Goodbye Cherry’s Pub

Its unfortunate … we are today saying goodbye to ou most memorable pub ! Our second home Cherry’s .

From those ashes shall rise a Phoenix !

haha @ rassi’s. i remember that night. it was alternative event night. it was our first and last gig @ cherry’s. and it was the only time i really had fun and i was really happy after i played there…Nova sucks. i always get off the stage there and i be unhappy..either from the sound system or from the masre guy who keeps bothering me by hurrying up the “soundchick”. I hope there will be a pub like Cherry’s soon…not far like Rockster w not corrupted like Nova.

Very nice article serj…goodbye cherrys and a big thank you for the Daibess family!!

i think cherry’s was re-open for metal because it wasnt bringing good income,at least not enough to pay the rent right? (i mean what kind of idea was it to switch to jazz music lol i mean how many people actually pay attention to the music? none, ill bring it down this way, people choose trends over quality music thats all,so it was the suckiest idea to switch from Metal to Jazz or whatever music there was) anyway the point is i think we should stop treating cherry’s like something divine (i hope you guys are not emotive enough to go all slit-wrist-like on me telling me how much this place means to you) after all its ran by a human being who belongs to the scene,and in my opinion, re-opening cherry’s for metal had a point, paying the rent,making some extra cash yea..i mean how could we all build so much love and appreciation to a place that was built over loss and regret?

Intressting Comment

I believe that Cherrys had it’s ups and downs for sure, but still you can’t act as if this ain’t a major setback for the local scene. The problem was always the lack of places to play, not the lack of bands nor the lack of metalheads. I personally did like Cherry’s since it had that underground spirit to it, that spark which you couldn’t find at Nova per example. Was I sometimes disapointed of the sound and the organization at Cherry’s ? Yes sure! Still, the appreciation fits well with loss! Few appreciate things until they loose them!

clarity
there’s actually MUCH more people into jazz than metal
and they actually use pubs as a pub, and simply go in see a band and leave without 1 single order
that’s why cherry’s switched, because metal wasn’t working bcs of that reason
but with certain improper management, those plans didnt work out either, and with debts increasing,cherry’s moved back to metal one last time before its planned closure
the only people to blame are those same people that complain about its closing

a previous time,cherry’s was going to close down, a whole support movement was done about it and SO MANY people talked about support and helping and and…,
but how many people actually did what was needed and showed up? barely any !

if a place is to survive, it has to be given what it’s worth, and not be considered as a ‘cheap alternative’

of course it is a loss to the scene, bcs currently new bands have no place to play and get experienced…nova closed off metal as well

sure there are much more people into jazz than metal, people like my father who’s busy working his ass out to feed me. And i think i and all of the other “metalheads” in the scene are the only type of people that are ready to go to a metal event even if its raining bullets outside..im not sure a jazz fan would do that.

i don’t think a metal fan travelling all the way from a far place with ten bucks in his pocket to watch a concert would actually sit on a bar and drink tequila shots just so the place doesn’t close down. right?

and concerning support/help , i don’t know about that, what i know is that i can’t remember being asked for help, and i’m VERY sure i’m not that type that would talk and only talk.

so now you’ll have to find alternative ways to make bands suffer and struggle with distance and bad sound quality to see if they’re good enough to play in your professional events? what a loss bro.

anyway it still doesn’t mean that cherry’s didn’t use all of us “metal fans” for the last time before its “planned closure” in order to cease dept.

he has a point

Clarity … That is a serious accusation . The event was planned to support Kaoteon to produce their next album…

Let’s not drag people and bands into this.

The last event (Insanity Crescendo with Humanity Failed, Kaiowas and Kaoteon) was organized by Kaoteon and not by Cherry’s, and had nothing to do with Cherry’s itself.

Regardless of my personal opinion regarding the pub, it’s switch to different styles, the argument with bands and metal in general (lack of support…), and the return to metal music one last time, the place will always be missed.

Walid – Kaoteon.

I agree with Walid, this article’s purpose is saying goodbye to one of the few concert venues nowadays in Lebanon. No matter what’s your opinion about the scene itself or the pub’s business decisions, we , as metalheads are loosing options regarding where to organize fairly inexpensive gigs. Why to stress on ‘inexpensive’? That’s where the “Local Support” discussion plays its role. Hopefully in an upcoming article.

Kaiowas

Thank you to every single person who expressed support, and thank you Lebmetal.com for this. It really feels worth all the trouble when gratitude is there… and me in return am so grateful to all the bands from the smallest to the biggest to all the bands who shared our stage.

To those who are still bitching about us using metalheads, I do not feel obliged to answer, I only wish they give this scene 1/10 of what we did and what the bands are still giving from Kaoteon, to Weeping Willow, to Oath to Vanquish, to Kimaera to Tristmoon, and many many other (way many to mention), as well as RockRing who are currently our only hope for a better scene. And until we are able to open a pub where the rent and costs are not soo high (because metalheads can never be good customers for business and in any case metal was never meant for profit, and anyone who thinks people actually do make money from Metal are clearly living in another world) until we find a place where we can give our best and be able to sustain it… we hope that the bullshiters cut the crap and start working their asses off as we did.

Hail to a united, and better Metal scene.

if every band in lebanon supported each other regardless of their styles the metalscene wouldnt have to come to where it is now..we alwayz argue abt band styles and who’s metal or not and in the meantime u see the biggest festivals in the world combining different metal styles with all the general metal audience..

Bassem u’re most welcomed …

I help by playing good music and fighting any attempt for tyranny in the scene, i’d be helping the scene if i play good live music without having to suck up the organizer’s blood for some bucks, and i can’t believe you just said that i should look up to THAT trying to do 1/10 of it…heh
I’m pretty much proud of the fact that i’m at least 2 years younger than any of you or the bands you mentioned (which obviously means i dont have a doctorate) and still i can stun you with my knowledge, that’s how i help the scene. That’s the problem with you and the bands you mentioned Bassem, you want to make business and still you’re holding the scene with your iron grip, don’t you think its the time for all of you guys to go on with your lives and leave the scene for us to experiment and grow? and if you think we need your help, well at least that’s not what you’re offering.

That’s not even the point, we could keep on writing here making Serj nuts :p or we could just re-evaluate the way we THINK we’re helping the scene and its the right time to start spreading the Progressive knowledge and not the Extreme blindness for the sake of business.

cherry’s pub will not b forgotten, not gd at talkin’ but the only thing to say : the scene must continue… Even better then b4.
Just to note: last event sucked , begining with the sound system and ending with most of the bands that played. But hey summer fusion is near , i am sure it will b great event.

Roy is right, back in the days when people wanted cherry’s to stay opened and all but none of them would pay the entrance… All of them would count on being friends with Bassem and I mean they would be as rude as to ask to get in for free… All I know is that if most attendees didn’t act cheap we wouldn’t be saying good bye right now..

Clarity
im very interested in your point of view … but by the meaning of the *2 years younger*?! … could you just start by telling us who you are ?! even tho i don’t think anyone cares … still that’s the way it should be done … not hidden behind a strange name … and using this article to reach something ur seeking … ps: im not going nuts please continue

No Clarity this discussion is vital for the topic. You can’t but appreciate the work of our older and more experienced fellow metalheads. They did work their ass off and tried to do better for the scene. I agree with the idea that a band shouldn’t suck the organizer’s blood for lots of money … BUT I also encourage the idea that organizers should profit from their events and direct that profit to the scene itself.
We need CHEAPER studios that record and support metal, and we need more awareness for the young comers to guide them towards creating their own originals, and stop the evolving wave of cover bands in Lebanon. In my opinion, a solution would be that instead of earning 500 $ for a concert, the band can ask for 150 and save the rest in a fund raising box.
After each concert, all these contributions from bands as well as the organizer WOULD go to several bands to record at least 1 song of theirs in a professional matter. Isn’t that a beginning ?

Clarity, if you try to make your point clear (since this is ur nickname) I think that you are very much miss informed about everything that is going on. As well, the problem of the new generation is that kilshi t2adamloun 3ala tabi2 min fouda. You have internet now, you can get music easily, pubs actually allow you to perform, you do not get your ass kicked simply by walking on the road, you have equipments available now, you have rock music and instruments shops, and endless other things. unfortunately, you are being arrogant, and think you can simply do everything. This doesn’t mean that there are many in the new generation that are so good, way better than even the old ones and way better than us. But here is my advice, when you want to voice your opinion, do not go bashing whatever u can so you can get attention. Or think like:”ok everyone is supporting this place now and showing gratitude let me go the other way around so I can get some attention” because by some statements you showed that you really lack a LOT of knowledge.
Make use of us, and of our experience, we are not more clever nor more talented than you (I mean by you as the young generation) we simply have one and only one advantage, experience that you can never acquire except with age. So please do profit from that, without the need to bitch us up.

astaze patrick i’m starting to feel like you’re the chosen one, the new Ghandi hahaha and i totally agree

2 posts earlier, you were talking about what you’ve done to the scene eventhough I didn’t question it, and you’re accusing ME of seeking attention? No not really.
I’ve always appreciated what cherry’s pub had done (by cherry’s pub I mean the ambience and the place itself whether its ran by a saudian or a fellow metalhead like yourself), but I’m here under this nickname stating some facts that each one of us should understand..because I didn’t like how everyone got carried away with emotions letting down many true things someone had to say in the end.
You may want to think about the retardation that might go around if I actually say who I am maybe then you’ll know what I’m talking about.
It does not matter what you have, what matters is how you use it…
And by talking about “not getting beat up just for walking” makes you look like you don’t live in lebanon, or you usually tend to act indifferent to how society looks “down” to us and treats us ?? they beat you up because they were retarded and they thought they can change what’s in your mind, now it’s different the machine is smarter and the damage it’s causing (to the mind) is pretty much more effective than the physical damage.
If I talked about my knowledge, it surely doesn’t mean I’m the man with the greatest.
If you care to read what I wrote again, you’ll find out that I had other more important things to point at but I usually use the latest trends and news to write under ‘em because that’s where people actually read and it has nothing to do with grabbing anyone’s attention to myself, only to what I’ve been trying to prove for so long.

Good so we do have a ground to argue about. It took you some posts to get your logic together or at least to care explain the logic behind your posts. Still it will not get down to well with me, when you accuse the pub I was running of things that are far from the truth, it did show that your knowledge about certain facts are way to misconcepted. Cherry’s Pub never used Metalheads. And it is because such attitudes of yours that I stopped the metal events in that pub. All what Cherry’s Stuff asked for was some gratitude that now people are showing, but many of them failed to do so. That is one thing, the second thing is that you are calling this now a trend: that everyone is praising the place and so you decided to go against it to drive attention to what you are trying to prove. In this case, just try to keep some credibility, and do not distort facts and throw accusations left and right, especially when they are so far away from the truth. So the “true things” that you are referring to, were not so true except in your mind, in the way to saw things, but not the way things were. Just pay attention to that point when you post, and understand that when someone is trying his best, and is faced with such attitude, he sometimes think, why the hell am I going through all of this, if people instead of getting together they are always on the attack.
This is the main reason why the scene is falling apart, and I hope to see this scene back to its strength the way we were in the 90s. I only hope, and as I said, we are not more important nor more talented than anyone around, we are simply more experience, so use it to your advantage.
In any case, thank you for sharing your thoughts, it is always good to have positive criticism.

Hey Bassem. I just want to say that the scene can be back as it was and better If we work together . We are relatively new to the scene but we are here to benefit from your experience and the scene can benefit from our enthusiasm.

nicely said ramy (scorp) … couldnt agree more …

no problem bassem that’s what i call being constructive

i dont want to interfere much in bassem/clarity’s arguement…what is to be said was already said , i only have 1 point to add:
i already find the scene getting much better…it was better in the past, then it went straight down hill at one point,and now it’s going back up…i remember 2 yrs ago everyone was bashed and labely simply by ‘style’ they listen to, whatever it is
i find that much less common today
also, the level and quality of events has risen alot
there are many new talented bands that are also showing up, and also getting a chance to show up – unlike before…many years in a row, the same only 2 events (rocknation & rockfest) had the same bands playing year after year
cherry’s played a big role in the rise, it wont be easily replaced…but that will definitely not stop any of us or the bands to stop working
also, mainly most ppl that have actually abused the scene to make money have disappeared…why? for a simple reason, they have to cut costs alot to actually get money from the events…so ppl got sick of such low quality events, and bands now learned and know what ppl can be trusted and who not (except for the new rising bands who make their own small events…that’s smthg else, and the mistake comes from lack of experience…many ppl think doing an event is really easy, which is not that case)
anyway, wat i say is think positive, and think United…and the scene will go forward

and i have 1 objection to patrick:
“cheaper recording prices”
how cheaper? professional studio for 250$/song
home studio with quite decent quality for 150$/song
and some go down to 100 and 75$/song … which tend to be people with alot of free time
there’s no cheaper price in the world…it goes 500$/song and more

to put things in perspective:
proper recording requires: on average, at LEAST 1 hour per instrument (many times takes 2-3 hrs),so on average, that’s around 7-8 hours to record a song,
then u have another 5-10 hours of mixing…basic mixing , for a premix
then there’s also a certain rest period, then another mix comes there…some 2 hrs
and if there’s mastering involved…that’s another 2 hours (which btw, the cheapest mastering studios abroad take 400$/song)

so that’s somewhere between 15-20 hours of work…
not to mention at least some fee for using the recording equipment, which costs quite a bit, and always need upgrading
+ some fee to pay for the person’s knowledge and experience
(in all companies, the person with more experience gets a higher salary, this is no different)

so you’re down to paying about 10$/hour for a song….that’s quite more than fair,if not cheap
teaching private guitar lessons is for more

hala2 besides that, on a more personal note, i have recorded to several bands for free bcs some couldnt afford it…but many took it for granted…so i stopped doing that
basically for the same reasons bassem mentioned….

regarding ur idea
it’s easier to directly pay the band to record on its own instead of the fund box
la2an if ur going to split the money…to the same bands, they’ll get the same amount
and if to more bands…they’d barely have anything worth mentioning to start recording
and those bands will complain why is that money going to other bands who havent given enough effort themselves to earn it
the bands can simply play and earn what they deserve in due time…there’s a band progress scale, starting from low level to high level…and at every level,they earn differently…

Hmm no I did not say 10$/song, and that won’t be fair to the recording expert. You can consider it as perhaps offering a band a proper recording of their original song (s) instead of paying them to play a show. Therefore the organizer would be helping the band in a way and win some money on his own, to organize new and better events, leading to more bands having original songs! It’s not hard and it does require some sacrifice from everyone involved, including the person who’s in charge of a recording studio. After all, few bands are recording their music in Lebanon; if we consider giving other bands that opportunity, the appointed studio will have more reputation as to delivering quality work hence attracting more bands > more work > less recording price! It’s a domino effect.

hala2 kel wa7ad ballash yetfalsaf
the guy loves metal and did the impossible in orther to run a ” malja2 ” for metalheads.. mabikaffo waja3 rasso hala2 jeyin 3alam yamil shmel philosophising..
the people in the scene are KHARA , fuck the music just look around you .. ud c who ur standing next to moving ur head up and down like idiots and pushing and shoving eachother and braggin outside that X had the strongest push in the pit..
ok i know metal is raw and relentless but the problem is with people who listen to metal starting from me w jar..
we have a “poser” fear.. the fear of being called a poser.. tab let me ask u this ? .. is there a person who was born originally a metalhead with tag on his ear saying : TRUE METALHEAD ..
NO..people learn and do mistakes but in leb IF U DO ONE khalas ur a poser ur in a complete stage of denial and rejection