During downtown’s Urban Nights event on Friday, September 11, at 9 p.m., Pacchia (410 E. Fifth St.) will launch groove., a regular weekend concert series which will host bands of multiple genres and styles each Friday and Saturday night, geared toward transforming the Oregon District restaurant and bar into Dayton’s destination hotspot for weekend fun.
groove. will feature bands of all styles and genres from both Dayton and beyond, a move designed to draw fresh audiences each night in addition to establishing a loyal customer base.
For over a decade, the downtown location was a popular venue for live jazz until eliminating regular music at the end of 2008 to focus on the dining aspect of the business. However, owners Steve Ramsey and Carla Carnahan have recently begun staging regular events after dinner hours in an effort to reach out to a younger demographic and maximize the potential of the space; Pacchia’s “Secret Sunday” rock shows and “Modern Mondays” with DJ Adam Sabin, both launched earlier this summer, have generated both interest and profit. With those results, Ramsey and Carnahan decided it was time to reinstate Pacchia as a cornerstone of the Oregon Arts District’s weekend nightlife scene and a vital element of the city’s heartbeat.
“We wanted to provide a venue for a broader range of age groups that can be both something a little more laid-back and upscale for young people, and something fresh and vital for people who are a bit older but still hip,” said Carnahan. “Through encouragement and assistance from Dr. Mike Ervin, a music lover himself, we’ve been able to take that first step.”
“We’re very excited to re-introduce live music,” Ramsey said. “For years, the name Pacchia was synonymous with quality live music in the Oregon District, and we look forward to presenting a spectrum of variety that can’t be found anywhere else in Dayton while continuing to offer delicious and affordable menu options and, of course, our signature cocktails.”
Dozens of music acts have already been booked for groove. through the end of 2009. The first month will host acoustic rock, slick neo-soul, straight-ahead jazz, high-energy R&B, and driving funk fusion, and future months will splash reggae, blues, punk, flamenco, bluegrass, and bossa nova onto the canvas.
Beloved Dayton institution Puzzle of Light will open the series at the Urban Nights afterparty with free admission all night, and Pacchia will stage an special three-day groove. kickoff party weekend from Thursday, September 24 through Saturday, September 26.
September’s full schedule:
Friday, 9/11: Puzzle of Light (world beat/eclectic)
Saturday, 9/12: Bobby Streng Quartet, formerly Groove District (fusion funk)
Friday, 9/18: Abi Cook & Crew (soul-pop)
Saturday, 9/19: Ohio Jazz Coalition (straight-ahead jazz sextet led by Bill Burns, plus vocalist Pam Mallory)
**Three-day kickoff weekend party**
Thursday, 9/24: David Story (pop-rock)
Friday, 9/25: Trump Tight (R&B/funk)
Saturday, 9/26: Jared Mahone Band (acoustic pop)
groove. will run from 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday night at Pacchia beginning Friday, September 11, with the bar remaining open until 2 a.m. After 10:30 p.m. beginning Saturday, September 12, there will be a $3 cover charge at the door for ages 21 and up, and $7 for 20 and under.
Pacchia was opened in 1995 by Glen Brailey. Former Thai 9 investors Steve Ramsey and Carla Carnahan purchased the establishment in March 2008, and have continued the restaurant’s established tradition of providing high-quality food and beverages in the heart of the Oregon District.
For more information about groove. visit facebook.com/pacchiagroove.
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