but its still a good rumor
and it could be true
and wouldn’t it be nice
A little birdie who recently moved to Fredericksburg reports:
Last night I was talking with some local restaurateurs, and found out that a local business owner, Chris Dunbar, has bought Starr Hill. It will be a restaurant and music hall. They already have a show booked (dark star orchestra) and should be opening by midsummer.
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Tagged as: band, Bars, Drink, Food, Gossip, Music, Rumors, Star Hill
ooooh, that sounds lovely.
The return of Starr Hill! I know that not everyone agrees, but I liked the place. Should fill the “no more Satellite Ballroom and your band just isn’t big enough to fill The Jefferson” niche.
The place is probably cool, but the beer is only so, so. I would be interested in seeing what can be done with the place.
Lu Sid, you new to town? You’ve never been in there?
Not too new, I just put off going there…so long that they closed. Then I figured, hey good thing I never got around to it, cause it closed and must not have been that great. That is my theory anyway.
I didn’t care for the music hall. The lay out was no good, the bouncers were shit heads, and … something else but I can’t remember. Umm, what I did like about it is that you could hang out downstairs before and after (and during) the show. I put a premium on being able to sit and order a drink. Further, if I don’t like one of bands, I like the option of getting away from music.
The restaurant also suffered from poor design.
I hope they gut the place and start from scratch
That said, it would be great to have someone pick up the slack once the ballroom closes.
I am curious to know how these newbies intend to make that space work where even the all mighty Coran failed
@2 - I agree! I really liked the shows upstairs. I hope the rumor is true and it’s reincarnation still involves live music.
Crap, unnecessary apostrophe. I’m tired…
I saw some awesome shows there and had some fun times in the dressing room. Can’t wait to see what they do with the place.
Based on my Cvillain name, I think I deserve a free ticket when/if it opens.
I didn’t care for the music hall. The lay out was no good
THIS. A music venue with a big gaping hole in the middle of the floor? I’m no acoustical engineer, but that’s a terrible idea. The room still had sweet spots, but the sound varied wildly as one moved about the space.
THIS
@11: Architectural flaws aside, they had some awesome bands there.
if there is anywork being done to the venue- some sort of elevator for the band’s very heavy equipment might be a godd idea…
i helped load in galactic one year and could see the headline “crew falls to death through the stairway at venue, crushed and broken under soundboards”…
Rumor or not, they will have a similar sized space coming soon to compete with
The food was great when back when that space was the Blue Ridge Brewing Company.
Is the old brewing equiptment still in there, or did it all move to Crozet? Is it possible we may have another brewery in town when they open up?
they will have a similar sized space coming soon to compete with
Do tell! What new space? Who? Where? When?
@17: Not really in town, but I heard a new brewery is opening up in Nelson County. Supposedly it will be between the Ski Barn and Wintergreen on 664.
Is the old brewing equiptment still in there, or did it all move to Crozet?
Prior to Starr Hill’s closing, they moved it to Crozet, replacing it with a semi-private dining area and an artspace. So, barring the addition of new brewing equipment, Cville proper will continue to have one sub-par brewery rather than two sub-par breweries.
/ducks, runs away
Doof - The equipement is long gone. They converted the brew room into a rental/party room a while back.
How about instead of another brew pub, someone opens a nice wholesome distillery pub: fresh, organic, & local! They could sell at the bar, the farmers market, and through a CSA. It’s a moral and just idea for a new America. Yes we can!
@9
“fun times in the dressing room” Shen? you are such a naughty girl…
But it has to be cheap. I like my beer cheap. And plentiful. Oh, screw it. Does it taste good? I’m there.
Wonder how much of a pain it would be to create an entry other than that middle stairway thing. Something along a wall or possibly from the back. The elevator for equipment, the handicapped, stuff the staff has to lug upstairs is a fantastic one, too.
23: How about upstairs as a sort of bisto-ish dining room, and downstairs (with several walls knocked out) as the music hall?
@24 That would certainly solve the “OMG the floor is going to cave in” feeling that a good night with Southern Culture on the Skids or the Hackensaw Boys creates. Wonder which is the cheaper option. You’d have to do some serious reconfiguring.
Oh, I had even thought about the kitchen. I guess that would have to move upstairs, too, in my imagined re-do. Unless they got dumbwaiters! I love dumbwaiters.
i saw some good shows there and would like for it to be a music place again, but the design was pretty much crap. a few of the bands i talked to after their sets HATED playing at Star Hill because when you’re up on stage you’re looking directly into the lights in that ceiling cut-out. not to mention how small the stage is and, oh yeah, THERE’S A BIG EFFING HOLE IN THE FLOOR!!!
The building can’t really be reconfigured that much, architecturally. It’s registered as an historic thingie. That’s why it’s not required to have a handicapped entrance. Coran tried to make changes, couldn’t happen. Wonder if the dude bought the lease only or the building from the landlord?
there’s another stairwell in the back between the bar and the bathrooms, but it empties out in the back of the building, if that wasn’t a problem for the future owner, then I’d think you could do away with the stairwell in the middle of the space. Might have to add another exit in the back with a fire-escape or something to meet code, but it could be done.
@22: Yes
@25: When 2 Skinnee Jays played, the bouncer kept coming upstairs and asking us not to jump up and down, that it was damaging the floor/downstairs ceiling. We were like “Fuck you!” and all started just pounding on the floor. Haha.
If possible, they should knock out most of the upper level and just leave a balcony, then put the stage on the ground floor like a normal venue. It would solve the problem of the low stage/ceiling, the awkward entrance stairs, and the hole in the floor. Of course, it probably would make the building fall down, but youve gotta make sacrifices in the name of rock sometimes.
Aren’t there houses right behind there? I’m betting those people wouldn’t be any happier than the folks in Belmont are over the pavilion, if they suddenly had to deal with folks loudly wandering around their neighborhood around midnight. A front entrance sort of keeps that from happening. I’m not saying it couldn’t be done, but it wouldn’t seem terribly neighborly.
@31 - funny
Presumably, the new establishment’s proprietor will be reading this thread, taking several of our helpful suggestions, and, out of gratitude, granting lifetime VIP infinite-free-drink status to all cVillains. Which is, like, wicked cool of him or her.
I like the way you think Stanley.
Even better, the way Shenanigans holds it down at concerts, “had some fun times in the dressing room.” We know where to go for dirt on the band-members.
@30
I miss 2 Skinnee J’s.
http://www.2sj.com/
Looks like there’s a comeback tour (or at least show) and the tickets go on sale this AM.
I find myself seriously contemplating buying tickets for a show all the way in NYC.