Chat w/Chuck from Yesterday’s
Yesterday’s in Wheeling is going into its second year of putting on hardcore shows with killer local and national talent. To find out more about the club, we talked to co-owner Charles “Chuck” Fithen. The 27-year old Moundsville native not only books the bands, but has been in bands (Lady Binn Hill) himself, so it’s no wonder so many bands have been coming through the Northern panhandle. Here’s what he said…
__________
GAZZ: When was the first show at Yesterday’s?
CF: The first show was July 15th 2006 with Iscariot, Holden Caulfield, 11th Plague and Hank Jones.
__________
GAZZ: What motivated you to start the club?
CF: There was nowhere for rock/metal/hardcore bands to play in the Northern Panhandle of the state. West Virginia was getting passed over a lot when it came to routing tours. Most agents I deal with tell me horror stories about shady West Virginia shows where bands get ripped off or poor turnout. That was why they stayed away from the state. The only exception to this in most of their eyes were shows at the HYAMP and some in St Albans.
__________
GAZZ: You’ve called Yesterday’s “West Virginia’s only true music venue.” What do you mean by that?
CF: We are not a hall or a building that is rented for shows. We are open six days a week and usually have live bands on three of those days. Our door is wide open to acts just passing through town or needing really last minute shows. We can usually scramble and pull off anything. I don’t know of anyone willing to do that much for the bands. There are too many people who focus on making money and don’t give a damn about the bands or customers.
__________
GAZZ: There was the demolition of 1058 next door, and now you have the united stage, right? How exciting is/was the renovations?
CF: 1058 was a great neighbor. It was sad to see that building go under such circumstances. If the price was right I would love to get this land and build a deck off of the venue. Who knows, time will tell. Did you know that the city of Wheeling has awarded us with a facade renovation grant? It’s been a year-long process and we were one of three historic buildings chosen out of 22. I have previewed the plans and let me tell you they are amazing. There will be restoration of the tin and brick work as well as a new store front. I am told the work could be complete by the end of this year.
The United Skate and Music Stage is located on the first floor of the venue. This small DIY-stage features a PA courtesy of Obsidian Sound. With an increase in the bands needing shows we needed a cheaper way of putting on shows. To use the main stage on the second floor I have over $350 in overhead with employees and sound. That may not seem like much but its hard to overcome when you do that many last-minute shows. Shows on the United Stage are usually FREE and get a good turnout. Customers are more likely to buy merch from the acts. It works out well. Palehorse was the first band to play the United Stage.
__________
GAZZ: What are some of your favorite bands who’ve come to Yesterday’s?
CF: All of the local bands here are great, they are the blood flowing through the venue at all times. They draw well and help welcome these larger acts. Personal out of town favorites of mine that always bring the party include Nerve Gas Tragedy, Holden Caulfield, Death Virginia, Pound For Pound, My Bitter End, Patriarch, and Iscariot.
The (editor won’t let name of band be printed) show was monumental and there was just something hilarious about members of Sweden’s Regurgitate drinking blue Bacardi fishbowls all night.
__________
GAZZ: You mainly book hardcore bands, right?
CF: We book mostly hardcore and metal. We have the occasional indie rock or classic rock show, but they never draw as well as the metal shows.
__________
GAZZ: Wheeling straddles three states for the most part — where are most of your patrons and bands from?
CF: Most patrons come from Ohio and West Virginia. We do see a healthy dose of kids from Pittsburgh and Washington, PA make the drive too. Bands that play here originate from all across the United States and the world. From California to Ireland, they have been here.
__________
GAZZ: What have been some of the more frustrating things running a club?
CF: BILLS!!! The utilities here are tremendous. When you get hit with $2,500 worth of those bills a month it can sometimes be overwhelming. And that’s not even counting advertising, insurance, payroll, mortgage and cost of goods.
__________
GAZZ: You guys actually got cited for smoking in the club right? How do you feel about the smoking laws as they apply to clubs?
CF: It was a shady situation the day we were cited. My daytime cleaning guy was smoking a cigarette while taking a break from mopping the floor. We weren’t even open. The door was unlocked because he was waiting on a delivery. The inspector was following up on a complaint (which I found out was made by a guy I had fired before I even opened) and walked in. We were telling people not to smoke but it’s hard to enforce with that many people in the building. Someone is always going to sneak. Rather than fight and waste time in the courts we plead no contest and just paid the $750 fine, counting lawyer and court fees. I think that this law needs to be voted on by the people in the county just like they did for table gaming. This might be a great idea for a restaurant, but definitely not for a bar. Business has declined because of it.
__________
GAZZ: You’ve done some benefit shows up there and you’ve had free shows, have those been successful?
CF: Free shows are almost always successful. C’mon its FREE!! There have been a few benefits most recently for a member of the local music scene and employee-friend of mine who was in a motorcycle accident. He is totally getting screwed by the Ohio State Police and everyone else it seems. His bills are enormous, and every dollar helps. Everyone has come together for his cause and it’s great to see the bands come out to support also. Death Virginia and An American Horror Story were some of the first to step up. Larger acts like The Classic Struggle and My Bitter End are slated to be on the next benefit Halloween night.
__________
GAZZ: What is 1056 Booking?
CF: All of the shows here at the venue are booked by myself or Joe Klug. This was the name we came up with to represent us and the quality of show you will see when you attend one of our shows. Joe has booked many acts in the Wheeling area in the past, most notably Most Precious Blood, Sworn Enemy, Poison the Well, and Unearth to name a few. Recently we have been throwing all-ages shows at The Nelson Jordan Center Gym. The sound isn’t the greatest there but it’s somewhere safe the kids can go. In the past few months we have pulled off last minute shows for Since The Flood, First Blood, Winds Of Plague, Pound For Pound and more.
__________
GAZZ: Who else does Yesterday’s work with up there? Any radio stations? Alternate venues?
CF: When I started out I worked a lot with the local rock station here. Over the months I realized my customers don’t listen to radio and have moved more to newspapers, etc. for advertising. We have a very strong support system from the crew at Hot Rod Tattooing in Martins Ferry, Ohio, as they have been a force in the local scene of artists and musicians since their birth over a decade ago. There arent any other venues here, but we do support the DIY shows in Pittsburgh at the Roboto Project and Lawerenceville Moose.
__________
GAZZ: How important are your relations with the bands?
CF: The best advertising is word of mouth. I don’t think I have had really any bands here that didn’t want to return. Those bands tell other bands and that’s how the ball keeps rolling. I have become good friends with a lot of the guys that have played here and they help spread the word constantly. You have to look out for these guys who are busting their balls on the road giving their 110% every night.
Chuck took the opportunity at the end of the Q&A to say keep an eye on Yesterday’s if you haven’t been…
“We will continue to grow and evolve on the daily basis as a respected venue in the Northeast. With bands like Full Blown Chaos, Murphys Law, and Ringworm in the coming months I think we are just getting started. Keep checking yesterdayswv.com for event updates!”
