Sparks

Located on Main Street where the Main Street Lounge is today, it was THE place to see a hardcore show in town between 1996 and 1999, although there was a period of the venue being shut down (see "discussion" section). It is rumored that the second time it shut down for good, was because someone was cut on a beer bottle during a Glasspack set (known for bottles flying) and sued the club (~1999). The space frequently saw hardcore matinees or early evening shows, closing for a small time and reopening as a LGBTQ+ bar space, which is part of why the decor shifted quite a bit in surviving photos and videos, it was constantly growing and changing. The entrance for shows was frequently on the right, either passing through the partial alley way or through the adjoining room as the inside was roughly H-shaped, with a 'cutout' in the middle from Main street, sort of an atrium. Bands played in the front on a stage in a room that backed up to Main St and had a load-out emergency door to the side. That door would frequently be left open on extremely hot nights - or just to allow your friends to come in free. The room wasn't that wide but was somewhat long, with a barrier wall (at one point plexiglass) separating that room from the back bar and lounge area. There was an upstairs control room overlooking the stage room that housed the PA board and frequently saw video cameras safely tucked away. The other side of the building had (at various times) a separate bar and pool tables.