A city plagued with the inevitable consequences of crime not only turned away crowds but also devastated the Icon, located at 391 Ellicott St. in downtown Buffalo. The newly refurbished venue was one of the few things kids had left in town other than parties and movies.
"It was the city. The element was bad and the crime was bad," said new owner Tom Kwiechen.
Kwiechen was originally an employee during the original opening in 1990, when the venue opened under the same name.
The Icon closed down in 1994 due to crime and the fact that the city was not quite in need of a venue of its sort, however unlikely that may sound. The venue re-opened in '97 or '98 as the Rage, said Kwiechen. Originally the concert hall catered to all kinds of music, including alternative and hip-hop.
"It used to have the Wu Tang Clan, Onyx, Goo Goo Dolls, Barenaked Ladies, Henry Rollins," said Kwiechen regarding the venue's original style.
These things will change a little as Kwiechen has not only made structural upgrades but also altered the Icon's style. The venue only took two-and-a-half weeks to fix up for last Saturday's re-opening, the Damien Jurado, Richard Buckner and Dolorean show. It will take another two to three months before it is completely refurbished.
Changes are being made externally as well as internally. The new venue will be titled "The Buffalo Icon." The emphasis of the sign is going to be placed on the word Icon, paying respect to venue's history. The change, however, implies the re-establishment of the type of concerts that will be held.
"No more hip-hop," said Kwiechen. The Icon will concentrate on genres like country, punk, ska, metal and emo. This selection will put the Icon in competition with Broadway Joe's, Xtreme Wheels and the nearby Mohawk Place.
On the inside of the venue, employees are presently working on the expansion of the stage, which will allow larger acts to perform.
"We want to make the venue band-friendly as well as fan-friendly," said Kwiechen regarding the expansion of the Icon and his goals.
The owner is empathetic not only to the band's comfort within their walls, but the adoring fans filling the floor in front of the stage. The Icon of the near future will serve pizza, hot dogs and hamburgers, making it easier for concertgoers to stay the whole evening without having to leave for a meal.
Not only is Kwiechen planning to give fans that they want to hear but also to keep the ticket prices low. The prices will be ranging anywhere from $8 to $15. Many fans view the opportunity to see half-dozen bands of lesser pop-stature for $8 as a bargain when compared to the price of, for example, tickets to the Metallica show last weekend, which approached $100 for some seats.
Kwiechen is counting on more than the prices and bands to pull people through his venue's doors. He believes many fans will come for the sake of nostalgia.
"It's the history of the place. It was a great venue in the early '90s. It is two blocks from Mohawk. We are right near The Sphere. We are practically connected to Chippewa Street. There is good parking down there. It is just prime for a concert venue, we want to give some life back to downtown Buffalo," said Kwiecion.
The Icon is officially open for shows, and "giving life back to downtown buffalo" is certainly an option for this refurbished masterpiece not so quietly nestled in the downtown area.
Upcoming shows at The Icon include Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes this Friday, and Equal Vision Records' emo kings Armor for Sleep this Sunday.
