Photo Archive: The Last Roar by the Shore

John’s Red Lion Bar closed on Aug. 31, 2007, after more than 35 years in business. The building at 220 E. Superior St. has pretty much always been a bar. It was built in 1910 to house the Albert Salter Saloon. From the early 1950s to late ’60s it was the Two-Twenty Lounge. Before it became the Red Lion, it was briefly the Diamond Lounge.

Two years after the Red Lion closed, the Zeitgeist Arts Café opened, bringing a … how shall we put this? … more refined selection of art and alcohol to the block … along with food.

Below are photos galore from “The Last Roar by the Shore,” the final show in a series of concerts marking the last days of the Red Lion. Fittingly, the swan song of it all featured the surf/soul sounds of the Black Labels, the bar’s longtime Wednesday-night house band.

… and of course, the flashback wouldn’t be complete without this Black Labels video, edited by Emily Norton and featuring footage from the Ben Marsen collection.

2 Comments

Cathy Podeszwa

about 7 years ago

All these pictures are of my friends, but I hadn't met most of you yet!

Timothy G Anderson

about 7 years ago

So much I want to say about those ridiculously fun times but the first two things that came to mind were:

* my tryout article for the Ripsaw was on the Black Labels weekly Red Lion occupation, probably in its first few months at that point. I don't recall the year but Paul will remember -- it was written a month or two before finally printed. I pitched it because I'd known Matt Norby for years and had already started going near weekly.

Also: Ben Marsen, drop me a line. I have Black Labels multi-track reel tapes from the bookstore era to send your way.

Such great nights. Thanks Paul.

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