I remember those, too. Surprisingly... Randy
----- Original Message ----- From: A. Leon Polhill To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:03 PM Subject: [gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] Sun: Ancient Gainesville history I don't recall any music, but the wet tee-shirt contests were outstanding. A. Leon Polhill FlaNative1845 330 NW 45th Street Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 367-4642 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jerry Belloit Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:01 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [gatortalk] RE: [gatornews] Sun: Ancient Gainesville history Boy does this bring back memories. I remember enjoying a few listening to Dennis Yost and the Classics IV as he sang Stormy and many other olden greats! Jerry From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Oliver Barry Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:52 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [gatornews] Sun: Ancient Gainesville history Local legendary club, formerly known as Dub's, reopens under new identity Erica Brough/Staff Photographer The original "dress policy" sign is shown at Eagles at Dub's, a re-opened club at 4562 NW 13th Street in Gainesville, Fla. where Tom Petty played six nights a week in the '70's, shown Thursday, February 12, 2009. The three-level club has three bars, live music and karaoke nights. By Travis Atria Published: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. As far as rock 'n' roll goes, this is hallowed ground. A long time ago, a young man stood in this very room six nights a week with a group of his friends and played covers, occasionally sneaking in an original tune claiming it was a Santana song. The young man's voice would soon be familiar to millions around the world. He would soon write some of the most beloved songs in rock history. But standing in that room, he was still just regular old Tom Petty. The legend of Dub's in its heyday makes it sort of Gainesville's Cavern Club - the renowned venue that birthed The Beatles. Now, it is open again under the auspices of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles and is called Sunshine Eagles @ Dub's. "This building spoke to us from the very beginning," says Jan Hukle, chapter auxiliary president. "It has such history within this community." That history is never far from James Opp's mind. During the late '60s, Opp was a bartender at Dubs. "When Dub (James "Dub" Thomas) bought the place out, he asked me if I wanted to be 'his bartender,' as he put it," Opp says. "I was in my young 20s at the time." "On Saturday night, we'd sell 150 cases of Budweiser bottles. It was hard to dance on the dance floor a lot of the time because it was just bumper to bumper, as it were." Opp never saw Petty and Mudcrutch play at Dub's, but he has another connection to the famous rocker's origins. "I can't remember specifically Tom Petty playing there, but I used to go to the parties right around the corner - the ranch, or whatever they called it," Opp says. "Of course, he wasn't a famous big name at the time." Apart from memories of Petty, Opp cherishes the time spent working for Dub. "We'd be behind the bar working our butts off, and Dub would get a little buzz on," Opp recalls. "He'd walk up to you, and he had a belly, he could pull it in and just pump it out and give you a good serious bump. And then, of course, he'd give you a wink and we'd go on about our business." After Petty struck out for California, Dubs continued to have an impact on music, both local and national. Perhaps no one felt that impact more than Ken Block. Block is now famous as the front man of Sister Hazel, but back in the mid-'80s, he was just a kid in a band called Scorcher, hungry for a break. "After asking a million times, he finally gave us an opportunity to play at Dub's," Block says. "It was really the first lesson I had in professionalism. You had to play four sets a night, you had to start on time and you had to end on time and he'd book you for the week." One of Block's favorite memories of performing at Dubs is opening for the band Warrant. "Getting to walk behind the bar and pour shots with Jani Lane from Warrant was a big deal," he says. But, perhaps nothing meant more to Block than the encouragement he received from Dub himself. "I remember one night he called me into his office and said, 'I think if you stick with it and you continue to work on your craft, you could make a living at this and be doing it for a long time,'" Block says. "Those words held so much weight because he had seen so many artists." The Fraternal Order of the Eagles, which now operates the club, is a non-profit organization founded 110 years ago. It is a social organization with a strong emphasis on charity and community. "While we're having all those good times, we're also raising money for charity, so it's a win-win," Hukle says. And, while the club is now far from its golden days - which, apart from Petty, included performances by Black Sabbath, The Eagles, The Righteous Brothers, Molly Hatchet and more - perhaps it is fitting that it should have reopened in the same year that Mudcrutch reformed, and released its first and only album. Hukle hopes to return the club to prominence - "We're shooting for the big stars," she says - while keeping its historical significance intact. "All the time, people will come through the door and will just stop in their tracks, and they'll look from top to bottom and get that far-away look on their faces," she says. "It's so neat to see it growing like this." Sunshine Eagles @ Dub's What: Live bands on Fridays and Saturdays, karaoke on Thursdays, variety of music on Sundays. When: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, 5-11 p.m. Thursdays., 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 4-10 p.m. Sundays. Where: 4562 NW 13th St. Information: 335-4518 Sunshine Eagles @ Dub's What: Live bands on Fridays and Saturdays, karaoke on Thursdays, variety of music on Sundays. When: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, 5-11 p.m. Thursdays., 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 4-10 p.m. Sundays. Where: 4562 NW 13th St. Information: 335-4518 sc19dubs3.jpg Ken Block's former band, Scorcher, performs at Dub's in the mid-'80s with Block on stage in hat. Ken Block's former band, Scorcher, performs at Dub's in the mid-'80s with Block on stage in hat. Oliver Barry, CRS, GRI Real Estate Broker Halo Realty, LLC 700 E. Main St. Hendersonville TN 37075 [email protected] office: 615-822-3509 fax: 615-822-7741 mobile: 615-972-4239 ---,==,< --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
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