I have such mixed feelings about this place.  First, its size and layout provide a venue for bands to come to Oxford that would likely pass us by otherwise.  In the course of the last month and a half we’ve seen Modest Mouse, Andrew Bird, and, last night, WILCO.  Amazing for a little, out-of-the-way town, I think.

However, all three of those bands repeatedly stopped playing to ask, with varying degrees of anger, for some quiet. It seems that the crowd (huge) does little more than carry on with its inane, self-absorbed chatter.  One wonders why a person would pay $30-40 just to come in there and run their game on some bimbos or high five some fellow fratties?  The crowd was strictly nuts-to-butt and very difficult for a wheelchair to maneuver through.  I doubt that it was legally oversold but I fear that Oxford will get a reputation as having loud, unappreciative crowds.  When that happens, we won’t be able to get the quality of bands anymore.  Maybe I’m being chicken little, but Jeff Tweedy sure seemed irritated by the uninterrupted back-chatter.

What’s Done Well:

The Lyric did a great job making their bathrooms fully accessible.  Rather than have just one handicap stall and the rest be narrow, it’s the opposite.  There are actually two handicap stalls and one narrow in the male restroom.  This is nice because it increases the chance that one will be open and available, as there is also a half dozen urinals.

Also, man, if you want air-conditioning, The Lyric is your place.  My wife gets tired of me marveling over it, but if a motorist on Van Buren happens to glance up to the roof they will amazed at the array of huge a/c units.  I don’t know a damn thing but I bet there’s a half-million dollars worth of A/C in that building.  Or more.

What Could’ve Been Done Better:

My troubles start right out front, unfortunately.  The owners of the lyric had a little flub with their entryway.  They extended out the paved steps towards the street and did so without a permit or city permission.  Had they done so, there’s a chance, the city (or my former committee members) would’ve encouraged them to run a shallow ramp along the front leftside of the building.  Alas it didn’t happen.  According to their conception, disabled are to be let in around back near the stage, through a freight entrance.  So were it not for my wife accompanying me (and she’s not my care-giver or “wrangler” though she’s happy to help) I would have to get word inside somehow and see if they could radio a roadie or security guard to let me in around back.  The other option, and the one I’ve been using, is to recruit the help of any two burly dudes that happen to be on hand to just lift me up the front steps.  It’s silly, had they just run a shallow ramp across the front it would be no big deal.

[ Edit: 4/25/2009 ] Another thought.  A few CCD cameras and large monitors mounted around the venue would allow people less than 6′0″ to have some idea what the band looked like performing.  Some bands may not be cool if they thought there was a chance the system might be used to record their show.  However, given assurances that it was so more people could see, they would likely consent.  In fact some may like  the idea of getting a DVD of the show [ end edit ]

The other beef, and one that may or may not be a code problem is access to the upstairs.  It’s really the only place I’d have a chance of being able to see on a night when it’s as crowded as my last three visit.  But there’s no way to get up there or back down.  According to the law quoted below from an ADAAG worksheet, they are compliant:

4.1.3(5) EXCEPTION 1: Elevators are not required in facilities that are less than three stories or that have less than 3,000 square feet per story unless the building is a shopping center, a shopping mall, or the professional office of a health care provider, or another type of facility as determined by the Attorney General.
[ source ]

Despite the fact that I bet the 2nd floor is larger than 3,000 square feet, the law about it being only two stories prevents them from being required to install one.  Would it be worth it if they had installed one?  Probably not immediately.  Would it have been more welcoming?  Yes, very much so.

Unfortunately I think this will have been the last time I pay $30-$40 to not see a band there.