The Offseason, consisting of Nick Hoover, Rob Gay, Elliot Goettelman and Josh Gregory are described as, “conglomerate rock, wherein several small pieces of rock are put under intense heat and pressure to form one massive rock.”
The Offseason: Nick Hoover, Rob Gay, Elliot Goettelman and Josh Gregory (l to r)
With this winter’s loss of the Ladder House and The Nautical Inn – two major supporters of Sturgeon Bay’s live, local music scene – the city is aching for a new performing arts venue to fill the void. Well, it appears that not only is there a replacement forthcoming, the West Oak Street Pub may be poised to provide the finest staging opportunity ever available for entertainers of all varieties to find an audience and a venue. Not many people know that quietly lurking behind the former Andre’s Supper Club is a beautiful and acoustically perfect dance hall once known as the Sawyer Opera House.
It might take a few beers and a quiet afternoon to learn the secret of the Sawyer Opera House from Sturgeon Bay’s wood artisan, Gabe Kritzler-Egeland. His father, an audio engineer, was the man who designed the acoustically perfect band shell and the room it “speaks” to that enhanced the west side’s once-famous Opera House. The parabolic surfaces he created project sound effortlessly to all parts of the room. It took new owner’s Darlene Clark and Les “Butch” Berns Jr. to restore the beauty and elegance of the space with new hardwood floors and a complete restoration of the decor.
Les Berns Sr. was the first one to revive the live music scene, performing as the West Oak’s ambassador of the keyboard. This 92-year old master plays oldies and favorites for dining room guests on weekends. Elliot Goettleman and his sidekick Josh Gregory, two youthful music masters are set inject another dose of energy into Sturgeon Bay’s grand old Opera House. These two spark plugs have created one of the area’s hottest live music events with their weekly Wednesday open mic sessions at Glas the Green Coffeehouse, another west side hot spot. Tonight they bring their four-member band, the Offseason to launch the West Oak Street Pub as a concert venue.
“We will be the first band to play the new West Oak Street Pub, formerly Andre’s on the greater West Side of Downtown Sturgeon Bay,” says Offseason keyboardist Josh Gregory. “These are great new owners who want to continue to have live music, so lets show up in force and make it worth their while!”
Here’s your official Facebook invitation:
The OffSeason — LIVE!
“I hope you can make it on Saturday,” says Elliot. “I anticipate a musical adventure SO excellent, it will put Bill & Ted to shame. If there’s anyway you can help spread the word by inviting your own friends on here or just sharing this event page on your wall, we would really appreciate it.”
The West Oak Street Pub located at 23 W Oak St. in Sturgeon Bay opens daily at 11 am for lunch and dinner. For reservations, large parties or banquets call 920.818.0009.
