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Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Opinion / News The Double Door legend
Posted By Eric Mullis on Wed, Mar 25, 2009 at 10:37 AM
It goes without saying that the Double-Door is a Charlotte landmark. Most folks know it as the blues club where Eric Clapton and many other well-known musicians (mostly guitarists it seems...) have made appearances. What’s odd is that most run-of-the-mill-non-musician-types have heard of the Double-Door, but haven’t actually made it down there.
So, if I want to catch a show or am performing there, or I am trying to round up some folks to go and I tell them that it’s at the Double Door, I’m usually met with, “Oh yeah... the Double Door... Where is that?” It seems that the venue’s legendary status doesn’t help get people in the doors.
Regardless, I do find most folks who do make it out for the first time enjoy the funky intimacy of the Double Door. Upon entering the door and climbing the steps up to the bar-room floor (not unlike climbing up to see some kind of shrine) one is hit with a clear sense of history. Performing at the Double-Door is a joy as it’s an honor to be a part of that history — even if you’re not Eric Clapton and you don’t play guitar.
What is interesting is that Micah Davidson (the club's booking agent and president of the Carolinas Live Music Society) has been working to revamp the Double-Door by developing its image. It’s not just a blues club anymore since the venue now hosts a wide range of bands that play jazz, jazz-fusion, funk, bluegrass, rock, folk and so on.
On one hand, this is a step forward as it gives a wide range of performers and listeners the opportunity to play the Double-Door and to partake of its history. On the other, it leads one to wonder about the Double-Door legend. After all, whether you’re a player or a listener, the fact that Eric Clapton played there won’t seem like such a big deal if you don’t care too much about blues/classic rock in the first place.
But, perhaps since most Charlotteans only know of the Double-Door “legend” (and not of the Double-Door itself), it doesn’t matter anyway. After all, legends tend to be created and maintained by folks who get their info second-hand.
For info on the Double Door’s music schedule check out the club's Web site, here.
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