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Roseland Theater

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Coordinates:45°31′24″N122°40′34″W/ 45.5233°N 122.67615°W/45.5233; -122.67615
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For the Canadian civil rights case, seeRoseland Theatre (Nova Scotia).

Roseland Theater
Starry Night (1982–1991)
The music venue in 2014
Roseland Theater is located in Portland, Oregon
Roseland Theater
Roseland Theater
Location in Portland, Oregon
Address8 Northwest 6th Avenue
Portland, Oregon
United States
Coordinates45°31′24″N122°40′34″W/ 45.5233°N 122.67615°W/45.5233; -122.67615
OwnerLarry Hurwitz (1982–1991), Oregon Theater Management (1991–1996), David Leiken / Double Tee (1996–present)
OperatorDouble Tee
TypeMusic venue
Capacity1,400
Construction
Opened1982
Reopened1991
Website
roselandpdx

TheRoseland Theater,sometimes called theRoseland Theater and Grill,[1][2]is amusic venuelocated at 8 Northwest Sixth Avenue in theOld Town Chinatownneighborhood ofPortland, Oregon,in the United States.[3]The building was originally a church, constructed by theApostolic Faith Churchin 1922. In 1982, Larry Hurwitz converted the building to a music venue calledStarry Night.In 1990, the club's 21-year-old publicity agent was murdered in one of the theater's hallways; Hurwitz was convicted for this murder ten years later. Hurwitz sold the club in 1991, claiming he had lost support from the local music industry. The venue was given its current name during the 1991 ownership transfer. During the 1990s, Double Tee acquired control of the hall's operations, then purchased and renovated the building.

The theater features a standing-only main floor and an upstairs balcony with an adjacent bar.Peter's Room,an intimate showcase venue with a 400-person capacity, includes a restaurant and bar. Roseland has been named "Best Haunted Venue" by one local publication, referring to the 1990 murder. The venue is known for hosting a variety of music acts and for its good acoustics.

History

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Apostolic Faith Church

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TheApostolic Faith Churchbought the property at 8 Northwest Sixth Avenue from the A. Meier estate in 1922 and immediately began constructing a two-story building at the site.[4]To make way for the new structure, church members first razed an older building that had housed a saloon at that address.[5]The new building was finished in August 1922.[6]

Made of brick and constructed entirely with donated labor, the structure had a footprint of 100 by 100 feet (30 by 30 m) next to a 60-by-100-foot (18 by 30 m) parking lot.[6]The lower floor contained 11 storerooms, some of which were rented to others, a printing room, the church headquarters, and a small chapel with a seating capacity of 200.[4][6]The upper floor consisted of a large meeting hall that could seat 1,150 people.[4][6]The meeting hall was designed partly with music in mind. Its raised platform held up to 70 people, including a 40-piece orchestra and male and mixed quartets that performed during church services.[7]The church sold the building in 1981.[8]A neon sign reading "Jesus, the Light of the World", hung on the building but was removed in 1981.[8]

Starry Night

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Larry Hurwitz owned and operated the Starry Night nightclub in the building from 1982 through 1991.[9]The venue had a capacity of less than 1,000 people.[10]In the 1980s, the Starry Night hosted musical acts includingAnimotion,Nu Shooz,[10]and theCrazy 8s.[11]Hurwitz sold the Starry Night in February 1991, claiming he had "lost the support of the local music industry".[10][12]The transfer in ownership resulted in a name change to Roseland Theater. In 1992, Roseland's manager for the new owners, Oregon Theater Management, said the name was changed to disassociate from Hurwitz's business and reputation.[12]

Murder of Starry Night employee

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In 2000, Hurwitz was convicted of the murder 10 years earlier of the Starry Night's 21-year-old publicity agent, Timothy Moreau, to keep Moreau from alerting authorities to a counterfeit ticket scam at the club.[13]Another club employee, George Castagnola, pleaded guilty to helping Hurwitz kill Moreau.[14]Moreau was strangled in the theater after aJohn Lee Hookerconcert.[10]After selling the club, Hurwitz moved toVietnam,[14]but in 1997 a federal grand jury indicted him on charges oftax evasionrelated to the scam.[15][16][17]Extraditedto the United States and pleading guilty to the tax evasion charges, he was sentenced to a year in federal prison.[14][18]Publicity generated by the tax-evasion trial led to new information about the murder.[18]Hurwitz was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleadingno contestto one count of murder in 2000, and released in 2008 after serving between 7 and 8 years.[14]Meanwhile, to settle a civil wrongful-death suit filed against him by Moreau's parents, Hurwitz in 2001 stipulated to his part in the murder, agreed that a jury would have found him guilty if he had not pleaded "no contest", and agreed to pay the Moreau familyUS$3 million in damages.[19]The details of the case were reported in a 23-part series in the newspaperPDXSduring the 1990s.[20]

Roseland Theater

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Marquee at the intersection of Northwest Sixth Avenue andWest Burnside Streetin 2014

In 1991, Double Tee Promotions acquired control of Roseland's operations. In December 1995,The Oregonianreported that the company and its president, David Leiken,[21][22]would be purchasing and renovating the building over several months.[23]Leiken founded Double Tee, which produces events throughout the Pacific Northwest and continues to manage Roseland, in 1972.[24]The project, which included purchase of the building, new lounges and restrooms, and a ventilation system, was estimated to cost between $1.75 million and $2 million. The size of the street-level floor would also increased to accommodate an additional 350–440 guests, replacing a small club called the Garden.[23]The renovation project ended in 1997; Leiken updated the building's facade and opened a nightclub and sports bar on the lower level.[21]Roseland remained open during the renovation, which reportedly cost around $2.5 million.[21]

Theatre signage in 2014

Roseland Theater has been called a "somewhat chaotic"[25]Portland staple, hosting "multi-generational concerts every night of the week by everyone from small local bands to huge national icons".[3]Theall-agesvenue is known for its smaller size, accommodating up to 1,400 people. It is a popular venue for touring rock acts, though it also hosts blues,[26]comedy, dance,[1]hip hop, indie, and rap artists.[2][3]Performers have includedRay Charles,[21]theDan Reed Network,[27]Bob Dylan,Medeski Martin & Wood,[28]Miles Davis,theMisfits,[28]thePixies,[29]Bonnie Raitt,and theRed Hot Chili Peppers.[3][21]During the 1990s,Phishperformed at the venue four times, including once when it was still called Starry Night.[28][30]In the 2010s, the venue has hostedCut Copy,[31]Metric,[32]Prince,[33]andSnoop Dogg.[3][34]

View from the balcony ofKim Petrasperforming in 2019

Roseland features a standing-only main floor and an upstairs balcony for patrons aged 21 or older because of an adjacent bar,[26]and can also host a variety of events, includingcage fighting.[3]Downstairs includes Roseland Grill, a narrow bar with a wall covered in posters.[1]Peter's Room, an intimate showcase venue, includes a restaurant and bar and has a capacity of 400 people.[24][35]Peter's Room is open during all Roseland events and streams activity from the theater's main stage on screens.[35]The 16-by-20-foot (5 by 6 m) stage in Peter's Room is 4 feet (1.2 m) above the main floor.[36]According to Double Tee, the theater and Peter's Room host between 150 and 180 events annually.[24]

In 2023, Leiken sold the company which manages Roseland Theater to Mammoth Northwest. According toWillamette Week,he "retains ownership of the Roseland and will take on a 'coaching' role in the business through the end of the year".[37]

Reception

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In 2008,Willamette Weeknamed Roseland the "Best Haunted Venue" in a retrospective "Best of Portland" list highlighting the best of 1988.[10]Music journalist Martin Acaster wrote: "The Roseland has all the ambiance of a dank cave but boasts stellar acoustics."[28]Travelogue writer Rachel Dresbeck noted the "eclectic mix" of music genres hosted by the venue, which she said has "great sound" and "good stage visibility".[1][25]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdDresbeck, Rachel (January 13, 2009).Portland, Oregon: Including the Metro Area and Vancouver, Washington.Globe Pequot Press.p. 98.ISBN9780762755806.Archivedfrom the original on March 15, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  2. ^ab"Roseland Theater & Grill".Frommer's.Archivedfrom the original on January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 6,2014.
  3. ^abcdef"Roseland Theater".Travel Portland.Archivedfrom the original on January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  4. ^abc"Church Buys Property".The Morning Oregonian.Portland, Oregon. April 22, 1922. p. 10.
  5. ^"Treasure Rumors Denied".The Morning Oregonian.Portland, Oregon. March 14, 1922. p. 6.
  6. ^abcd"Hall to Be Dedicated".The Morning Oregonian.Portland, Oregon. August 27, 1922. p. 10.
  7. ^"Apostolic Faith to Begin Regular Meetings Today".The Sunday Oregonian.Portland, Oregon. August 26, 1923. p. 68.
  8. ^abGraydon, Charlotte (December 23, 1986). "Apostolic Faith Marks 80 Years in Area".The Oregonian.Portland, Oregon. p. 16.
  9. ^Hogan, Dave (February 20, 1997). "Ex-Owner of Club Now Faces Tax Charge".The Oregonian(Sunrise ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregonian Publishing Company. p. E01.
  10. ^abcde"Best of Portland 1988".The Portland Mercury.Portland, Oregon: City of Roses Newspapers. July 24, 2008.Archivedfrom the original on January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 8,2014.
  11. ^Ammann, Ana (January 7, 2014)."Thirty years of Animotion: Interview with Bill Wadhams".Oregon Music News.Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 8,2014.
  12. ^ab"Club Searched for Traces of Crime".The Register-Guard.Eugene, Oregon: Guard Publishing Co. July 26, 1992. p. 4C.ISSN0739-8557.OCLC9836354.Archivedfrom the original on March 15, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 8,2014.
  13. ^Roberts, Michelle (October 19, 2000). "Timothy Moreau's Family Sues Killer".The Oregonian(Sunrise ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregonian Publishing Company. p. B13.
  14. ^abcdPitkin, James (April 29, 2008)."Starry Night Killer Larry Hurwitz Released from Prison".Willamette Week.Portland, Oregon: City of Roses Newspapers.Archivedfrom the original on January 9, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 9,2014.
  15. ^"Club Owner Charged in Killing".The Seattle Times.November 22, 1998. p. B4.
  16. ^"Man Pleads Guilty in Starry Night Club Death".The Columbian.Associated Press. November 22, 1998. p. B2.
  17. ^Green, Ashbel S. (August 12, 1999). "Bail Denied, First Details Come Out in Moreau Case".The Oregonian(Sunrise ed.). Portland, Oregon. p. A01.
  18. ^abGreen, Ashbel S. (November 20, 1998). "Guilty Plea Expected in Moreau Disappearance".The Oregonian(Sunrise ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregonian Publishing Company. p. B05.
  19. ^Van Buskirk, Audrey (March 9, 2005)."The Hunt for the Starry Night Killer".Willamette Week.Portland, Oregon: City of Roses Newspapers.Archivedfrom the original on January 9, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 9,2014.
  20. ^Green, Ashbel S. (November 14, 1998). "Stagehand, Police Visit Likely Scene of Murder".Oregonian.
  21. ^abcde"Improvements planned for Roseland Theater".Portland Business Journal.American City Business Journals.June 15, 1997.Archivedfrom the original on March 15, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 12,2014.
  22. ^David Leiken:
  23. ^abHughley, Marty (December 22, 1995). "Remaking the Roseland".The Oregonian(Sunrise ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregonian Publishing Co. p. 06.
  24. ^abc"About Us".Double Tee Concerts.Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 8,2014.
  25. ^abDresbeck, Rachel (March 1, 2011).Insiders' Guide to Portland, Oregon(7th ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press. p. 102.ISBN9780762774777.Archivedfrom the original on March 15, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  26. ^ab"Roseland Theater".Fodor's.Archivedfrom the original on January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  27. ^Greenwald, David (November 5, 2013)."Portland rockers Dan Reed Network's reunion tour coming to Roseland Theater".The Oregonian.Archivedfrom the original on November 9, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 8,2014.
  28. ^abcdThe Phish Companion: A Guide to the Band and Their Music(2nd ed.).Hal Leonard Corporation.2004. p. 779.ISBN9780879307998.Archivedfrom the original on June 27, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 29,2014.
  29. ^The Pixies:
  30. ^"Tour Archives: Phish – 1993: Roseland Theater".Phish.Archivedfrom the original on February 1, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 29,2014.
  31. ^Andel, Autumn (November 2, 2013)."Cut Copy @ Roseland Theater, Portland (Pics/Review)".Prefix.Archivedfrom the original on January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  32. ^Janda, Andrea E. (December 21, 2012)."December to Remember: Metric at The Roseland Theatre".Oregon Music News.Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  33. ^White, Ryan (March 22, 2013)."Prince to play Portland and the Roseland Theater on April 21".The Oregonian.Archivedfrom the original on January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  34. ^Singer, Matthew (August 29, 2013)."Live Review: Snoop Dogg Lion at the Roseland Theater, 8/27".Willamette Week.Portland, Oregon: City of Roses Newspapers. Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 7,2014.
  35. ^ab"Peter's Room".Double Tee Concerts.Archivedfrom the original on January 22, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 8,2014.
  36. ^"Peter's Room Specs".Double Tee Concerts. Archived fromthe originalon January 6, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 8,2014.
  37. ^"Roseland Theater Under New Management".Willamette Week.15 March 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-03-15.Retrieved2023-03-15.
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