by James Cassara

In late November of last year, when word began circulating that the Altamont Theater was closing down, it seemed an inevitable consequence of an already crowded club scene in Asheville.

By my count there are nearly twenty venues located near downtown whose primary focus is on hosting live music and other events. Despite our area’s well deserved reputation as one that supports and promotes the arts there is no denying that Asheville may have reached its saturation point. The Altamont, with its excellent layout, acoustics, and intimate feel would surely be missed but at the time of its rumored (and, as it turns out, inaccurately reported) demise I marked it down to the brutal reality of making any new business a success.

Originally opened in 2010 the club was a rare gem, hosting under the radar performances by artists ranging from local favorites David Wilcox and Chuck Brodsky to veteran artists and up and coming figures such as Kim Ritchey and The Milk Carton Kids, and in a rare performance by Leon Redbone, a genuine legend. It was one of the few area venues committed to supporting jazz music and standup comedy on regular basis – two art forms that haven’t quite yet found a steady audience here-and was clearly a club artists wanted to play. Located on Church Street downtown, the club was handicapped by a lack of easy parking but, for those willing to make of bit of extra effort, the rewards were well worth it.

Fast forward a bit to late January of this year. At the invitation of a friend I attended my first ever TEDx event, assuming it was a farewell of sorts for the Altamont. Imagine my delight in finding out that the Altamont is not only remaining open for business but, under new ownership, has plotted out an aggressive and sustainable model for 2015. “We hear that a lot” said new co-owner Richard Barrett, in response to my assumption that the Altamont would be no more. “But we’re here to stay and have some pretty great shows lined up.”

James Cassara: Talk a bit about the evolution of the Altamont, how you came to be involved and the change of ownership. Who are the other owners?

Richard Barrett: My history with the Altamont started back in May of 2013, when I was brought on by then owners Brian and Tiffany Lee to manage their newly opened restaurant, The Green Room. While working there (3 doors down from the theatre) I ended up performing various duties at The Altamont and was brought over full time in November of 2013 to focus on private event sales and day to day operations.

I developed a professional and personal relationship with production manager, and sound technician Chris Medrano, and got to experience firsthand the magic and intimacy that The Altamont Theatre offered the live music community. In August 2014, Brian informed us that he would be closing the doors at The Altamont, as he was moving to Raleigh to spend more time with his family.

Chris and I immediately began coming up with ideas to keep this beautiful space open by filling the calendar and continuing the shows. Unfortunately we kept hitting a wall. While Chris and I have great specific and overlapping skill sets, we were still having trouble keeping the calendar full and fulfilling all the duties required as a two man team.

In November, just as we were ready to throw in the towel and call it a day, I received a call from friend, and local promoter Sam Katz, asking to meet with Chris and I about our ideas for the future of The Altamont. Sam was a co-owner at Asheville Music Hall and The One Stop, which was in the middle of an acquisition by New Earth Muziq, (owners of New Mountain Asheville). With his interest being sold, Sam was looking for something new to move forward with, and thus the missing piece of The Altamont puzzle was set in place.

JC: Great timing that was meant to be. It seems to me any club, especially one in an area as competitive as ours, has to find some way to distinguish itself, a niche that no one else has fully explored. How do you hope to offer something a bit different from the many other venues in a around Asheville?

RB: I really believe The Altamont already has a niche. Throw a rock in any direction and you’ll hit multiple 300 capacity (and higher) music venues, yet it seems that there are only a couple of intimate listening rooms. We’ve come to be known as the go-to spot for high end singer/songwriter and acoustic shows.

We plan to continue expanding on that and adding full band performances, as well as integrating a regular standup comedy series, business and community summits (like TEDx,) and private event rentals. The beauty of The Altamont is its ability to act as the perfect space for virtually any event with 200 or less in attendance.

JC: For those unfamiliar with the Altamont, talk a bit about its layout. I especially appreciate that the drink bar and restrooms are set far away from the stage. For a room with such delicate acoustics that seems essential.

RB: The layout is one of the distinguishing features that makes The Altamont the best listening room in Asheville (writers note, let the debate begin!). Having the bar located downstairs provides the perfect environment for performers to connect with the crowd, without the interruption of clanging glasses and cash register drawers. For certain shows we offer cocktail service which will allow patrons to stay in their seats for the entire performance.

JC: What’s the history of the building itself? It has some remarkable features that would appeal to fans of music and architecture alike.

RB: The building itself was erected in 1895. I don’t know a whole lot about the history, other than it was mainly used for retail businesses, and in the 30s it acted as a speakeasy, and possibly a brothel in the upper floors. There’s no documentation to confirm that, but we do have the original slide-hole doors on our dressing rooms downstairs.

It was gutted, historically renovated, and reopened as the theatre by Brian and Tiffany Lee in 2010. For those who haven’t been, the architecture is stunning, classic with a taste of modern. The split level lobby/lounge and cat walk stair case downstairs receives a lot of attention from those with an eye for architecture, and doubles up as a wonderful gallery space.

JC: Are there any already booked shows for the next few months that you can talk about?

RB: When we first took over the lease we didn’t expect the calendar to really fill up until April as most shows are generally booked and promoted 90 days out. However, we received an incredible response from artists and agents alike, and were able to fill in a lot of February and almost all of March.

Some notable acts coming in the next few months include: March 7, Kevn Kinney (of Drivin’ N Cryin’); March 20, Celtic Fiddle legend Jamie Laval’s St. Paddy’s Day Celebration; March 28, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra; April 4, Bradford Lee Folk and The Bluegrass Playboys; April 15, Caravan of Thieves.

We also host stand-up comedy every Thursday, and we have world beat group Zansa booked for the first Friday of every month.

We’re booking more and more everyday! If you’d like to be on our mailing list to receive updates and recently booked shows you can sign up on our Facebook page or email us on our contact form at www.thealtamont.com

JC: I assume you’re also open to booking for private events and such. What’s the process for that?

RB: We are absolutely booking for private events! Over the past year we’ve had 10-15 wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, commitment ceremonies, and private parties. The Altamont is a wonderful choice for almost any event, and we allow clients the freedom to transform the room into any theme they can imagine. We’ve seen the room turn into a masquerade ball, a red carpet New York night club, and rustic farm style banquet all with just a few alterations and decor options. If you or someone you know is interested in renting the space please contact me at rtbarrett@gmail.com for pricing and availability.

JC: Anything else you’d care to add?

RB: We now have regular box office hours Tuesday-Thursday, 3-6 p.m. so that customers can buy tickets without etix processing fees. Please keep an eye out for upcoming events at The Altamont! Our mission is to provide a unique, high-quality space and experience for community arts, entertainment, and enjoyment. We can’t achieve this goal without the support of this community.

If you have any questions about programming, events, or facility rental please feel free to contact me by email. And thank you so much James, and to the staff and readers of Rapid River for your continued support of arts and entertainment in this, the most creative, conscious, and cultured community in the region. We look forward to seeing everyone soon at The Altamont Theatre!

The Altamont Theatre
18 Church Street, Asheville,  www.myAltamont.com
Richard Barrett, Owner, Sales and Operations Manager
(404) 580-7645, rtbarrett@gmail.com