Club Scout

"Please be kind," Kevin Geraghty asks as I scribble notes of our conversation. He has good reason for the request: There's been a nasty buzz going around that Brendan's Pub may close. The blues bar has been in business at its new location, 2009 Larimer Street, for just over a year, and Geraghty admits that it had a rough start. But then, the first year and a half at the original Brendan's (that space, at 1624 Market Street, is now home to the Blue Mule) was also rough, and the club went on to have a nice eight-year run.

So why wouldn't anyone be kind to Geraghty? He thinks the rumors started after he cut back on Brendan's bookings because of disappointing weeknight attendance. After closing the Market Street location in May 2002, Geraghty had hoped to open the new spot that October -- but it took an additional year to get the old pawnshop space the way he wanted it. While the extra time allowed for the beautiful touches of this Brendan's -- a warm, welcoming interior wrapped in deeply polished dark woods, with a spacious dance floor and a luscious sound system -- it also gave patrons more time to forget the blues club. But that wasn't the only problem.

"The older blues fans aren't going out like they were ten years ago," Geraghty says. "They'll come down for the bigger acts, so I think we need to become more of a venue." That's why he's "circling the wagons," he explains. "We're reorganizing, working on refinancing and revising the idea of Brendan's as solely a blues club."

Plans include adding more mainstream music, actively pursuing headliners and trying out some special events. Geraghty's also open to working with new promoters, as well as renting out Brendan's for holiday parties -- with catering and live-music options available. For details, call him at 303-308-9933. But don't wait to talk to him until October 8's Curtis Selgado concert: He'll no doubt be behind the bar, as he was when I talked to him -- because Brendan's is sure to be busy that night.