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A couple of weeks ago, SFist reported that all-ages clubs The Fillmore, Great American Music Hall, Slims, Bottom of the Hill, Cafe Du Nord, and DNA Lounge, were all under threat of being shut down by the Alcoholic Beverage Control due to minor permit discrepancies. Senator Mark Leno met with ABC officers and reportedly came to an agreement that they would work together to keep the clubs in business.
But as Pirate Cat Radio eloquently put it, ABC control chief Steve Hardy must have been crossing his fingers behind his back because Bottom of the Hill has received another notice that they're to appear in ABC court again on May 6. Cases are also still pending against Cafe Du Nord, Slim's, the DNA Lounge, and the Great American Music Hall.
ABC claims that it's just "the administrative process moving forward" and that Hardy still plans to work with Leno, but Leno was not happy about this new development. Leno argued that all hearings should be put on hold until the broader issue has been resolved regarding the correct type of permit all-ages venues should have.
Contact the ABC San Francisco office at (415)356-6500 or SFO.Direct@abc.ca.gov.
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Yeah, the people representing the clubs were on KFOG last week saying that the Chronicle piece was fluff and they were never contacted for the article. The ABC is basically shaking hands and smiling with people and then railing the clubs into ABC "courts" which have no accountability to anyone but the ABC.
Their take is that it amounts to an attack on Northern California and it's ideals in general. The ABC isn't concerned with the spirit of the law as much as enforcing the letter of the law.
I've been to most of these clubs multiple times and they aren't bastions of underage drinking. In fact, I've encouraged my teenage son to attend concerts at both Slim's and the Warfield because that's what teenagers should be doing.
But annoyingly enough -- the ABC's vendetta isn't regarding underage drinking. It's about how the clubs' food sales aren't equal to or above alcohol/ticket sales, which is a stipulation BOTH was forced into when they renewed their liquor license.
Oh I certainly understand the reason that they are giving for going after the clubs. But let's be real here, can you tell me the last time that you went to the Fillmore for the food? The clubs are allowed to let minors in because they serve food. It is a loophole. Everyone on both sides knows it. It's just like leaving up one wall of a house and calling it a renovation.
The spirit of the matter here is that by choosing to enforce this law now they are shutting down venues with already slim margins in a bad economy and forcing venues that can handle loosing every patron under the age of twenty one into raising ticket prices and booking more mainstream acts. Fuck mainstream acts.
Your children are NOT getting drunk and stoned at clubs. They're getting drunk and stoned at my place.
So I got bored and looked some stuff up.
Apparently the Director of the ABC is appointed by the Governor.
http://www.abc.ca.gov/bios/Hardy_bio.html
I'm a little more than grumpy about this sort of thing and I'd encourage people to let the Governor know your displeasure with the situation.
http://gov.ca.gov/interact
Not that I figure you actually get a direct email to anyone who gives half a damn, but can it hurt?
Afterwards, when you're bored, email all the state senators who confirm the appointment of someone who's essentially being a douchebag and going after all the clubs for no fucking reason.
http://www.senate.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/senators.htp
There you go, there's a list.
It's not enough to bother the people who are doing the harassment. They're not accountable to us. They are accountable to the people who can appoint and confirm their replacement in the event that they're doing a job that our tax dollars are paying for... but not doing an acceptable job. Someone is giving these orders, the clubs are NOT serving booze to minors, and this is a pretty flagrant abuse of their power and if it means the Director needs to be removed in order for it to stop, we need to find a way to make it happen.