Lucky's Garage will open its doors to the public on August 24 at 8:30 p.m. with grand opening festivities.
Those festivities include a performance by IdeaProv of The Drew Karaoke Show. The comedy-improv group will take suggestions from the audience and then improvise new lyrics to popular songs, in the style of the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? The show's title is a pun on the name of comedian Drew Carey, who hosts the television show. IdeaProv will perform this and other shows on the last Thursday of every month following the grand opening.
Electroclash composer, producer and DJ Oliver Dodd will man the turntables for grand opening night and each Thursday thereafter. Fridays will feature a free past buffet at happy hour and $5 martinis. Florida import and tribal house circuit DJ Stephen Shankle will spin Friday nights and Saturday marks the return of legendary Warehouse 28 DJ Eddie Denson. Surprise guests and special give-aways are planned all weekend.
"A lot of people have asked us why we don't have activities or shows scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays," commented Tony Daniel, Lucky's co-owner. "Though we will certainly plan some special events for Fridays and Saturdays, generally our philosophy is to focus on atmosphere and music and let the club speak for itself on those nights. If it's not a fun place to be without a show going on, then we've done something wrong."
"We're not a show bar," adds T. Allen Morgan, Lucky's co-owner. "There a plenty of places in Nashville to see good shows on Friday and Saturday. We don't need to compete with that. We want to offer an alternative, a place to go before or after seeing a show somewhere else."
August 27th marks the birth of Trash Disco, Lucky's Sunday extravaganza and signature event. "We're gonna turn Nashville into a Sunday town if it kills us," jokes Morgan. "I did it in Seattle, and we can do it here!"
Morgan created a sensation with Disco Sundays at Club Timberline, a popular Seattle nightclub, in the mid-1990s. Disco Sundays remained hugely popular for more than a decade and Morgan expects similar results in Nashville where he will also DJ the event. Trash Disco, which runs from 4 to 9 p.m., will feature hot BBQ, a beer bust, and a Bloody Mary bar.
"Trash Disco will differ from Disco Sundays in that I'll be playing queer classics from 1975 to 1995, not just disco tunes," said Morgan, "though there will be plenty of disco to be sure."
The first Trash Disco will also include a Tab-tini Party sponsored by Tab Energy drink. 70s and 80s drag or costumes are encouraged. "We want this to be the gayest thing to ever hit Nashville," Daniel said. "It should be great fun." After disco, Eddie Denson is back to man the tables for Trash House, which will feature a mix of current dance music and dance classics until 2 AM.
Tuesday August 29th marks the introduction of Poker Taco Tuesdays at Lucky's, also known as Game Night, which will feature a free taco bar during happy hour and professionally poker dealers from 7 to 11 PM. Lucky's will also provide numerous board and card games for patrons to play.
"A lot of people have told us they miss bridge night at World's End," Daniel said, "so we decided to do something like it. People can play our games or bring their own. We'll also have 18 seats for poker players. It should be a great mid-week diversion."
"We wanted to put together a schedule that offers things to do earlier in the evening, especially on weeknights," said Morgan. "Our weeknight activities will start at 8 or 9 PM, instead of 10 or 11. I personally hope it works, because I'm old and can't stay out late anymore," he adds with a laugh. "If nobody shows up, then we'll try something else."
Grand opening week wraps up with the launch of the first annual Mr. Lucky contest, sponsored by Rock Star Energy Drink. The five-week contest features a grand prize of a trip for two to Mexico. The event will be hosted by popular drag entertainer Hurricane Summers and will run on Thursdays through early October (with the exception of September 28th, when IdeaProv will perform). Anyone may enter the contest and there is no contest fee.
The new club will be located at 207 14th Avenue North, next to Hustler Hollywood. The entrance to the club is on the alley and faces Church Street. Free parking for the club is located on the opposite side of the building.
Prospective Lucky's patrons can sign up for an email list that will notify them of the club's grand opening and future events automatically. For complete details about the club or to sign up for the email list visit the web site at www.luckysnashville.com.
