Logan Misegadis (left) and Joel Zuercher pose inside the Hangars, the garage-turned-venue that has become a haven for Denver and Boulder DIY bands.
If you’re looking to open and run a DIY venue in Denver, now is probably not the best time. Within the last two months, longstanding venues Rhinoceropolis and Glob have been shuttered by the Denver Fire Department, Juice Church has taken what’s best described as an indefinite hiatus from booking shows, and the few surviving venues have gone underground, minimizing their social-media presence. Seventh Circle Music Collective was one of the lucky few, passing inspection and retaining its clearance to operate and host shows. But the general sentiment – that Denver DIY is fighting an uphill battle and, at present, seemingly losing it – remains.
That is exactly why the founders of the Hangars decided to open a DIY venue.
“We were going back and forth to see if we wanted to do it at first,” says Jeremy Marquez. “And then with all the crazy witch stuff that’s been happening, we decided we needed to.”
I’m meeting Marquez, along with venue co-founders Joel Zuercher and Logan Misegadis, at a coffee shop downtown. Marquez is slumped into a black couch, flanked on either side by Zuercher and Misegadis, all of whom are musicians and active within Denver DIY. Because of that, their motivations for opening a new venue are first and foremost personal.
“DIY is literally how I grew up. Doing this for five years, that’s all I know,” explains Marquez, the frontman of Continental Breakfast and former guitarist for Bourgeois Girl. “It’s what shaped me, not only as a musician, but as a person. Seeing this community in danger, you can’t just stand there and watch that happen.”
“It’s a true Spider-Man situation,” adds Zuercher. “If you have the ability to do something, to fix a situation, it’s your responsibility to do such. We felt it was our responsibility to give this away.”
Zuercher is referring to the renovated garage on his property that the trio has recently converted into a venue — not without some difficulty. Although the venue is located thirty minutes outside of Denver and in less danger of being shut down than those located in the city, its founders have nonetheless spent serious time combing through zoning documents, installing exit signs and fire extinguishers, and ensuring that the lighting and electrical wiring is up to code.
At present, they’re in the clear with the fire department, but they refuse to become optimistic.
“This could last for a month and then get shut down,” says Marquez.
“We could all go to jail,” Misegadis says. It’s hard to tell whether he’s joking.
Read the full article… By Elle Carroll
http://www.westword.com/music/how-to-start-a-denver-diy-space-open-in-brighton-8718164