Grog Shop 30th Anniversary Interview August 24, 2022

Volume #27: Grog Shop 30th Anniversary, Interview with Kathy Blackman

Aug 8th, 2022

Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106

I don’t remember exactly when it was, probably 2008 or 2009, and I was living near Coventry road in Cleveland Heights. I learned from my brother that my favorite punk band “The Bouncing Souls” was coming to town. Not only that, but in celebration of their 20thanniversary, they were doing two shows, back to back, at the Grog Shop. Now bear in mind, that the Grog was walking distance from my apartment at the time. You can probably understand how a 28 year old, unmarried and childless Z.M. would have been a tad bit excited by this announcement. What later transpired were two of the most incredible and insane shows I’ve ever attended. Both nights were sold out, and they flew by in a blur of tall cans, moshpits and singalongs. I recall being arm in arm with my brothers, friends and complete strangers; dancing, singing and colliding with hundreds of elated punks. They were magical nights, and as I said, they went down at the one and only Grog Shop. That wasn’t my first visit and it was far from my last: I was just there the Wednesday after this interview covering Goatwhore and Incantation; A few weeks before that I was on stage introducing Assault at their album release party; In fact I may be in the Grog shop more than any other club in town, and the reasons why are quite obvious: They book great shows with both national and local talent. They have great sound. They've got a friendly and efficient staff. They have great prices both at the door and at the bar, and they have the mystique and legendary status that comes with three decades of loyal service. 

Those iconic red drapes have hung behind many an act that has gone on to play much, much larger stages. If you show me a lover of live music in Northeast Ohio, I would bet any money that they have a memory from the Grog. It’s just not the sort of club you can avoid for long if you’re part of the music scene. It is located in a prime spot at the intersection of Euclid Heights and Coventry. “The Street,” as this area is affectionately referred to by its proprietors, or simply “Coventry” by most of its visitors, has been a center for culture in the area for as long as I can remember; and long before. The heart of that culture is a thriving music community. A large part of why that community thrives is because of the Grog Shop. These topics and many others are what I got to discuss when I sat down with Kathy Blackman, owner and founder of the Grog. 

I arrived on site shortly after 2pm and found the doors open. I walked in to a strange site: the Grog was seemingly sleeping. No stage lights, no bartenders, no house music. I am unaccustomed to seeing it in this state and it was… strange. The room was silent and, with the exception of one employee buzzing about, completely empty. I told him I was there to see Kathy, and he directed me to the office. Here I found the nerve center of the operation, and it was anything but asleep. Kathy was on the phone, so I lingered in the doorway and waited for to finish her call. She had a small dog with her who rose to greet me. I busied myself with introducing myself to the pup, while Kathy rolled around in her chair, switching between multiple computer screens, filing cabinets and stacks of papers. The room itself looked like some sort of precariously organized chaos. The mysteries of the universe could be hidden in amongst the clutter, but you or I would never be able to find them. I imagine if you asked though, Kathy could… in about three seconds flat. She seemed to know where everything was, jumping from spot to spot rustling through heaps of documents and always fishing out just what she needed. I was immediately in awe of this woman and her frantic mastery of her domain. 

Once she’d finished her call, I knocked on the door and introduced myself.  Kathy looked a bit confused, so I had to do a little explaining before she remembered who I was and why I was there. As it turns out Rustbelt Rock Review isn’t the only worm in Kathy’s ear these days. This 30th anniversary is a big deal, and a lot of people want to talk to the lady in charge. She invited me to sit down and we began the interview. Or rather tried our best to, as her phone never seems to stop ringing and that employee I spotted was actually a trainee on his first day. None the less, between interruptions, Kathy was friendly and forthcoming making the interview a breeze. 

I started with some basics. Kathy is the founder and owner. She is the manager and the main booking agent. Though she does seem to do most of the heavy lifting, Kathy frequently spoke about her great team and how they all contribute in big ways to the production. I wanted to hear an origin story, so I asked Kathy to take me back to 1992 and tell me what led up to the her deciding to open a club. As it turns out, there never was much of a plan. “I started this in ’92. At the time I had two partners, they were shortly gone thereafter, so it’s really been me, you know, for over 25 years.” She said “It was like, I opened a bar, then I started to do music… It just sort of happened… It wasn’t my dream as a 10 year old to open a Rock Club or anything.”

Chris Maggot of Mutilation Barbecue at Grog Shop

I asked Kathy more about those early years, specifically about fun verses finances. “It was way more fun in the early years… I have so many vivid memories… it has to do a lot with where my life was at the time. I was in my young 20’s to young 30’s. Subsequently we moved up here. We opened this place, I got married, I had kids. So, you know, my life sort of took a change.” Kathy found herself moving more into a management role. “I got to be the person that facilitates everything, but I’m not here every night bartending. It wasn’t so much of a party… It was definitely more fun in the beginning and it was a little more lighthearted. I didn’t have as much to lose.” Back then “I basically made my money by bartending and sort of struggled to keep the bills paid… Every single penny we made went back into the business.”

It was a labor of love for Kathy and compatriots in those early days. Soon enough a complication would hit the young club owner. After 11 years the Grog was forced to move down the street, which wasn't as simple as it might sound. I asked Kathy to discuss it and she told me a short story. The original landlord “sold the building that my space was in and we lost our lease basically… The new owners wanted to put apartments upstairs… With us downstairs it would have been difficult to utilize the space above it.” 

Seriously, imagine walking into your dream apartment, only to find out Kathy would be blasting Rock N' Roll til the wee hours, 7 days a week! I'd imagine it could make a leasing agent’s job... a bit tricky. Suffice to say, the Grog was soon to be homeless. Knowing that she was losing her lease, but not wanting to give up her business, Kathy began “a year long process where I vetted many different options.” “I wanted to stay on the street and in the neighborhood.” 

Beast Killer at Grog Shop

While shopping around greater Cleveland for a new home, Kathy looked into many spots that all fell through for one reason or another- until she approached the landlords of the current building. “There used to be an Arabica here and a bunch of [other] stuff, and it was empty at the time. They sort of weren’t interested in me because they thought an Urban Outfitter was going to rent this place, but they didn’t, so they came back to me.” So Grog had found a home, but there was a catch.  “When we moved here I had to take the space below me too, which is B-side, so I opened that as well.” 

“Then we basically closed. We had a closing weekend, it was mid July, it was very hot. Everything just went to shit. The air was broke and we had crazy local shows that were packed… We had the ‘Old Grog’ farewell. I think it was like a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, maybe Sunday. Then we opened here on Wednesday. So we had three days transition.” 

Z.M. Delgado introducing Assault at Grog Shop

After getting my history lesson on the Grog Shop, I asked Kathy about her role in the scene over the years. Specifically I wanted to know how she was received as a female club owner in what is traditionally seen as a male dominated industry. “I think I did have to work harder in the early days just mostly to gain respect and attention of the booking agents out there.” While the national agents took some time to warm up, locally Kathy met less resistance. “Not so much in Cleveland per se… I think I was ok here… Fast forward and almost every club in Cleveland is owned by a woman now… At the time I probably was the only one.” In time, and with a lot of hard work, Kathy earned the respect of the out of town booking agents as well. “It was definitely difficult, but there were a lot of good people that helped along the way in the early days.”  

Kathy talked at some length here and there about the importance of this local community. In a music scene I break that down into three categories: The Venues, The Bands and The Fans.  These three elements are essential and a scene cannot exist without them all. Whether you’re talking about a basement show, or a stadium, a concert can’t happen without a venue. I wondered about how the clubs interacted in general, but more specifically I wanted to know how they were affected by the COVID crisis: As it turns out, in true Cleveland fashion, they tightened up and stood together. As you know our small music venues were among the hardest hit during that time. I have heard of many clubs that had to close their doors permanently as a result of the pandemic. Fortunately, Grog Shop was not among them. I asked Kathy about how the Grog and its staff faired throughout and I got some interesting incites. “It was definitely weird and crazy and scary, and all those things. It was a rollercoaster of emotions.” Kathy showed me her COVID souvenir: the show listing board from March 2020... and all the concerts that were cancelled. It was eerie looking at it, like a concert calendar version of a ghost town. Seeing that big list of shows that never went down was a weird sensation. It creeped me out... like it was a post apocalyptic hellscape instead of a list of gigs. “Definitely it was tough… Obviously there was nothing good about that, but I think it did sort of make everybody in town sort of take a pause and realize how supportive we needed to be of each other. All the clubs sort of banded together. We started having these weekly calls and we all became involved in N.I.V.A. (National Independent Venues Association). They had the first N.I.V.A. conference here.” “But we had our little Cleveland group that would…chit chat with each other, because we were all freaking out. What are we gonna do? How are you gonna pay your bills? How are you gonna stay open? So we would share ideas and war stories. You know, cried in each other’s soup basically.” Luckily groups like N.I.V.A, and the Save Our Stages effort got grant money issued that allowed our music venues to survive, but what about the staff? 

The Pit rages at Grog Shop

As it turns out, Kathy hadn’t forgotten about her “Grog Family,” as she calls them. “We did little things. We sold posters, we sold merch, we did tons of fundraisers… All that stuff really was more for my staff who were like Oh my god, we’re on unemployment. We can’t pay our bills … Really, you went through all the myriad of emotions. I’ve gotta help my staff, and then I’ve gotta help my club. We were closed for a year and a half at least.” They truly did everything that they could. “I used to say 30 is the new 300. If I can get 30 people in here, and it pays one band, and it pays one bartender and it pays one door guy; that’s better than nothing… We were trying to help the musicians and the artists, and, you know, the guys who make our flyers, and everybody. I think as a community, the music community, we did really look out for each other instead of competing.” I found it refreshing to hear Kathy speak like this. As you know, I view the Metal community as an extended family. It's good to see that the people behind the scenes support that notion, and extend it beyond the bounds of Metal to all genres. 

That brings me to the next aspect of this community: The musicians that perform at the Grog. While Grog Shop gets more than its fair share of national touring acts, it is sustained by a vibrant community of local talent. The underground music scene in Cleveland is teeming with life and that is largely to do with clubs like Grog Shop. I asked Kathy why she makes such a concerted effort to be a home for our city’s musicians. “Well, we are a small club.” Grog is like “a stepping stone for so many people and obviously it should be that even more so for the local community. Without Cleveland bands and the music scene in general we couldn’t survive.” "It’s important to be supportive and respectful and help everybody succeed.” “The more Cleveland musicians succeed the better everybody does.” “We gotta rise up. We gotta support each other. I think that’s super important. Or there wouldn’t be a Grog Shop to go to.” “It’s cyclical. We all depend on each other. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, and quite frankly, the musicians feed me. So I’m not this end all, be all, without them I would be nothing.” 

Incantation at Grog Shop

Next we moved on to the final part of my community triad: The Fans. Grog Shop has always had a commitment to its fan experience. “Not only are the bands important, but the fans: The people who come to see music." We discussed some of the things that keep people coming back time and again. In my early teens I would see shows listed at some mythical location called “The Grog Shop.” I dreamed of the day when Chen and I would be old enough to get in a car and go catch a gig. Naturally in due time that dream was fulfilled. I told Kathy about my first impressions as a wide eyed teen. She had a good laugh at the expense of this hayseed Madison kid turned Gonzo Journalist. The long and short of it is this, for as long as I have been patronizing The Grog Shop, it has been a stellar experience. I ask Kathy how and why they’ve maintained such a high production quality. “We’ve definitely improved over the years. I’ve learned it is important to have sound quality and all those things. It is important to have a good staff. It is important to be a friendly face and be accepting. You can’t just have one thing. There’s many little pieces that I think make a good solid club.” “I am proud of like, how the room sounds these days, it didn’t always sound perfect, but you know, as you grow and learn, you realize the importance of that. For bands coming through, if your room sounds like shit, they don’t want to play there.” 

So what does the future hold for Kathy and the Grog shop team? Well I am happy to report, they are still firing on all cylinders. “Yeah, we’re doing all right. Listen, I don’t think anybody gets into this business to become a millionaire… You have to really love what you do and like the experience of music and people and all that.” “I think it’s great. Obviously it’s my career now; I never thought it would be. 30 years later, I guess it’s my full time job. And I guess I’m sticking with it for who knows how long. Yeah, I think we’re here to stay… as long as I can still keep doing it.” Based on what I learned about Kathy, it’ll take a hell of a lot more than lost leases or pandemics to stop her from giving music a home in the Heights. 

So let’s talk about the anniversary celebration. What began as a weekend of shows has now spilled over into an entire month. I asked Kathy what she wanted my readers to know about the events. “They can come to 30 days in September and see a myriad of fabulous things. They should come check something out.” She also hinted at the potential for a “Throwback Thursday” ticket sale on September 1st, where all ticket prices would be rolled back to 1992 prices. Kathy sees this as a way to give back to the loyal fans that have supported her and her staff over the years. Make sure you all keep your eyes peeled for that. 

So there you have it. I sat down and picked the brain of the owner of one of Cleveland’s most respected clubs. A place that I have spent countless incredible evenings in; a place where I have drank and sang, moshed and danced, and even performed at on one occasion. It is a special place for so many of us. Have you ever been there? I bet you have and you know just what I’m talking about. The Grog is a home away from home for so many of us. If you have not caught a show there, I urge you to do so. Few venues can give you the true, raw, visceral Rock N’ Roll experience like Grog Shop does; And I can’t think of any that does so with such a consistent level of outstanding quality. This September the Grog shop turns 30. I plan on celebrating along with them and you’re all invited. If I know anything, it’s this: It’s sure to be one hell of a party. 

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt!

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Zackolantern.com

8/15/2022

For a full list of upcoming shows at the Grog Shop visit www.grogshop.gs/

Grog Shop 30thAnniversary Weekend

Thurs, September 22nd

Collin Miller & Brother Nature, Hello! 3D, Red Rose Panic

Fri, September 23rd

Cloud Nothing, The Missed, Little Lions Den

Sat, September 24th

Frayle, Relaxer, Rebreather

Sun, Sept 25th

Melvins, We Are The Asteroid