Javalounge (often styled "Java Lounge") was a small Midtown Sacramento coffee house that doubled as an intimate, all-ages live-music venue, hosting punk, indie, dance, noise rock and singer-songwriter acts.[1][2] It was owned and operated by Toben Woodman.[2] The venue was located at 2416 16th Street, Sacramento, CA 95818, and could be reached at (916) 441-3945 and online at thejavaloungelives.com.[3]
At a glance
- A small Sacramento coffee shop used as a music venue, described as offering "very small, intimate" shows.[1]
- Owned by Toben Woodman.[2]
- Located at 2416 16th Street, Midtown Sacramento; referred to as a "Midtown coffee house."[2][3]
- One of the few all-ages spots in Sacramento, alongside pizzerias and similar coffee shops that "double as venues."[2]
- Active as a music venue at least 2008–2011, per Submerge coverage of shows there.[1][2]
Character and role in the scene
Javalounge functioned as a coffee house that also presented live music, with a room small enough that one reviewer counted roughly nine people at a Sunday show.[1] Its furnishings included a "big orange sofa,"[2] which the reopened venue retained alongside its graffiti-style wall murals.[4] The smell of coffee mixed with the music; performances could be run through as little as a single microphone on stage.[2]
The venue served a food and beverage menu including burritos, sandwiches, and coffee, and operated on a schedule of Monday–Friday 6 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–10 p.m., and Sunday 8 a.m.–2 p.m., with live shows concentrated on weekends.[4]
Submerge described Javalounge as part of a class of Sacramento "coffee shops and pizzerias that double as venues," noting that few all-ages locations existed in the city at the time and crediting these informal spaces with keeping live music going.[2] Attendance and programming were eclectic: the venue hosted aggressive punk and hardcore on one night and 1980s-style alternative singer/songwriters the next, drawing crowds that ranged from "salt-and-peppered-haired adults wearing all black to children."[2] According to the Street Style Sacramento blog, Jake Albus — the venue's booker during its reopened phase — deliberately emphasized punk rock all-ages shows to fill a gap in the local scene, saying: "There wasn't a lot of venues booking this music."[4] Woodman described the space as family-welcoming: "My daughter loves this place. We want people to come here, and feel comfortable."[4]
Notable shows and bookings
- June 29, 2008 — A bill featuring San Francisco indie-fuzz rock band Calling All Monsters, Chico's West By Swan, and local "Quasi-Middle Eastern/Indian psychedelia" group San Kazakgascar.[1]
- The Secretions listening parties — Sacramento punk band The Secretions held a listening party at Javalounge for their album Faster Than the Speed of Drunk, inviting fans to come hear the new CD; they did a similar event there the following year.[5]
- January 2009 — Javalounge hosted a Second Saturday solo art exhibition by Sacramento artist Lob, featuring collage work made from recycled media (used records, broken CDs) and a photography series titled "Audio Roadkill," which documented broken CDs found in the road. According to the Sacramento News & Review, the show was representative of Javalounge's role as a venue for both music and visual art.[3]
- November 18, 2011 — Javalounge hosted "Hans White's Birthday Bash #4," featuring L.A. Drugs, Los Headaches, The Pizzas, and The Croissants.[6]
- December 2011 — Multiple all-ages punk shows were listed at 2416 16th St, with admission prices of $5–$8 and show times typically 7–8 p.m. A December 19 bill included SS Kaliert (Germany) and Verbal Abuse.[7]
- Dec. 28, 2011 — A punk-rock bill with After Excreta (Vacaville), Side Effects (Oakland) and Davis-based DCOI drew more than 30 attendees. The night ended abruptly when an argument between DCOI members and owner Toben Woodman during stage setup escalated; afterward the venue's PA system went missing, microphones and cords were smashed, chairs were thrown into a dumpster and signs were broken. Woodman said DCOI would not be allowed to play there again until his equipment was returned.[2]
- Dec. 29, 2011 — Despite the missing PA, the next night's show went on with Scott Miller (formerly of the San Francisco band the Loud Family) and longtime Sacramento musician Anton Barbeau; the community loaned Woodman replacement equipment. Miller performed material including "Idiot Son" and read live excerpts from his book Music: What Happened?, closing with a duet with Barbeau.[2]
San Kazakgascar (whose first show Submerge's reviewer saw at Javalounge in 2008) and local dance act 20,000 are also documented as having played the venue.[8][9]
Ownership and operations
Toben Woodman owned and ran Javalounge and spoke for the venue in press accounts.[2] His stated operating philosophy was that "the show goes on"; after the December 2011 equipment loss he said he was prepared to borrow money to replace the PA so the next night's show could proceed, and credited the local community with loaning gear.[2] His comments also indicate the venue deliberately "reached out" to book more aggressive punk acts despite the risks that style sometimes brought.[2]
The venue closed approximately one year before late October 2011 and then reopened in late October 2011 after a hiatus of roughly one to two years. According to the Street Style Sacramento blog, the reopening brought Jake Albus in as second owner and business partner alongside Woodman, replacing original co-founder Nicole Kangas.[4]