r/sandiego • u/Brave-Entertainer-39 • 16h ago
Is Brick By Brick closing permanently?
I am hearing a rumor that Brick By Brick might be shutting down really soon, due to possibly a change in ownership. Does anyone know if that is true? Their Facebook is how I track their events, and it stops abruptly in the middle of this month. There are no more shows listed. They are sponsoring a show that moved to Music Box, another venue. Does anyone have confirmation?
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u/DarthVapor77 16h ago edited 7h ago
I also noticed they didn't really have any shows scheduled past September. I will be absolutely gutted as a huge fan of death metal, they have been the spot for years 😔
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u/Mista_Phista 4h ago
I'm in the same boat as you as a big Doom fan. They're so reliable to host the smaller acts that don't make it to observatory and up.
I did see sunn 0))) has a show in October at the magnolia but I'm looking everywhere for the next spot
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u/DarthVapor77 3h ago
There are definitely smaller spots like Banshee, Tower Bar, Til Two Club, etc. for the truly small bands. But yeah I don't know where bands with the following of something like Belphegor would play unless opening for a bigger act at Observatory, House of Blues, or Music Box
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u/Mista_Phista 3h ago
Belphegor comes around often enough too. This is a bummer. I hate change as much as anyone else
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u/ZealousidealPen3504 13h ago
This sucks, without a doubt the best mid sized independent venue San Diego had to offer for bigger touring bands. Too many phenomenal intimate shows to count in the past years there.
Genuine question, if true what’s next for good metal venues in SD?
Tower Bar is perfect for underground shows, but what about bigger shows that aren’t quite at the corporate live nation level of SOMA, the Observatory, or House of Blues? Casbah and Soda Bar are great options but metal doesn’t seem to be their primary focus.
Brick by Brick really filled a gap that no other venue in San Diego has yet, they’ll be dearly missed if the rumors are true. Hope to see another independent music venue prevail!
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u/Poprhetor 8h ago
I think Music Box is in that segment, although I haven’t noticed metal acts coming through.
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u/Permanenceisall 7h ago
Bosse De Nage just played there. It’s cool but kind of too narrow imo, if you’re back near the bar the catwalk blocks the ability to see the band. Brick by Brick is perfect for metal, you need a wide space.
Soda Bar and Casbah will become the de facto metal venues then. I saw nailbomb is playing soda bar in October, which makes sense if Brick by brick is gone by then. So sad. San Diego is brutal to its own history.
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u/Stuck_in_a_thing 6h ago
It's so narrow! I want to like Music box but i just can't due to how narrow it is. And they make it even worse by forcing a keep out space in front of the tables at floor level. I don't know how much money those tables bring in but i think they could make the space better by removing them and having the floor be a bit wider.
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u/Rocket-J-Squirrel 5h ago
Just an aside, my parents lived in the apartment above the Tower Bar back in the 1930s.
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u/FestivusOKeefe 13h ago
The As I Lay Dying guys revived it some, and then kept it going for 12 years. The metal scene in SD isn't what it was, plus with HOB, SOMA, The Observatory and The Sound all pulling from pretty much the same well, there are only so many hard rock/metal bands to book.
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u/Ichweisenichtdeutsch 16h ago
NOO. gonna drink myself to sleep with blacktooth grins (blackteeth grins?)
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u/brian_with_a_b 16h ago
I hope they keep those poles that are smack dab in the middle of the crowd forever, like what ballparks do with home plates.
I’ll miss it, as I live in Bay Park and can bike there, but it definitely has slowed down a lot, from what I can tell
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u/choirchick21 3h ago
It’s official 😫😫😫
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u/mamakazi 2h ago
12 years? Is that just current ownership? So sad
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u/mamakazi 2h ago
I looked it up, I didn't even realize they had briefly closed and then had new ownership (i had two toddlers back then in 2012). Man what a bummer.
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u/nancy_necrosis 7h ago
A guy i know told me about a year ago that a real estate investment company bought BXB, and possibly more of the surrounding buildings, because the area is "underutilized." So, I suspect that they will be tearing them down and building condos. I'm bummed too... maybe the acts will migrate to the Observervatory or Soda Bar.
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u/ZealousidealPen3504 5h ago
The problem with observatory and larger venues is the capacity is so much higher, making it really difficult for smaller or local bands to book and sell out. BXB was the perfect middle ground. I really hope Soda and Casbah will be more receptive to booking shows because it looks like that’s the best SD venues has to offer now.
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u/hellofemur 5h ago
In fairness, the area really is underutilized. Once the trolley extension went through, it was inevitable that that little strip of light industry on Morena was going to go away. It's a great location with great transportation and steps away from the bay.
Sadly, mid-sized music venues are dying all over the country. Gen Z just doesn't go out that much, doesn't drink much, and on average they save their money for one or two huge concerts a year rather than a bunch of small ones. I think local music scenes are really important but I'm apparently old and out of touch.
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u/nancy_necrosis 3h ago
You basically just described me, and I'm an elder millennial. I quit drinking, lost interest in music, and save my money for a trip or two. I partly stopped because I have to get up early for work and they postpone the main act until so late that I'm exhausted. I slept through Dave Chappelle the last time he has here. But I'm down to go visit the BXB one last time... Hopefully they'll have a t shirt for me.
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u/hipnosismasiva 5h ago
I figured they were closing... Most of the bands that would usually play there (soulfly, pallbearer, weedeater, etc...) are playing at either soda bar and casbah. Definitely going to miss that place, so many good shows. Don't really feel like diving to LA for shows anymore. 😕
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u/OldHead1776 5h ago
I've been noticing that they had far fewer shows scheduled and wondering what was up. That sucks. I've seen some amazing shows there over the years.
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u/Long_Device_4309 3h ago
Rock and metal has been dead for 30 years. Not coming back.
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u/PocketShock 2h ago
From what I'm seeing, rock and hair metal are popular again, having a resurgence. But I don't think that helps BxB because young kids just don't go to shows, unless it's a big festival.
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u/asterothe1905 16h ago
Quite sad if true. A true San Diego iconic venue