Pontiac Grill

Philadelphia Weekly
June 21, 2004

VENUE It's Building Excitement by Joshua Valocchi The most common gripe uttered about the Pontiac Grille is the tired, "But it's not Dobbs." True enough. Although the Pontiac stands on the same slice of South Street property the hallowed J.C. Dobbs once occupied, the "son of Dobbs" never quite managed to reclaim the mystique or gritty grandeur of what was once the club in Philly known for showcasing rising stars in the infancy of their careers. Nirvana played Dobbs. Pearl Jam played Dobbs. Beck played Dobbs. The list goes on. For years the Pontiac tried its hand at Dobbs' game. Original acts were booked in the narrow downstairs room almost every night. The club managed to survive by remaining a favorite venue among the punk and grunge scenes, but as those waves petered out, it became apparent that a move in a new direction was the only thing that could save the Pontiac from certain doom. A massive overhaul of the club's interior was planned in April 2003, and the exterior got a much-needed facelift. During its renovation the club operated on a severely limited schedule. Now the finished product has been unveiled--and it was more than worth the wait and aggravation. The playing space has moved to the second floor, and the sound in the room is a stunning improvement over the often garbled and muddy system that existed before the metamorphosis. The first floor was gutted and has been reinvented as a bar and restaurant-type room that's almost classy. It still maintains the spirit of a rock club, though, as the rear wall boasts an 8-by-5-foot screen that receives a feed from a rotating camera above the second-floor stage. The screen is complemented by a surround sound system so true that some people may actually prefer watching and listening to the bands in the cozy confines of the downstairs as opposed to the sometimes crammed and smoky upstairs. Plus, the entire system is equipped to receive feeds from cable and DVD setups. The other key factor in the Pontiac's scheme to assert small venue dominance in Philly was the hiring of booking agent David Levine this past fall. Levine came to the Pontiac with extensive experience in the industry, having logged time on the booking side of things as well as in stints managing a handful of nationally touring bands. Levine wasted no time in putting his vision of establishing the Pontiac as a premier spot on the jam band scene to work. In his short tenure there, he's already roped in several national acts, including members of the Disco Biscuits and the stunning Marco Benevento/Joe Russo Duo, an organ and drum outfit that will be holding court at the new Pontiac for the next three Thursday nights. It may not be Dobbs, but it no longer wants to be. If the club can manage to capitalize on the remarkable renovation, don't be too surprised if in 10 years you hear a jaded scenester mutter, "But it's not the Pontiac." Pontiac Grille, 304 South St. 215.925.4053. www.pontiacgrille.com