sorry to hear that the Croc will be no more. Hopefully someone will take it over and make it work.
The Lo-Fi Peroformance Gallery would love to help out with the bands that were booked and now need a place to play in the coming months. the website has the info on the clubs specs: www.lofiseattle.org contact Scott at swbehrens@yahoo.com for booking info.

So sorry to hear that the Croc will be no more. Hopefully someone will take it over and make it work.
The Lo-Fi Peroformance Gallery would love to help out with the bands that were booked and now need a place to play in the coming months. the website has the info on the clubs specs: www.lofiseattle.org contact Scott at swbehrens@yahoo.com for booking info.