October 3, 2012
The last couple of years, Collegetown bars have been closing, not opening -- but this weekend, the Ithaca neighborhood just off the Cornell campus gets a brand new venue. The Gates opens Friday, October 5th in the basement spot formerly occupied by the Chariot and, briefly, Mango Restaurant.
The Gates, a new bar opening this weekend in Collegetown. 14850 Photo.Owners of the Gates, who previously owned Culture Shock, a downtown eatery and bar that struggled to find its personality before closing early this year, plan a combination of local and national acts, DJ nights, and classy cocktails and beer. Booking agent Eliot Rich, a local musician and DJ who used to book acts at Castaways, says the club is planning DJ nights on Thursdays and most Saturdays, and live acts on Friday nights.
Second Dam plays the Cayuga Street stage at the Ithaca Festival. 14850 Photo.Kicking off the bar's inaugural weekend on Friday will be Beat the Grid, an NYC-based band that dances "along the borders of dance rock, experimental, lounge, electronic, acid jazz, and alternative music," and Second Dam, a band made up of current Ithaca College students that wowed their audience at the Ithaca Festival this June with an excellent bluesy vocal sound.
Beat the Grid grew out of an electronic duo founded by Ithaca College freshmen in 2008. The event also serves as an album release party for their "& Why" EP.
The Gates is planning a grand opening on Saturday, October 13th, a dance party featuring DJ Cappel. Dan Smalls Presents is putting on an electronic night featuring Random Rab from the west coast on Thursday, October 11th, Sim Redmond Band is headlining a Friday night show on the 12th, with the Andrew & Noah Band opening, and the Blind Spots are slated to play an album release and Halloween party on Friday, October 26th.
