Deep Ellum Downer

I get to Deep Ellum quite a bit. The Curtain Club (and Liquid Lounge) are doing a decent job of showcasing new local bands. Same for Reno's Chop Shop. Trees is a great venue so I hope they can make a go of it. Deep Ellum is a bit of a drive for me, but it's an easy drive and once you're there, the parking is easy to find and mostly well-lit.

A few years ago we would spend 2 to 3 nights a week in Deep Ellum, All ways had a good time with few problems. Near the end my car was keyed one night, someone kicked a dent in the door a week later, got locked in a club one night with a huge brawl out side two weeks in a row. the last straw was one night when walking to another club across the street 5 drunk guys tried to rob us and started molesting the girls that were with us. we were lucky two cops saw the hole thing and got there pretty quick. IMO the new clubs killed the seen bringing in a different crowed that didn't mesh.
I do however miss it and hope it can make a come back.

I was down there a few months ago and talked to the folks who own July Alley (I think that's what it's called) and they said basically the same thing. The "Hip-hop element" brought the neighborhood down, but they now have a neighborhood association and are "slowly but surely" driving up rents to kind of push those kinds of clubs out (??). And any new clubs have to be approved by the business association. They're working on a comeback.

A friend of mine who owns bars in NOLA said she's thinking of setting up a bar or two in D.E. b/c it's insanely cheap compared to rents in the French Quarter lol. I hope she does, then I'd have a reason to get down there again.