Gateway

Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: News

The temperature in the legislative chamber of city hall ranges from 74.1 degrees to 81.1 degrees, as around 200 people gathered to show their support for the ordinance. (Scott Stewart) [Click to enlarge]

Several hours after the Omaha City Council approved a measure to allow teens to attend many of the city's previously 21-and-over shows a local band took the stage a couple blocks away, illustrating some of the councilmen's concerns over the measure.

Quixotic performed at Downtowns Blues, 1512 Howard St., on Tuesday night. At different points in the show, a crowd member, the bartender and the bar's owner joined the band on stage.

The status of karaoke, the presence of erotic dancers and other concerns came up as the councilmen deliberated over an ordinance that establishes rules to allow youth under 18-years-old to attend shows at venues where the primary business is the sale of alcohol.

Deputy City Attorney Tom Mumgaard said during the meeting the city has allowed businesses whose primary focus is not the sale of alcohol to allow minors on the premises, citing the Qwest Center, Sokol Auditorium and the Orpheum as examples.

"Basically, that exception just does not fit what has grown into Omaha as a live music scene in the traditional bar, " Mumgaard said.

Venues like Slowdown and The Waiting Room, "traditional bars" in the city's eyes, are part of the growing live music scene in Omaha.

"It comes down to a culture thing more than anything else for us. I mean, it's why we built it here, and it's why we're doing what we do. I mean, it's about providing something to Omaha, and it's about providing something to Omaha that everyone can enjoy, and it's about keeping people here," said Jason Kulbel, co-owner of Slowdown. "We've had a lot of people that we know move, move on to different cities, many after high school age and feel like that's a major part of why we're doing Slowdown the way that we do."

During the discussion, councilman Frank Brown raised questions about hypothetical scenarios where the ordinance might allow teens on the premises, including an establishment that featured "strippers" and a live band.

Continued...

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