Victory Lane - Another venue bites the dust

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Sunday Jan 13, 2008

Today's Altoona Mirror. The building is "Red Tagged" because it is falling down .

HarleyRo1 · Post by **HarleyRo1** » Sunday Jan 13, 2008

"red tagging" doesn't necessarily mean it's the end of their business. That's a really, really old building and it needs some work. Hopefully it won't cost them a fortune to bring it back up to code.

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Sunday Jan 13, 2008

According to the Mirror. All of the streets and alleys around the building are blocked off because the building is in danger of collapsing. Half of the brick wall fell off on the (entrance) side of the building, hence the red tag.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Sunday Jan 13, 2008

That really sux.

I've had alot of really good times in there.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Sunday Jan 13, 2008

Hawk wrote:According to the Mirror. All of the streets and alleys around the building are blocked off because the building is in danger of collapsing. Half of the brick wall fell off on the (entrance) side of the building, hence the red tag.

Wow we just sat in a gig for Felix..... HUMMMMMMM I told Dick to turn down

Colton · Post by **Colton** » Sunday Jan 13, 2008

Yep, sometimes its impossible to keep your dick down

TJ Kelly · Post by **TJ Kelly** » Monday Jan 14, 2008

Colton wrote:Yep, sometimes its impossible to keep your dick down

+1

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Monday Jan 14, 2008

Yeah, mine goes to 11. Not 11 inches, just 11.

------>JMS

Vette Lover · Post by **Vette Lover** » Wednesday Jan 16, 2008

Someone should go down there and put up some equipment crank the volume and gain and shake that shit hole down to a pile of rubble.

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Thursday Jan 17, 2008

Vette Lover wrote:Someone should go down there and put up some equipment crank the volume and gain and shake that shit hole down to a pile of rubble.

nope that's just unsafe...and a waste of equipment.

it might be funnier to spray paint "Russo Demo" on it...you know what happens to buildings that say "Russo Demo" don't ya???

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Thursday Jan 17, 2008

If your a working musician, theres nothing funny about a venue closing.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Thursday Jan 17, 2008

Hurricane wrote:If your a working musician, theres nothing funny about a venue closing.

+1

(warning: bassist_25 is about to say something that could be construed as elitist and condesending, though he doesn't mean it in that way)...I think that a lot of the people at this webpage would have an entirely different outlook on a lot of things if they were working musicians.

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Thursday Jan 17, 2008

So Einstein,

I suppose the gig there tonight is cancelled? 'Tis a shame if that place closes for good.

The building is aged, yes, but hopefully it isn't beyond repair and the owners can afford the repairs, or sell it to someone who can.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Thursday Jan 17, 2008

Altunea, PA

Donna, are you no longer residing in Houtzdale?

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Thursday Jan 17, 2008

bassist_25 wrote:
Altunea, PA
Donna, are you no longer residing in Houtzdale?

Aye carumba Paul, I've been here since August 2006. Cost o' living is steeper, but it sure isn't Houtzdale!!!

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Friday Jan 18, 2008

DrumAndDestroy wrote:
Vette Lover wrote:Someone should go down there and put up some equipment crank the volume and gain and shake that shit hole down to a pile of rubble.
nope that's just unsafe...and a waste of equipment.

it might be funnier to spray paint "Russo Demo" on it...you know what happens to buildings that say "Russo Demo" don't ya???

Always remember....Anything you say on this forum can and will be used against you.

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Friday Jan 18, 2008

bassist_25 wrote:
Hurricane wrote:If your a working musician, theres nothing funny about a venue closing.
+1

(warning: bassist_25 is about to say something that could be construed as elitist and condesending, though he doesn't mean it in that way)...I think that a lot of the people at this webpage would have an entirely different outlook on a lot of things if they were working musicians.

+1

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Friday Jan 18, 2008

witchhunt wrote:
DrumAndDestroy wrote:
Vette Lover wrote:Someone should go down there and put up some equipment crank the volume and gain and shake that shit hole down to a pile of rubble.
nope that's just unsafe...and a waste of equipment.

it might be funnier to spray paint "Russo Demo" on it...you know what happens to buildings that say "Russo Demo" don't ya???
Always remember....Anything you say on this forum can and will be used against you.

that was an imposter drumanddestroy that said that

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Tuesday Feb 05, 2008

For those of you who may not know, and to lessen the shock I felt upon seeing it: Victory Lane Saloon is no more than a pile of rubble.

After my son's basketball game last night, we walked over to M & T before we went to Sheetz and then home, and happened to pass by. I was so NOT prepared to see that!

I had tons of fun there with Felix and the boys, especially the size that dance floor was, and when assorted Caniacs were added to the mix, whoo hoo, it was always a BLAST!

However, I also saw other assorted Bands there over the last several years, including a Halloween AND a New Year's Eve yahoo with the Beyond Reason crew; I had a TOTAL blast with Half Tempted, plus caught The Flame Sky and got aboard The Red Arrow too. I do know without a doubt any of us who were in attendance will NEVER forget .OO Buck's debut there.

To Victory Lane Saloon, Bonnie and Wayne, the staff, previous management and ALL of the Bands I saw there, THANK YOU for the MUSIC and the memories!

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Tuesday Feb 05, 2008

Thanks for the .OO Buck mention! Apparently you liked us a lot more than the regulars there! I haven't officially disbanded .OO Buck... I'm sure TJKelly and I could find some more trouble to get into if we tried hard enough.

Speaking of him, SideStep had lots of fun at Victory Lane, too. I hate to see a venue go belly-up.----->JMS

Vette Lover · Post by **Vette Lover** » Tuesday Feb 05, 2008

I was downtown the other day and noticed the large run down apartment building on 16th st was also taken to the ground.

I think the Victory Lane building was actually pretty old and a historic landmark and I did hate to see that it was destroyed.

But it is about time Altoona cleaned up some of the blighted buildings.

I can run several neighborhoods, entire blocks, through my mind which should be just bulldozed to the ground.

Post by **Jim Price** » Tuesday Feb 05, 2008

I drove past the area last night while doing my monthly Pennsylvania Musician deliveries. Because I remembered that Victory Lane was closed, I didn't drive by there like I usually do, but when I arrived at the stop sign at 9th Avenue and 19th Street (to deliver to Data Music) and looked towards where the Victory Lane was, I couldn't see the building. It was night, so I figured I just couldn't see the place under cover of darkness and fog. Now I know why I couldn't see the place!

I didn't go to Victory Lane all that often, but had some good times there during the times I did go there. Probably the most memorable show I saw there was the PA Cleanways benefit show a few years ago; a good time. Also some Sidestep, Hurricanes, Half Tempted and Fat Vinny shows stand out in my mind as well, as well as the last show I covered there last month, Private Property (formerly Bleech); now those guys can claim that they rocked the bricks off the place, and brought down the building!

True story about my very first experience at the Victory Lane...Shortly after the venue first started running bands, I went there to check out a group (I forget who). At this point, the back band room at Victory Lane was totally dark except for what lights were on the stage. With the room relatively empty, I made my way to one of the booths along the side and sat down. I rested my arm on the table as I started taking notes, and after a few moments, felt a stinging sensation in my arm. I looked to investigate, and found my arm bleeding...It turned out that when I put my arm down on the table top, it landed on top of a small shard of broken glass! Fortunately it was only a small cut and nothing serious; but it made me wary about going back to that venue right away!

Thanks to all the folks who kept the place going the past few years; as mentioned above, it's always a shame to lose a venue.

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Tuesday Feb 05, 2008

songsmith wrote:Thanks for the .OO Buck mention! Apparently you liked us a lot more than the regulars there! I haven't officially disbanded .OO Buck... I'm sure TJKelly and I could find some more trouble to get into if we tried hard enough.
Speaking of him, SideStep had lots of fun at Victory Lane, too. I hate to see a venue go belly-up.----->JMS

I believe you know exactly what I meant regarding .OO Buck's debut and it being quite memorable.

Yes, SideStep! For some reason, I can never remember that name, yet now that you've mentioned it, I recall there is also a Tune that ties in as well, go figure!

Obviously, I was aware of late the building was in a state of disrepair, but I certainly wasn't expecting to find it GONE! I'd heard reports in years past of parts of it falling off, and seen evidence of repairs outside. However, the interior, in addition to being not in that bad of a condition, had actually improved over the last few years. I certainly had never seen signs of major structural problems on the inside, not that I would know what to look for other than huge cracks in the walls. It's a shame for it to be gone.

Somebody should make the current owners of Peter C's an offer they can't refuse.

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Thursday Feb 07, 2008

For those of you who do not know: Wayne passed away due to a blow to the head after slipping on some ice. First the bar, now this.

Post by **Jim Price** » Thursday Feb 07, 2008

DMFJ03 said:

For those of you who do not know: Wayne passed away due to a blow to the head after slipping on some ice. First the bar, now this.

http://www.rockpage.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=16887