Marilyn's on K was a downtown Sacramento bar and live-music venue at 908 K Street that operated for 16 years before closing on Nov. 1, 2014.[1] Across its run it hosted eclectic live music up to seven days a week from both local and touring acts, becoming a fixture of the local scene and, by the venue's own count, a stage for more than 1,600 different bands.[1]
At a glance
- First opened in 1998 as "Marilyn's on 12th and K," then relocated and reopened as Marilyn's on K at 908 K Street in 2005.[1]
- A "basement-esque," underground K Street space described as cozy and intimate, approximately 5,000 square feet.[2][1][3]
- Owned by Linda Swanigan, a longtime Submerge advertiser dating to the magazine's first issue.[1]
- Hosted live music seven days a week from local and touring acts after the 2005 move.[1]
- More than 1,600 different bands performed there over its lifetime.[1]
- Closed after Nov. 1, 2014; the space was sold to become Coin-Op, a bar/arcade with no live music.[1]
History and founding
Marilyn's first opened in 1998 as "Marilyn's on 12th and K," before that corner was gentrified (predating nearby IMAX, Esquire, and Sheraton development).[1] At the time it was the only watering hole in the neighborhood, serving construction workers and people staying at the nearby Hyatt.[1] After the 12th-and-K building was foreclosed on and acquired by new owners who did not include a bar in their plans, Marilyn's relocated down the street and reopened as Marilyn's on K at 908 K Street in 2005, taking over a larger underground space.[1] The added room let the venue begin hosting eclectic live music seven days a week from both local and touring acts.[1]
Role in the Sacramento scene
The venue played a central, recurring role in Sacramento's local music ecosystem, frequently serving as the site for hometown bands' album release shows. Sacramento rock/pop/funk band Cuesta Drive released its sophomore album Distractions there (a show originally set for late December 2008), and had also played a "pre-CD release show" at the venue over Thanksgiving weekend 2008.[4] Sacramento jam-rock band Izabella held the CD release party for its third album, Drugs and Apple Pie, at Marilyn's on April 11, 2009, and the band reportedly packed the venue on a regular basis.[5][6] The Bumptet, a jazz-funk trio with Sacramento ties (including Izabella's Sean Lehe), released its self-titled debut there on April 15, 2011.[6] Other local release shows included the Bob Woods Band's This Town (with a music-video shoot) on March 12, 2011,[7] and Jesi Naomi and the Trippers' EP Earplay on Jan. 7, 2012.[8]
The venue also hosted milestone and tribute events. Sacramento/Southern California free-form jam project Instagon celebrated its 20th anniversary there on Feb. 2, 2013, with a one-off show featuring more than a dozen musicians.[9] Marilyn's was the site of a recurring "Radiohead Tribute Show," whose second installment on May 30, 2014, was hosted by local musician James Cavern and served as the official afterparty for Concerts in the Park.[10] Submerge Magazine itself held its "50th Issue Party" at Marilyn's in 2010.[1]
Notable performers
After the 2005 move, well-known artists who graced the Marilyn's stage included Jackie Greene, The Mother Hips, Junior Brown, Nicki Bluhm, and Sal Valentino, alongside countless local bands.[1] The Mother Hips played the venue on New Year's Eve 2011.[11] Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers performed there June 1, 2012.[12] Seattle-based soul/rock group The Staxx Brothers returned to Sacramento to play Marilyn's on June 14, 2013, alongside local funk band Phat Butta Jam.[13] Los Angeles folk-rock band Wires in the Walls headlined a sparsely attended Tuesday show there on Sept. 27, 2011.[2]
Atmosphere and operations
Submerge writers repeatedly described Marilyn's as a small, cozy, underground venue.[2][9] One 2011 review noted the bar's intimate scale, with cover charges as low as $3 to $5 on slow nights and the bartender's voice audible over the band.[2] According to Sacramento365, the venue offered an upscale environment with amenities including an outdoor patio, televisions, a pool table, and a jukebox.[14] Programming was split by day of week: weekends featured music for dancing and partying, while weekdays centered on singer-songwriters.[14] Shows ranged from 21-and-over bookings to all-comers events, and the venue maintained an online calendar and a website at marilynsonk.com for tickets and listings.[6][12][1] Two phone numbers were on record for the venue — (916) 446-4361 and (916) 446-4967 — along with an official email address of info@marilynsonk.com.[14]
Closing
On Oct. 16, 2014, owner Linda Swanigan informed Submerge by email that the business had been sold and would close after Nov. 1, 2014, ending a 16-year run.[1] The official press release thanked the venue's "loyal customers" and employees.[1] The 5,000-square-foot space was taken over by Coin-Op, a bar/arcade concept co-owned by Roy Ledo, Hassan Mahmood, and Sacramento-native Evan Louis — who had previously operated The Lion's Share craft cocktail bar in San Diego before expanding to Sacramento.[3][15] Coin-Op had a soft opening on May 8, 2015, followed by a grand opening on May 28, 2015, filling the space with 42 arcade games, approximately 35 of them vintage selections.[3] Coin-Op did not plan to host live music.[1] In its final weeks, Marilyn's arranged for past favorite bands to return; the closing calendar included a Farewell/Halloween performance on Oct. 30 featuring acts such as Zyah Belle, Vanessa O'Connell, Lights and Sirens, Kyle Tuttle, The Bell Boys, The Royal Jelly, and Spacewalker (hosted by Task1ne), tribute sets on Oct. 31, and a "Farewell to Marilyn's Party" with live music all day on Nov. 1.[1]