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There can be little written about O'Cayz Corral that hasn't been reported endlessly in the press. The bar, which burned down on New Year’s Day 2001, led a long and colorful life in Madison. Wikipedia notes that it was referred to as the "CBGB's of the Midwest," which seems like a fitting comparison as countless local, regional and national acts graced its stage. In mid 90's when I first set foot in O'Cayz I noticed it had many things going for it: a clientele that came out not just to see their friends and favorites but also to take a chance on unknown bands doing their thing; A room that was not large but big enough to accommodate shows of any size; bar staff that were friendly and as much a part of the music scene as the bands themselves; and a diverse roster of shows that were mostly booked in-house.
A 1988 article from the Isthmus reports how O'Cayz had become a cornerstone of the scene. In the late 90's the shuffling of culture combined with the burning down of Club Du Wash and the closing of several area venues (The Chamber, The East End, The Paramount among others) made O'Cayz even more important. Downtown Madison was growing a lot at this point and getting a facelift that left little room for older hole-in-the-wall places, much less music clubs. O'Cayz became the only place for many local bands to play and the scene shrank considerably. And when the New Year's Day fire claimed O'Cayz it looked to be nearly the end of the scene.
It wasn't the end of the scene of course: other places picked up the slack and Cathy Dethmers triumphantly opened the High Noon Saloon in 2004. And while there are plenty of bands and newer small venues booking what O'Cayz did, nothing can quite compare to the atmosphere and the sensation of the little dive on 504 E Wilson.
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