The Masquerade (Atlanta)

Last updated
The Masquerade
The Masq
Masq atlanta.jpg
Exterior of the venue at its former location, DuPre Mill (c. 2006)
The Masquerade (Atlanta)
Address50 Lower Alabama St SW, Ste. 22
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-7602
Location Underground Atlanta
Coordinates 33°45′06″N84°23′31″W / 33.751539°N 84.3920599°W / 33.751539; -84.3920599
Capacity 1,000 (Heaven)
650 (Hell)
300 (Purgatory)
250 (Altar)
OpenedSeptember 1989
Website
Venue Website

The Masquerade is a mid-sized concert venue located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is located in Kenny's Alley, the lowest level of Underground Atlanta. The venue first opened in 1989 at the historic DuPre Excelsior Mill, a century-old former manufacturing plant. It became known throughout its early history as one of the city's premier alternative music spaces, hosting styles ranging from punk rock to electronic music. Its three stages, named after the destinations of the afterlife—Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell—forge distinct musical identities. After the space was sold in the 2000s, the Masquerade relocated to its current location in Underground Atlanta, where it retained its three concert spaces and added a fourth named Altar (2024). [1]

Contents

Background

Its live music mostly consists of alternative music styles, such as indie rock, metal, punk rock, rockabilly, and electronic, ranging from local acts to ones internationally known. The Masquerade's three principal interior stages—Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell—were originally separated on different levels of the mill, [2] though they are now all on the same level with separate entrances. At the mill, Heaven was upstairs above Hell at the right (west) side of the building, with Purgatory as the bar area downstairs to the left, all accessed from a central entryway behind the box office with a stairway to Heaven. The address for the parking deck and entrance is 75 Martin Luther King Jr, DR, SW.

History

The Masquerade was founded in September 1989 [3] [4] [5] at the historic DuPre Excelsior Mill, a former excelsior mill at 695 North Avenue in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. The historic space, which dates back to the 1890s, served as the venue's home for its first twenty-seven years. The Masquerade has its roots in the Excelsior Pub and Cinema, a restaurant which occupied the space in the 1980s, and hosted touring bands on occasion. [6]

The venue was known for its grungy, cavernous feel, variety of genres, as well as its adjacency to the Murder Kroger. [7] The floors in Heaven would regularly shake and bend with the weight of patrons. [8] [9] On New Year's Eve 2002, the stairs to Heaven caved in, causing minor injuries. [10] Urban legends suggested the space was haunted by a vampire. [11] The original building was sold in 2006 after it was made part of a new mixed-use development called North + Line. [12] The building was designated as historic by the city and all of the original parts will be saved through adaptive reuse. The space eventually became the Mill, a mixed-use office space. The building partially collapsed during construction in 2019. [13] [14]

The venue originally planned to relocate to a warehouse on the city's west side, [15] but when a lawsuit over noise concerns threatened the move, [16] the Masquerade temporarily moved to the former Kenny's Alley space in Underground Atlanta in October 2016. [17] The move was an adjustment for concertgoers; "It took a while for the Masquerade to find its footing at the new location," wrote Sean Keenan of Curbed Atlanta. [13]

In 2024, Masquerade added a fourth, smaller venue named Altar with a capacity of 250. [1]

Reception

The original Masquerade location was widely beloved in the Atlanta community and music scene at large. Many rock artists, ranging from indie rock, punk, metal, and more performed at the original location, including many artists who went on to achieve great fame. Ian MacKaye of Fugazi observed its original location was "clearly a unique space," adding, "I'm glad that we had the opportunity to play there." [6] Josh Green at Urbanize Atlanta called the club "iconic and gritty"; [8] A writer for Consequence likened its floorboards to a trampoline, calling the original spot a "scary" though "exciting" dilapidated building. [18] Pitchfork called the venue one of "America’s Best Independent Music Venues". [19]

Notable musical performances

Well-known acts that have performed there include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta</span> Capital city of Georgia, United States

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, and a portion of the city extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 498,715 living within the city limits, Atlanta is the eighth most populous city in the Southeast and 38th most populous city in the United States according to the 2020 U.S. census. It is the core of the much larger Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to more than 6.3 million people, making it the sixth-largest U.S. metropolitan area. Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, Atlanta features unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the densest urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fugazi</span> American post-hardcore band

Fugazi was an American post-hardcore band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consisted of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They were noted for their style-transcending music, DIY ethical stance, manner of business practice, and contempt for the music industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K Records</span> Independent record label in Olympia, Washington

K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington founded in 1982. Artists on the label included early releases by Beck, Modest Mouse and Built to Spill. The record label has been called "key to the development of independent music" since the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underground Atlanta</span> Place in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Underground Atlanta is a shopping and entertainment district in the Five Points neighborhood of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, United States, near the Five Points MARTA station. It is currently undergoing renovations. First opened in 1969, it takes advantage of the viaducts built over the city's many railroad tracks to accommodate later automobile traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Aquarium</span> Public aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It exhibits hundreds of species and thousands of animals across its seven major galleries, all of which reside in more than 11 million US gallons (42,000 m3) of water. It was the largest aquarium in the world from its opening in 2005 until 2012 when it was surpassed by the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore and the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China; the Georgia Aquarium remains the largest aquarium in the United States and the fourth largest in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Theatre</span>

Georgia Theatre is a live music venue and event space in Athens, Georgia. National and local acts across all genres have performed at the Theatre, including rock, folk, country, indie, alternative, hip hop and electronic. The venue is on the Athens Music History Walking Tour sponsored by the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau. Georgia Theatre opened as a music venue in 1978, but spent a few years in the early 1980s operating sporadically as a movie house. It was reopened as a music venue in 1989 and has since hosted many of the major touring acts that come through the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DuPre Excelsior Mill</span> Former manufacturing facility in Atlanta

Located at 695 North Avenue in Atlanta, the Dupre Excelsior Mill may have been built as early as 1890 by DuPre Manufacturing Company. However, the mill fails to appear on Atlanta city maps in 1892 and 1899, which both show the property as vacant. The first possible reference to the mill exists in the report of the death of Hubert Neal on July 17, 1899. According to the report, his accident occurred at the Atlanta Excelsior Works, which may or may not be the same facility since at the time there were three excelsior factories in Atlanta. The earliest concrete confirmation of the mill seems to be three lawsuits filed against Dupre in 1907 for accidents that occurred at the facility. The mill does appear on the Sanborn-Perris fire insurance map of 1911. At that time, the only road connecting it was Angier Street. It was noted to have been heated by steam power, no lighting, and a private water supply from a well 10 feet in diameter and 40 feet deep. A watchman made hourly rounds to seven stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center</span>

The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center (LNAC), also known as "The Lemp," is a non-profit performance space, art gallery, and community center located in the historic Benton Park neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. Since its founding in March 1994, the organization has been among the forefront of art spaces committed to the DIY ethic in St. Louis and the Midwest, holding the position as one of the oldest all-ages "Do-It-Yourself" music venues in the region and in the United States, alongside ABC No Rio in New York City, 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, California, and the Ché Café in La Jolla, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">688 Club</span>

The 688 Club was a popular alternative music venue in Atlanta, Georgia, located at 688 Spring Street, near the intersection of Spring and 3rd Streets. The 688 Club opened in May 1980 and closed in November 1986. The club was operated by Steve May. The club was co-owned by Tony Evans, John Wicker, and in its final years by Mike Hendry. Cathy Hendrix served as the club's music director. During its brief lifetime, the 688 played host to hundreds of punk rock, new wave and alternative rock bands, many of whom would later become well known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">40 Watt Club</span> Music venue in Athens, Georgia, US

The 40 Watt Club is a music venue in Athens, Georgia. Along with CBGB, the Whisky a Go Go, and selected others, it was instrumental in launching American punk rock and new wave music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Avenue (Atlanta)</span>

North Avenue is a major avenue in Atlanta, Georgia that divides Downtown Atlanta from Midtown Atlanta. North Avenue stretches continuously in Atlanta from Candler Park in the east, across Interstate 75 & Interstate 85, along the southern boundary of the Georgia Institute of Technology, to Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard just southwest of Georgia Tech, where it ends. North Avenue passes through the neighborhoods of Poncey-Highland, Old Fourth Ward, and Midtown Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rave/Eagles Club</span> Multi-purpose venue and landmark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Rave/Eagles Club is a concert venue and landmark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

West Midtown, also known as Westside, is a colloquial area, comprising many historical neighborhoods located in Atlanta, Georgia. Once largely industrial, West Midtown is now the location of urban lofts, art galleries, live music venues, retail and restaurants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purgatory</span> Religious belief of Christianity, primarily Catholicism

Purgatory is a passing intermediate state after physical death for purifying or purging a soul. A common analogy is dross being removed from metal in a furnace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historic Fourth Ward Park</span>

Historic Fourth Ward Park is a park built on the site of the old Ponce de Leon amusement park, in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta, just south of Ponce City Market and just west of the BeltLine Eastside Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arts in Atlanta</span> Cultural resources in Atlanta

The arts in Atlanta are well-represented, with a prominent presence in music, fine art, and theater.

Atlanta has a thriving music industry and is considered to be a capital of hip-hop including crunk, of R&B and its offshoot neo-soul, and of gospel music - in addition to a thriving indie-rock and live music scene. Classical, country and blues have historically been well represented. From the 1920s through 1950s the city was a major center for country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Pop Underground Convention</span> Rock music festival

The International Pop Underground Convention was a 1991 punk and alternative rock music festival in Olympia, Washington. The six-day convention centered on a series of performances at the Capitol Theater. Throughout August 20–25, 1991, an exceptionally large number of independent bands played, mingled and collaborated at the Capitol and other venues within the Olympia music scene. A compilation of live music from the event was released later by the local record label K Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz Stadium</span> Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in August 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it serves as the home stadium of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). The stadium is owned by the state government of Georgia through the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, and operated by AMB Group, the parent organization of the Falcons and Atlanta United FC. In June 2016, the total cost of its construction was estimated at US$1.6 billion.

The M.C. Kiser Company Building is a historic building in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Located in the South Downtown neighborhood, it was built in 1923 as a shoe factory, converted to apartments in 2017, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Masquerade Plans to Open New Venue With Kitchen | What Now Atlanta". whatnowatlanta.com. 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  2. ↑ Ruggieri, Melissa (June 22, 2016). "The Masquerade reveals plans for new home on Atlanta's westside". ajc. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ Drennen, Eileen M. (September 1, 1989). "Mill to Masquerade, New Club Unveiled". The Atlanta Constitution. p. E1, E4 . Retrieved October 30, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ DeVault, Russ (September 5, 1992). "The Masquerade turns 3, and it's one big party". The Atlanta Constitution. p. Leisure 12. Retrieved October 30, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Images: Legendary Masquerade building has rebounded after structural collapse". Urbanize Atlanta. February 9, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Rose, Sarah (December 31, 2019). "The DuPre Excelsior Mill's Untold Musical History - Before The Masquerade". Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  7. ↑ Kahn, Michael (January 10, 2017). "Photos: Masquerade, Murder Kroger sites are rapidly transforming". Curbed Atlanta. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Photos: Atlanta's old Masquerade is redone, repaired, and… ready to rock again?". Urbanize Atlanta. September 16, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  9. ↑ Bejarano, Santiago (May 11, 2016). "Heaven, Hell And Purgatory: The Final Days Of Masquerade, Atlanta's Music Venture". The Odyssey Online. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Nightclub where stairway collapsed to reopen". AccessWDUN. Associated Press. June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  11. ↑ "The Masquerade Nightclub, Atlanta, GA". Haunted Rooms America. August 26, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  12. ↑ Phil W. Hudson (December 23, 2016). "The Masquerade leaves home in Old Fourth Ward, officially moves to Underground Atlanta". The Business Journals. Atlanta Business Chronicle. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  13. 1 2 Keenan, Sean Richard (December 30, 2019). "Photos: Part of Atlanta's historic Excelsior Mill crumbled in construction mishap. Now what?". Curbed Atlanta. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  14. ↑ Kueppers, Courtney (January 14, 2020). "Former Masquerade building partially collapses during construction". ajc. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  15. ↑ Green, Josh (June 22, 2016). "Exclusive: Meet the Future Home of The Masquerade". Curbed Atlanta. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  16. ↑ Kahn, Michael (September 16, 2016). "Exclusive: Masquerade could move to Underground Atlanta". Curbed Atlanta. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  17. ↑ Ruggieri, Melissa (September 20, 2016). "The Masquerade to temporarily relocate to Kenny's Alley in Underground Atlanta". ajc. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  18. ↑ Young, Alex (May 7, 2010). "Where We Live: The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA". Consequence. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "36 of America's Best Independent Music Venues on Surviving and What's Next". Pitchfork. April 5, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 "An Ode To the Masquerade". June 15, 2016. Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Taft, Nicholas Ryan (August 21, 2016). "5 Local Wrecking Ball Bands Share Their Masquerade Memories - Atlanta Music, Arts and Culture". Immersive Atlanta. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Green, Josh (June 23, 2016). "It's official: Masquerade will close forever in August". Curbed Atlanta. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.