Bishop Con Lucey
Banned
https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40218704.html
TUE, 02 FEB, 2021 - 11:38
DES O’DRISCOLL
Cork's live music scene has been dealt a blow with the announcement that the Kino will no longer operate as a venue. Promoter duo the Good Room – also behind Live at Luke's on the north side of the city - have decided to leave the Washington Street premises due to a combination of Covid pressures and the fact that the building looks set to be redeveloped in the near future.
In July of last year, owner of the building, Philip O’Connor, was granted planning conditional permission to demolish the existing premises, and replace it with a new building to include a ground-floor cinema, with 17-bed student accommodation overhead, as well as a rooftop garden terrace.
Originally, the Good Room had hoped to run the Kino as a venue until at least the end of the summer of 2021, but it now looks like the best-case scenario for live music in Ireland is that the sector may only start to gain momentum again in June or July.
The promoters say the extension of the Level 5 restrictions ensured it would not be feasible to pay rent for several months while closed, and then to open again for just a limited period.
“It's devastating to be leaving so much sooner that we had hoped, but unfortunately the timing never worked for us in the Kino,” said Joe Kelly, one of the partners of the Good Room, lease-holders since September 2019. “We were only six months into what was a five year plan when Covid came along and we were forced to close last March.”
In pre-Covid times, the venue had become an important addition to the city's nightlife, hosting gigs and comedy nights featuring Irish and international acts. After a period of closure in the initial lockdown last March, under softer Covid restrictions in September, the venue had re-opened briefly for a series of performances with much-reduced, seated audiences.
Under the Government's recent live performance support scheme, the Kino had also hosted audience-less performances from a number of artists that were filmed and shown on social media. A number of these Kaught At The Kino shows will be streamed on the Good Room Facebook page and YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
Ed O’Leary of the Good Room was sanguine about the Kino's permanent closure: “In truth we had just found our groove and the venue was getting a great name nationally. We never got a chance to fully realise our vision for the Kino. Had Covid not come along we would be in a completely different situation.
“We’d like to thank our landlord, Philip O’Connor, for his support and understanding all the way through. There was good communication between us and we all had to make compromises due to Covid. He was fair and wanted us to do well in the venue. It was a hard year for everyone but communication was key to making it work.”
The promoters are already looking at alternative venues in the city and, Covid-permitting, hope to resume the Live At St Luke’s concerts in the autumn.
“Thanks to every audience member and customer who has supported us during our sporadic year and a half in the Kino,” said O'Leary. “There were some great nights and some lovely crowds.”
The Kino had previously been an arthouse cinema from 1996 to 2009, and had also housed the Pot Black pool hall.
Jaysis, the cinema is gone 11 years. I saw some amount of shite fillums in there.
TUE, 02 FEB, 2021 - 11:38
DES O’DRISCOLL
Cork's live music scene has been dealt a blow with the announcement that the Kino will no longer operate as a venue. Promoter duo the Good Room – also behind Live at Luke's on the north side of the city - have decided to leave the Washington Street premises due to a combination of Covid pressures and the fact that the building looks set to be redeveloped in the near future.
In July of last year, owner of the building, Philip O’Connor, was granted planning conditional permission to demolish the existing premises, and replace it with a new building to include a ground-floor cinema, with 17-bed student accommodation overhead, as well as a rooftop garden terrace.
Originally, the Good Room had hoped to run the Kino as a venue until at least the end of the summer of 2021, but it now looks like the best-case scenario for live music in Ireland is that the sector may only start to gain momentum again in June or July.
The promoters say the extension of the Level 5 restrictions ensured it would not be feasible to pay rent for several months while closed, and then to open again for just a limited period.
“It's devastating to be leaving so much sooner that we had hoped, but unfortunately the timing never worked for us in the Kino,” said Joe Kelly, one of the partners of the Good Room, lease-holders since September 2019. “We were only six months into what was a five year plan when Covid came along and we were forced to close last March.”
In pre-Covid times, the venue had become an important addition to the city's nightlife, hosting gigs and comedy nights featuring Irish and international acts. After a period of closure in the initial lockdown last March, under softer Covid restrictions in September, the venue had re-opened briefly for a series of performances with much-reduced, seated audiences.
Under the Government's recent live performance support scheme, the Kino had also hosted audience-less performances from a number of artists that were filmed and shown on social media. A number of these Kaught At The Kino shows will be streamed on the Good Room Facebook page and YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
Ed O’Leary of the Good Room was sanguine about the Kino's permanent closure: “In truth we had just found our groove and the venue was getting a great name nationally. We never got a chance to fully realise our vision for the Kino. Had Covid not come along we would be in a completely different situation.
“We’d like to thank our landlord, Philip O’Connor, for his support and understanding all the way through. There was good communication between us and we all had to make compromises due to Covid. He was fair and wanted us to do well in the venue. It was a hard year for everyone but communication was key to making it work.”
The promoters are already looking at alternative venues in the city and, Covid-permitting, hope to resume the Live At St Luke’s concerts in the autumn.
“Thanks to every audience member and customer who has supported us during our sporadic year and a half in the Kino,” said O'Leary. “There were some great nights and some lovely crowds.”
The Kino had previously been an arthouse cinema from 1996 to 2009, and had also housed the Pot Black pool hall.
Jaysis, the cinema is gone 11 years. I saw some amount of shite fillums in there.
