LowBrau is a Midtown Sacramento bar and beer hall that opened in early 2013 and quickly became a recurring host for live music, DJ nights and record-release shows in the city's creative music scene.[1][2] It was co-owned by partners Clay Nutting and Michael Hargis, who also operated the adjacent Block Butcher Bar and co-founded the city's Launch/TBD Fest.[3]
At a glance
- Midtown Sacramento bar/beer hall, opened early 2013, address 1050 20th Street.[1][4]
- Located at the corner of K and 20th Streets, within the MARRS Building block.[2][5]
- Co-owned by Clay Nutting and Michael Hargis, who also ran Block Butcher Bar.[3]
- Became the new home of the weekly Le Twist dance party in 2013.[1]
- Frequent free, 21-and-over release and DJ shows; part of the THIS Midtown Second Saturday block-party orbit.[2][5]
Note on local_status: LowBrau is a physical venue, not a touring/local performing act, so the origin-based local/touring distinction does not apply (marked na). It is, however, a Sacramento institution rooted in Midtown.[2]
Founding and ownership
LowBrau opened in early 2013 as a "newly opened Midtown hot-spot," described at the time as a beer-hall-style bar.[1] More precisely, according to Sactown Magazine, the restaurant debuted with a soft opening just before New Year's Eve 2012 — refining the "early 2013" framing to late December 2012.[6] It is located at 1050 20th Street, suite 100, at the corner of K and 20th Streets in Midtown Sacramento, within the MARRS Building block.[1][2][5][7] The venue was co-owned by partners Clay Nutting and Michael Hargis, who also co-owned the neighboring Block Butcher Bar.[3] Both owners were noted early as advocates for the music programming that came through the space.[1]
Neither co-founder had prior restaurant industry experience before opening LowBrau. According to Sactown Magazine, Clay Nutting described them as "two guys that don't have any experience, just a lot of passion and a really cool concept," and recounted that when a potential partner asked whether they had restaurant experience, their response was essentially a strategic retreat.[6]
LowBrau was repeatedly held up as an example of a local-first, anti-chain dining and nightlife trend; touring musician Robert Perlick-Molinari of French Horn Rebellion described it to Submerge as "the trend of the future," tied to a national move toward local food and independent restaurants.[8]
Design and atmosphere
LowBrau's interior reflects the traditional German beer-hall ethos its owners sought. The communal seating consists of reclaimed oak tables, each weighing approximately 300 pounds, according to Sactown Magazine.[6][7] The most distinctive design element is a signature wall of white cuckoo clocks mounted on birch tree trunks — created by co-owner Michael Hargis in collaboration with local designers Tim and Linda Arbogast.[6]
On opening night, LowBrau's house schnapps Schwartzhog became an unexpected cult hit, selling out the distributor's entire stock. According to Sactown Magazine, the distributor told the owners: "You have bought us out of all the Schwartzhog. We have to go to Germany to get more."[6]
Role in the music scene
Le Twist Tuesdays
LowBrau became the new home of Le Twist, a popular recurring Tuesday-night dance party, when the event moved there from its former downtown home at Dive Bar in 2013.[1] Le Twist was hosted by local DJs Sam I Jam, Adam J, Taylor Cho and Roderick (also spelled Roger) Carpio, and ran every Tuesday at 9 p.m. with free admission for the 21-and-over crowd.[1][2] The night was built around an "open format" eclectic concept and featured rotating special-guest performers, including touring acts.[1]
Le Twist at LowBrau became, by 2014, "a driving force in Sacramento's creative music scene," regularly pairing top national and occasionally international electronic/indie live acts with local bands and DJs.[2] Notable Le Twist bookings at LowBrau included a Feb. 26, 2013 appearance by Sacramento dance-punk band !!! (Chk Chk Chk), local acts 8th Grader (March 5, 2013) and Litanic Mask (March 12, 2013), and Brooklyn minimal-electronic duo Xeno and Oaklander on Aug. 5, 2014.[1][2]
Release shows and other events
LowBrau frequently hosted album- and EP-release shows, often free of charge:
- Auburn-area / Sacramento group Sunmonks held the vinyl release show for their debut EP In a Desert of Plenty at LowBrau on Dec. 14, 2014; French Horn Rebellion had also played the venue in December 2013.[8][4]
- The duo Trophii (Lindsey Pavao and Richie Smith) held their Vitamins and Flowers album release party at LowBrau on Dec. 6, 2016, presented by Le Twist, with Doombird also performing.[9]
- Local electronic band Petaluma held its self-titled LP release party at LowBrau on May 23, 2017, a free show featuring Ben Browning of Cut Copy.[10]
- Death Party at the Beach unveiled their EP Absence at the Le Twist Holiday Party at LowBrau on Dec. 19, 2017, performing in support of a DJ set by !!!'s Nic Offer and Mario Andreoni.[11]
LowBrau also sat at the center of the THIS Midtown Second Saturday block-party series on the MARRS Building block (20th Street between J and K), serving as the indoor after-party location with DJs Shaun Slaughter, Adam Jay and guests spinning nu-disco, house and funk after the August 2015 edition.[5]
Tie to Launch / TBD Fest
Through co-owners Hargis and Nutting, LowBrau was closely linked to the city's marquee music festival. Hargis was a founder of the festival rebranded from Launch to TBD Fest in 2014, and the venue served as a festival hub: LowBrau hosted TBD Fest's "lineup release party" on May 14, 2015, where DJ Greg J spun while the lineup was announced live on screen.[3][12]
Expansion beyond LowBrau
Hargis and Nutting expanded their portfolio beyond LowBrau and Block Butcher Bar. According to Sactown Magazine, they announced plans for a third concept — an "urban farm kitchen and beer garden" called The Barn — at West Sacramento's Bridge District, targeting a spring 2015 opening.[13]