Friday, October 26, 2012

MASSLIVE ARTICLE

BarFX plans November opening in Worcester

By George Lenker
on October 22, 2012 at 12:02 PM, updated October 22, 2012 at 12:05 PM

I wonder if Mike Barrasso knows how to open a smallclub.
I'm kidding the former owner of Springfield's Hippodrome, of course, but when Mike decides to do something, it' seems like it's always on a pretty grand scale. Barrasso heads up a new ownership group that is in the process of opening BarFX in Worcester.
Slated to open in November, BarFX is a 400-person capacity nightclub, restaurant, bar and lounge is situated across from the DCU Center at 90 Commercial St. With five rooms spread out over three floors, the venue promises something for everyone, including electronic dance music, Top 40 and classic club anthem nights; American cuisine served at both a restaurant and bar area with sports on television, and a third-floor lounge area with tables and couches.
Along with Barrasso, the group in includes Paul Barrasso, Rich Hutchinson and Tim Bonito.
“Between the four of us, we’ve been opening and managing venues and booking DJs, musicians, and celebrities for decades, and we’re bringing all of that experience to Worcester,” said Mike Barrasso. “There was a void here that we thought we could fill.”
Mike and Paul Barrasso have each been working in the restaurant, nightclub and entertainment industry for decades, with Mike Barrasso having opened and managed some of the most high profile venues in New England, including The Palladium, the Hippodrome in Springfield, and the Roxy in Boston. In fact, the grand opening of BarFX, scheduled for early November, will be Mike Barrasso’s 25th such event.
Hutchinson and Bonito are the pair behind NVConcepts, one of the first companies to book international DJs such as David Guetta, Avicii and Dada Life at venues throughout the Northeast, including Ocean Club in Quincy, Prime in Boston (formerly Umbria) and Shrine at MGM Foxwoods.
In addition to the entertainment, dining and bar options, BarFX will also feature a top-of-the-line sound system, intelligent lighting and special effects.
“It’s every guy’s dream to open up their own bar,” Hutchinson said. “So it’s definitely a good feeling, and getting to do it on your own terms and with people you trust makes it even better. We put an idea and a dream together and said, ‘This is what we can do here.’”
For more information about BarFX, visit www.barfx.com.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Cinema Treasures Paramount Page

The website Cinema Treasures has a page dedicated to the Paramount Theater. The page and following comments are full of misinformation, But I found it interesting to read.
The picture to the right is what appears on the Paramount Page. (2002 maybe?)

Please click on the link below.

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1261/

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Staind Outside Video

This post was first published in 2009

The Video posted below, By the band "Staind" was filmed at The Hippodrome on September 7th 2001.
The video features over 75 Hippodrome employees as extras. The remaining 300 or so extras were supplied through a local radio station promotion.

The shoot lasted all day and into the evening. The song "Outside" was played over and over through the Hippodrome's sound system.

Over the years, Staind performed at The Hippodrome four times. All of the shows sold out. The first two sold out within hours of going on sale.

The photo is from one of the live performances at The Hippodrome, not the video shoot.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Staind ::: Outside

Staind ::: Outside
Uploaded by naRco666. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Hippodrome Springfield 3rd Anniversary

This video was produced in 2003 and features original construction photos and highlights from 2000 through 2003. The title says 2nd anniversary, but was actually the 3rd. this was produced for the anniversary party in December of 2003.
I didn't spend much time there in late 2003, I was busy building and opening Rain several blocks away.
The music is terrible. (I had nothing to do with it) But there is some great footage halfway through.
I assume the use of the Sinatra version of "Downtown" has to do with the fact that Downtown Springfield was a thriving Restaurant and Entertainment destination at that time, with the Hippodrome being it's centerpiece. In 2001 and 2002 The Hippodrome was The third largest tourist attraction in Western Mass. ( 400,000 annual visitors)
WARNING: Much of this video is graphic.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

DECONSTRUCTING THE HIPPODROME

I took this picture of the Hippodrome's lighting truss from the Masslive website. I am sure I have hundreds of pictures of it on a CD somewhere, but it is much easier to copy and paste.

This week we started removing it from the Theater. The truss system featured nine 1-ton motors, 260 feet of box truss, 400 amps of three phase power, and articulating hinges which gave the system the ability to bend in half and contort into an endless amount of configurations.

The system, with it's original lighting, special affects, and video was the ultimate dance floor light show. The system was raised and lowered throughout the evening to accommodate the evening's programing. For example; The truss was raised while video was played on the movie screens, then lowered for a dance set, raised for the snow and wind machines to be used, then lowered to lift an aerialist for a trapeze performance, etc. It was an expensive piece of equipment that gave the space versatility.

The first thing we had to do was lower the truss to the floor to remove all of the electrical wiring.

"Me" posing as an electrician

The truss is disassembled and moved. Chains were dropped from the ceiling. Now it's final, Although it hasn't been used as a nightclub since 2005, the Hippodrome (Paramount) is no longer usable as one.

Steve and I took advantage of the fact that Anthony was there with his camera and started posing for pictures by pointing at things that don't exist.