Seattle on the Fringe by Stacey Merrick : Offbeat and Unusual Entertainment, Activities, Events, Attractions in Seattle, WA.

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First the rumors started, and then it was confirmed:  The Crocodile Cafe has closed its doors forever.  Owned by Stephanie Dorgan, ex-wife of REM band member Peter Buck and a former attorney, The Croc apparently suffered over the past year or so with management and money issues and finally closed abruptly on Sunday. 

I can't say that I've seen a show at The Croc in a long, long time, so maybe its demise is partly my fault for not supporting the club.  A couple years ago I went there for a night of seeing several Northwest bands play The Smiths covers, including the adorable The Lashes, and some drunk Morrissey superfan kept loudly critiquing the performances of the bands.  Good times typical of a night at The Croc.  I went there to see New York punk legends The Dictators and got to meet them after the show, which was a really fun evening. I went to a number of fun shows there over the years and always had a great time, but I just stopped going, and I guess other people stopped going, too. 

I liked The Crocodile.  It was a small and convenient downtown place to see indie bands.  It had a unique and awkward floor plan for a nightclub.  The main door brought you into a long hallway-shaped diner.  At the end of the diner was a small bar which was always packed during shows.  Near the front door, there was another door which opened to a room with the stage.  When I was low on cash, the trick I used to do (which I'm now really feeling guilty about because this action might have contributed to the closing of the venue) is walk in to the diner and bar section, which was free, and I wouldn't go into the room where the bands played.  The trick was I could still hear the bands play when I sat in the diner.  Ha ha, no cover charge for me and I could still enjoy live music!  Although, then I had to sit in the diner, which was usually cold, dark, and vacant because it was usually closed for the evening. 

Anyway, there is sadness spreading throughout Seattle because this important indie venue has closed, and that seems to be happening a lot this year.  Another Seattle venue I thought would be around forever, The Vogue, closed its doors a year ago.  Unlike The Vogue, The Croc closed because of reasons other than being pushed out by condo developers.  And The Croc was a landmark where Nirvana and Death Cab for Cutie played, among many other great bands. 

Does the closing of The Croc mark the beginning of the end of Seattle's indie music scene?  Will there be a condo built in its place?  Maybe, maybe not.  We still have venues like Nuemos, The Comet, The Funhouse, The Sunset Tavern, which all support small indie bands.  And perhaps in a few years some of the new luxury condo buildings which are taking over the city will go belly-up and be converted into indie clubs.  One can only hope for the best.