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Chambers of Davis Street: When Music was Cheap and the Patrons Were Too.
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Black Friday -Chambers 1989
After reading a recent article involving rock and roll nostalgia of the Baltimore Music Scene in the 1990’s, I couldn’t help but think about the glory days of the downtown and downtrodden music venue and drinking hole, Chambers. Chambers was located at 203 Davis Street and later became the original location of the Otto Bar. Just a few blocks from the City Circuit Court, Chambers sometimes served lunch to lawyers during the day (if the cook wasn’t too hung over), but when the sun went down Davis Street was surrender to pimps, prostitutes, and live music a Chambers. The whole bar was as a big as a large living room. The stage was elevated one step up with the bathrooms behind it and to the right. You often had to interrupt the guitarist to pee. There was an upstairs with no view of the stage that was open usually for nefarious purposes, and a third floor existed for those who had the all access pass to debauchery. I actually lived on the third floor for a while. I don’t know what that exactly says about me.
The beauty of Chambers was the eclectic mix of music and clientele that found its way in the club. The bands ranged from jazz, to blues, to punk, reggae and rock. Local favorites like All Mighty Senators, Monkey Spank, Black Friday, Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, Lungfish, Liquor Bike, Pearl Fishers, Funkyard, Mambo Combo, Shameless Mooks, were just some of the many bands that frequented performances at the club.
I was a young musician/bartender/cook at the club in the early 1990’s. Tips were poor, but food and booze were free. Weekends usually brought the more punk acts through the club, while weeknights featured the quieter Blues and Jazz crowd. After a few months working at the club, my ability to show up for work on a regular basis gave me by default the responsibility of ordering the beer and liquor and actually booking some of the bands.
The sound system at Chambers was usually poor and air conditioning didn’t quite cut it in the summer, but drinks were cheap and the patrons could be even cheaper. Due to the fact that the local prostitutes did car tricks all night in front of the bar, I became well acquainted with the Davis Street Pimp, who after being fed free tequila sunrises and given all access bathroom privileges agreed to have his girls move their tricks down the street a bit
One evening while working the door, someone was shot near city hall. Unbeknownst to me, a call had gone out to police that the shooter was in a van next to the club. A woman officer on a horse soon appeared with side arm drawn and threaten to shoot me if I didn’t “freeze” immediately. After being thrown against the wall by several officers and sufficiently searched, the police moved on to searching the van parked next to me which contained the sleeping members of a Philadelphia Ska band that was to go on stage next. No shooter was found and the police did say sorry.
My favorite Chambers nostalgic moment involved a young lady who passed out in the bathroom during a show and wasn’t noticed when I locked up that evening. I was sleeping on the third floor and came down at 7:00 a.m. to find a crying young lady drinking a Budweiser at the bar who had woken up sometime during the night and couldn’t get out. I don’t recall the girl’s name, but I’m sure she recalls being locked in the bar.
I often walk by the old Chambers building when going to Court in the City. As I walk by in suit and tie and brief case in hand, I think about if those old walls could speak and give thanks that they can’t!
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