The site of many great great shows in So Cal like PFunk, King's X,
Fishbone and Living Colour closed back in February 2008. The manager
still maintains the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, but couldn't
keep the lease on the Santa Ana locale. Even though us So Cal fans
often bemoaned the bands that got on the bill, this was still a great
venue that squeezed these bands into its rotation of metal and
jambands and didn't overcharge the patrons.

End of an era; this is almost like the closing of CBGB's or the
Wetlands.


Quote:
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Venue will shut down after more than 13 years of rock and comedy.
By KELLI SKYE FADROSKI
The Orange County Register
Comments 13| Recommend 16

The Galaxy Concert Theatre in Santa Ana, which has presented
performances by everyone from Beck to Little Richard over the past 13
years, will close its doors later this month after losing its lease,
owner Gary Folgner confirmed Thursday.

The 550-seat theater/dining venue opened in late 1994, hosting shows
featuring performers from a variety of musical genres including
country, metal, punk and alternative rock. The Galaxy also gave
exposure to the local scene, holding numerous local band showcases
and adding on unknowns from Orange County as openers on larger bills.

Through the years the venue has presented acts such as Lucinda
Williams, the Misfits, Sugar Ray, Anthrax, Rollins Band and more
recently, Jonathan Davis from Korn. The venue was also once home to
the Orange County Music Awards and also served as an improv stage,
with big name comedians like ventriloquist Jeff Dunham.

The venue's final night will be Feb. 23. According to Folgner the
building's lease, which was up this year, was not renewed and another
tenant was allowed to move in.

"The landlord got other offers and we could not compete with those,"
Folgner said. "We pay about $18,000 a month in rent and the offers he
got were $50,000 a month, so there's no way we could possibly compete
with that."

Folgner is also the owner of The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano,
which he opened in 1980. The Coach House is also a music and dining
establishment that caters mostly to the country, blues, rock and
rockabilly music. Although Folgner will still have his Coach House,
he says it doesn't soften the blow he's taken in losing the Galaxy,
which could present harder-edged music than would be appropriate for
the San Juan Capistrano venue.

"What I'll miss the most about Galaxy is the music I was able to do
that I couldn't do at The Coach House," Folgner said. "Having places
both gave a real full spectrum of music."

When the Galaxy opened, it and the Coach House were about the only
places to play in Orange County for name acts that weren't big enough
for arenas and amphitheaters. However, the opening of the Grove of
Anaheim (originally the Sun Theatre) and House of Blues at Downtown
Disney – both of which hold more than 1,000 patrons – within the past
decade siphoned off many of the artists that used to play the Galaxy
and Coach House.

Folgner said that most of the Galaxy staff, including security
personal, waiting staff, bartenders and promoters, will be
transferred over to The Coach House.

There are no plans to put on a special final show. Instead, Folgner
and his staff have opted to just host its final Club Rubber dance
club night on the last Saturday.

"Our customers are so upset and we've been kind of just telling them
one by one as they've come in for shows, not wanting to make a big
stink about it, but it is upsetting," one Galaxy manager said. "I
wish we were having a big goodbye party, but I think it's better for
us all mentally if we just close up and quietly say goodbye."

Folgner said he plans to open another Galaxy-style venue in the
future, setting his sights on somewhere in the Huntington Beach and
Fountain Valley area.

There is no clear indication as to what the new owners will do with
the large venue, but Folgner said he's heard several things including
that it will become a Hollywood-style night club or possibly another
concert venue.

Show dates that have been moved to The Coach House are listed on the
Galaxy Theatre Web site. Some of the shows to be presented during the
venue's final two weeks include a Valentine's Day concert with Eels;
Dead Man's Party (Oingo Boingo tribute), Feb. 16; An All Star Punk
Rock Benefit Show featuring TSOL, Agent Orange and D.I., Feb. 21; and
Club Rubber (dance/nightclub), Feb. 23.