It’s the final countdown.
Not to be overly dramatic, but when a club that has been a staple in a community for 15 years is closing, it’s a pretty big deal.
By the end of October, Diva’s Nightclub will be no more.
The announcement of the closing came back in May, when the club said it would conducting its final Pride Day party, but didn’t have a definite date of its actual closing. The 8,000 square foot Pleasant Street nightclub originally was known for its LGBT-friendly atmosphere, and later became renowned for its drag shows, goth nights and all manner of alternative dance events.
I hate to see any club close, especially one that provided a haven for our LGBT friends. While the country has moved immensely toward embracing gay rights, 15 years ago (believe it or not) things weren’t so rosy. (And we still have a ways to go.)
But beyond that aspect, it’s just too bad that Northampton is losing another club. My adopted hometown has seen Hinge and One Bar close within the past year, and while those were both newer clubs, One Bar replaced Tully O’Reilly’s/The Elevens, which was a mainstay in the local music scene for more than a decade.
So this one hurts, but luckily you have plenty of time to say goodbye to this great club. Here’s a rundown of some of the bigger events coming up on the Diva’s calendar:
Sept. 24 will see the final drag king show at the club, with Sept. 25 featuring the final women’s T dance.
Then on Oct. 16, the final drag show will be held. Oct. 22 sees the club’s final pub crawl and the final weekend for Diva’s will be Oct. 28-29. There are also plenty of other events, too numerous to list here, so check out the club’s Facebook page.
In any case, farewell to a club that provided so much for so long.
Scouting report
- Dave Noonan’s Green Island will be at the Root Cellar in Greenfield on Sept. 28. The band, which features Jon Weeks, Chris Ball and Dan Thomas, plays a mix of funk, jazz, ska and Afrobeat. There is no cover for this show. Doors open at 8 p.m., with music starting at 9 p.m. The Root Cellar is at 10 Fiske Ave.
- Three bands, Beige, Free Range Cats and Court Etiquette, will be at Luthier’s Co-op in Easthampton on Sept. 22. The show begins at 7 p.m. Luthier’s Co-op is at 108 Cottage St.
Do you have a cool event coming up at a local club or pub? Drop a line to raconteurgeo@gmail at least two weeks in advance and I will try to get it in this space.