The Quarter - Take 2
By floor9 on May 30, 2006 in Downtown
This past weekend, The Quarter opened their dancefloor level. Being that I work weekends at Dragonfly, I wasn’t able to check it out. What I’m hearing from several friends is that it’s not exactly what I was hoping for. In fact, everyone seems to agree that it’s a bit of a letdown. Worse, I’m told that they don’t plan on having a DJ, opting to go for the bands route instead.
I’ve got nothing against bands or the local music scene, so don’t bother. We’ve got some decent talent around here. But when I go to a club, I don’t want to lounge around to a bad cover of an emo version of a Tool remake of some song that Foreigner did in the 80s. Not my thing. On top of that, the sound & light requirements for live music are very different from the requirements for a DJ; you generally don’t put bands on a dancefloor.
Maybe I’m mistaken. Maybe I’m only hearing second-rate rumors. Anyone care to enlighten?
It’s great if you like to hang out in a 100+degree smoke filled room w/zero ventilation. It’s basically a big hot sweaty room with a bar. Nothing special at all. My favorite part of that venue is the Jazz/Blues bar in the basement.
MrMidtown | May 30, 2006 | Reply
I also like the basement. Kinda like Noma used to be, only not white and blue, and with a different soundtrack.
floor-9 | May 31, 2006 | Reply
Due to what happened to me there a few weeks ago while in Harrisburg (http://floor-9.com/wp/2006/05/05/the-quarter/#comments), I am not surprised to hear this sad news. IMO The Quarter has completely failed…
Dave | Jun 1, 2006 | Reply
Any word on the rooftop deck? I’d like to see how that compares with hanging out on the busy sidewalk.
Mike | Jun 1, 2006 | Reply
Haven’t seen the new venue… but I agree with the other comments; The basement is great. However, I’ll not be returning to the Quarter. My first night there a friend was dejected for wearing a hat. Since then I’ve heard of people being kicked out for wearing black tshirts and having too many tatoos! That on top of the prices, they do not need my business (and would probably claim not to want it either). Also, my first night there I witnessed a fight right outside the front door. This past Friday, my friend called me from the Quarter and said there was a huge fight out front and it took nearly 20 minutes for what security they had there to show up and do something about it.
Mak | Jun 2, 2006 | Reply
i was there two weeks ago and didnt like the service. the vibe is smooth though. when it comes to bad crowds eclipse takes the cake. i can put up with bad service but not at those prices, what was he thinking?
burgi | Jun 2, 2006 | Reply
I am back in HBG for the weekend to pick up a few things and a friend suggested The Quarter. “No thanks, ” I said, told him why and then suggested we meet elsewhere. What’s the old saying about if you have a good experience you tell 3 people, but when you have a bad experience you tell 10?!?!? All of these comments are just reinforcing my beliefs that The Quarter will be a miserable failure in no time…
You know, I hate picking on my hometown and I don’t want to come off as yet another person who left for bigger and better things and is now joining in on picking on the little guy, but I have to say that Harrisburg seems to be taking a MAJOR step backwards in the nightlife dept. while other cities forge ahead. Examples:
MARS turning into the South St. Tavern. You take a cool place and turn it into THAT?!?
Tom Sawyer’s Diner - a COMPLETE JOKE IMO and I couldn’t even begin to get into all that I feel is wrong with that place (and taking up one of HBG’s most prime pieces of real estate I might add).
Noma becoming a beach club, then turning back into Noma “Remixed” (not very exciting; why not try something new?).
The Quarter…you know my feelings.
Eclipse and the Hardware Bar are not my thing at all but there is a place for them (I guess).
Dragonfly/The District - The District could be okay but it was always dead when I was there. D-fly is alright (if you are into that sort of thing) but needs to change its format a little more; no need for two floors in a club to be playing the exact same thing!!!
Max’s - Just okay and nothing special. It could have a very promising future but I am afraid it will never reach it.
My beef is when every other single freakin’ place that opens wants to be exactly like the clubs above. The horrible music (IMO) these places play aside, it is most certainly a recipe for disaster to want to emulate places that have been around for 5+ years and changed very, very little…
I think the problem is that HBG needs more than the same group of people running the show. You see the same names affiliated with every single place that opens…
Dave | Jun 2, 2006 | Reply
harrisburg had a complete nightclub experience, when dj [andy vicious] was behind the turntables, and lj [davy dmx] were in control of the scene back in [92-93]. if they could reunite in a return to downtown, it would be massive!! [nuf said]!!
frank [rizzo] | Jun 2, 2006 | Reply
thats 02-03, ha ha …….LOL!!!!!
frank [rizzo] | Jun 2, 2006 | Reply
Dave, I’ve heard complaints about the diner as well. Slow service, mainly. But like The Quarter, you’ve got to expect some quirks during the opening weeks. I think if The Quarter can knock their prices down to Harrisburg levels, they can easily recover. The service will have to improve somewhat, but hey … KoKoMo’s is still around, aren’t they?
But with the diner … what happens when it rains or snows? Isn’t that a 65% - 75% reduction in capacity? The inside doesn’t look that big.
We need some changes downtown. Perhaps the worst idea I’ve seen yet is the attempt to franchise and co-brand properties — who wants a Wal-Mart lounge?
Frank, yeah, I think pretty much all of Central PA wants the Andy Vicious / DMX combo to return. I’m reasonably certain that their departure was written up in several trade magazines, and I know I’ve personally seen countless letters to the editor in the Patriot about the matter.
floor-9 | Jun 3, 2006 | Reply
I am very happy to announce that you will soon be able to bullride under the stars. I can hardly contain myself. According to a sign at the Tom Sawyer Diner the mechanical bull is coming out of retirement. I also hear that if the bull doesn’t pack the house there are plans to change the diner to “2nd St Tavern” and then bring it back next spring as “Tom Sawyer Remixed”
MrMidtown | Jun 4, 2006 | Reply
nothing says keeping meat loaf down like riding a mechanical bull and drink bud light. it’s good that they are keeping the theme consistent - tom sawyer, noted american… bullfighter… in… spain… who drank light beer… and ate at 1930’s style diners…
cosby | Jun 6, 2006 | Reply