-Hi, there. I'm Nancy Guppy, host of "Art Zone,"
and we're celebrating Seattle's dynamic music scene
with a special concert at one of
our city's longest-running live music venues.
Stay tuned.
♪♪
5140 Ballard Avenue Northwest
first opened for business in 1904
as the Owl Saloon, a favorite watering hole
for loggers, fishermen, and Scandinavians.
-Skol! -Skol!
-When Prohibition hit in 1920... [ Booing ]
...the Owl Saloon became the Owl Cafe.
When Prohibition got the boot... [ Cheering ]
...the Owl Cafe became a tavern once more,
and customers again bellied up, legally,
to the well-worn wooden bar.
In the 1970s and '80s, the Owl was a rocking blues joint,
featuring top talent from the Pacific Northwest.
And when the owners called it quits in the early '90s,
a young Irishman took the reins and renamed it Conor Byrne Pub.
In the ensuing decades,
Conor Byrne played a central role in Seattle's music scene,
nurturing up-and-coming talent,
presenting seasoned, sometimes famous musicians,
and introducing audiences to artists from around the globe.
In spring 2024, amidst swirling rumors of permanent closure...
[ Booing ] ...Conor Byrne shifted gears
and, with the blessing of owner Diarmuid Cullen,
began a new chapter as an employee-
and community-owned cooperative. [ Cheering ]
With strong public support,
Conor Byrne will reopen
and continue to be your friendly, well-run,
well-stocked, music-centric neighborhood pub.
♪♪
[ Indistinct conversations ]
♪♪
-♪ When you're young, you think you're better off ♪
♪ Standing down on the sidewalk ♪
♪ Just letting people take you in their arms ♪
♪ Till you find they won't ♪
♪ Carry you on ♪
♪♪
♪ Carry you on ♪
♪♪
♪ Carry you on ♪
♪♪
♪ Carry you on ♪
♪♪
♪ The smoke is burning too slow ♪
♪ The people outside are ready ♪
♪ To go ♪
♪♪
♪ We'll finish this another time ♪
♪ You got yours and I got mine ♪
♪ Love sleeps deep in a tired ♪
♪ Room ♪
♪ Nestled like a baby in her womb ♪
♪♪
♪ This burning out feels a lot like love ♪
♪ And keeps you struggling ♪
♪♪
♪ With the couldas ♪
♪♪
♪ Hell, I think that you're better off ♪
♪ You got yours and I got mine ♪
♪ When it all was not enough ♪
♪ We'll finish this another time ♪
♪ All that's gone ♪
♪ I've been moving on ♪
♪ From that sad song ♪
♪ Yeah, all that's gone ♪
♪♪
♪ This burning out feels a lot like love ♪
♪ It keeps you struggling ♪
♪ With the couldas ♪
♪♪
♪ When you're young, you think you're better off ♪
♪♪
♪ Standing down on the sidewalk ♪
♪♪
♪ Just letting people take you in their arms ♪
♪♪
♪ Till you find they won't ♪
♪ Carry you on ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you.
I've been coming to the Byrne for a long time.
It's been a very special place for the community,
just meeting here.
I've worked here. I've worked the door,
like a lot of local artists.
And all the people that have worked here over the years
and helped cultivate this community,
just I can't tell you how important that is.
And being a touring musician and seeing other communities
and other -- we need places like this to thrive.
We need rooms this size. We're losing a lot of them.
So it's so amazing and inspiring watching the community rally,
and I think it's a testament to
a beautiful music scene and community.
♪♪
That's all I have to say about that.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪
♪ Some love is a superstition ♪
♪ Some love by intuition ♪
♪ And some love is a lethal condition ♪
♪♪
♪ Some love is a sharpened blade ♪
♪ Some love but they just get played ♪
♪ Some love, yes, it is betrayed ♪
♪♪
♪ Some love, it needs some love ♪
♪ Some ask from God above ♪
♪ And some love you let go of ♪
♪♪
♪ Our love, however long, it has a place ♪
♪ Of deep belonging ♪
♪ I had a love I was deeply wrong in ♪
♪♪
♪ Some love, it is too proud ♪
♪ Some love doesn't speak so loud ♪
♪ And some love is disavowed ♪
♪♪
♪ But all love, it must be tended ♪
♪♪
♪ Or face consequences unintended ♪
♪♪
♪ I hate myself for loving you ♪
♪♪
♪ You made me feel like such a fool ♪
♪♪
♪ And all them lies he's been telling you ♪
♪♪
♪ After everything that we've been through ♪
♪ I just have to ask ♪
♪ 'Cause there isn't anything that I wouldn't do ♪
♪ Is that the past? ♪
♪ Oh, friend of mine ♪
♪ See the greener grass ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪♪
♪ But love is the only way ♪
♪ To welcome in better days ♪
♪ Otherwise I'll just fade away ♪
♪♪
♪ You can't let true love die ♪
♪ Or the waves of grief will rise too high ♪
♪ But I don't want to hear another lie ♪
♪♪
♪ My love is a work in progress ♪
♪ Only partly revealed ♪
♪ But my love I will gladly surrender ♪
♪ If I thought it could help us heal ♪
♪ So love until your light goes out ♪
♪♪
♪ With a whisper or with a shout ♪
♪♪
♪ Just don't leave them any doubt ♪
♪♪
♪ Some love makes you right, makes you wrong ♪
♪♪
♪ Some love makes you weak, makes you strong ♪
♪♪
♪ Some love leads you straight, leads you home ♪
♪♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you.
-My word, it's so good to be here.
They say you don't know what you got until it's gone,
and in this case, almost gone.
But dang, it's so special to be in this room again.
I got shivers walking in, and it's like --
I had spent so much time thinking about
how it would feel to be in here again,
and I'm just so grateful to be here.
So here's a song called "Little Million."
♪♪
♪ I need a minute ♪
♪ Or a million ♪
♪ Just to sit here ♪
♪ A civilian ♪
♪ Doing things that I know ♪
♪ Aren't good for me ♪
♪ Just to see if ♪
♪ It changes anything ♪
♪♪
♪ Everyone here is somewhere else ♪
♪ They're pulling on the threads ♪
♪ Trying to love themselves ♪
♪ Count on you for a working girl ♪
♪ Singing to herself in a quiet world ♪
♪ Ha ♪
♪ Ha-a, ha-a ♪
♪ Haaaa, ha-a, ha-a ♪
♪ Haaaa, ha-aaaa ♪
♪ I need a minute ♪
♪ Or tomorrow ♪
♪ Just to sit here ♪
♪ In my sorrow ♪
♪ I have this dream where ♪
♪ I try and know you ♪
♪ We try to work this ♪
♪ Like the lineman ♪
♪ Everyone here is somewhere else ♪
♪ They're banking on a frame ♪
♪ To sell themselves an angle or a phrase or a point of view ♪
♪ A comic of a life that belongs to who? ♪
♪ Ha ♪
♪ Ha-a, ha-a ♪
♪ Haaaa, haaa-aaa ♪
♪ Haaaa, ha-aaaa ♪
♪ Hear it calling out against the wind ♪
♪ Corner of the light and on your knees ♪
♪ Know that it's the love you're feeling ♪
♪ Coming towards the end of what I'm singing ♪
♪ I need a minute ♪
♪♪
♪ I need a minute ♪
♪♪
♪ Haaa ♪
♪ Everyone here is somewhere else ♪
♪ They're back and unafraid ♪
♪ To sell themselves an angle or a phrase or a point of view ♪
♪ A comic of a life that belongs to who? ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you so much.
My name's K Van Petten.
I've been coming here a long time.
As long as they'll let me. When I first moved here,
it was one of the first open mics I ever played.
I made a lot of good friends,
and it completely changed the outlook of how I looked at music
and how I made friends within the community.
So this is such a special room. I hope --
I know everyone in here already knows that,
but I hope everyone's feeling what I'm feeling,
that it's just so magical to be here again.
I've been saying that, you know, Conor Byrne closing
isn't a matter of life or death,
but it is a matter of the life or death of our music scene
here in Seattle.
So here's to keeping Seattle's music scene alive.
[ Applause ]
Okay, I'm gonna do something really scary
and I'm gonna play a brand-new song
that I just wrote a few days ago.
[ Cheers and applause ]
I wrote this song about this place, Conor Byrne.
♪♪
♪ There's a place ♪
♪ On the corner ♪
♪ Of a cobblestone street ♪
♪♪
♪ Where the kids ♪
♪ Play their songs and grow old ♪
♪♪
♪ And their ghosts ♪
♪ Play those songs ♪
♪ On the radio ♪
♪♪
♪ And the bartender's been there a spell ♪
♪♪
♪ Conor, stay for a while ♪
♪ I need to feel somebody smile ♪
♪ I thought you might struggle to find your way ♪
♪♪
♪ And I hope you stay ♪
♪♪
♪ Chandelier, lamp post shine ♪
♪ On the growing ones ♪
♪♪
♪ Have a good cry ♪
♪ Make some dreams come true ♪
♪♪
♪ We need someplace ♪
♪ And each other ♪
♪ And a drink or two ♪
♪♪
♪ We need us ♪
♪ And we need you too ♪
♪♪
♪ Conor, stay for a while ♪
♪ I need to see somebody smile ♪
♪ I thought you might struggle to find your way ♪
♪♪
♪ So I hope you stay ♪
♪♪
♪ If a time comes ♪
♪ Your doors close ♪
♪ We will open them ♪
♪♪
♪ Get together ♪
♪ And figure it out ♪
♪♪
♪ Make a living ♪
♪ Making living ♪
♪ Feel possible ♪
♪♪
♪ Stick with Conor the rest ♪
♪ Of our days ♪
♪♪
♪ Conor ♪
♪ Here for a while ♪
♪ We get to see everyone smile ♪
♪ And though we may struggle to find our way ♪
♪♪
♪ It's here we'll stay ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Long live Conor Byrne.
Thank you so much.
♪♪
-♪ Mother ♪
♪ As your only child ♪
♪♪
♪ I bring you life ♪
♪♪
♪ You brought me out ♪
♪♪
♪ My friend ♪
♪ I tried to waste ♪
♪ Time for you ♪
♪♪
♪ And I wouldn't be ♪
♪ I'm running wild, I'm running wild ♪
♪ I'm running around for you ♪
♪ I'm running wild, I'm running wild ♪
♪ I'm running around for you ♪
♪♪
♪ If you were to ask me ♪
♪ Am I reaching too far ♪
♪♪
♪ I wouldn't be here much longer ♪
♪ Till the sun is gone ♪
♪♪
♪ Turn around, yeah ♪
♪ And see yourself ♪
♪ In the glass of a broken mirror ♪
♪♪
♪ You do not recognize ♪
♪♪
♪ All I am, I am ♪
♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
So I played at the Conor Byrne for my first time
in my first band eight years ago.
I was a lead singer.
I was quite stupid for trying to do that.
[ Laughter ]
But this place was like a start for me
to begin my musical journey, whatever the heck it is.
Which is just craziness.
But yeah, I'm very grateful for this place
and I want it to be a community place,
and I want it to stay that way.
So hell yeah. Thank you. [ Cheers and applause ]
I'm Maya Marie.
♪♪
♪ I'm a sucker ♪
♪ A fool for you ♪
♪ Break my brain, make it split in two ♪
♪ Take me for ♪
♪ A fool to play, a fool to game, I'm used to ♪
♪♪
♪ You're a natural liar ♪
♪ I'll be your sacrifice ♪
♪♪
♪ Holding on ♪
♪ These ropes I just ain't used to ♪
♪ I been yours, and I sing till blue ♪
♪ Why you make me apologize? ♪
♪♪
♪ You're a natural liar ♪
♪ I'll be your sacrifice ♪
♪♪
♪ Oh, I'm wasted ♪
♪ And brought to shame ♪
♪ A wicked U-turn only captivates ♪
♪ Quickly, my eyes seen it ♪
♪ Your love is ♪
♪ Oh, what I will miss ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ You're a natural liar ♪
♪ I'll be your sacrifice ♪
♪ You're a natural liar ♪
♪ I'll be your, ooh ♪
♪♪
♪ I'm a sucker ♪
♪ A fool for you ♪
♪ I'm a sucker ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
-Hey, everybody.
I'm Birdie Fenn Cent, and, yeah, happy to be here.
Happy you guys are here.
♪♪
♪ All the stores and the stories and the same old talk ♪
♪♪
♪ When I was just going ♪
♪ For some smokes and a walk ♪
♪ And I saw a face behind me in line ♪
♪ And all the memories swept in ♪
♪ Out the corner of my mind ♪
♪ How they robbed my heart ♪
♪ And they broke my body ♪
♪ And how they lied ♪
♪ And what it taught me ♪
♪ And how I started thinking ♪
♪ It was fine ♪
♪ You don't stay in a house that's burning down ♪
♪ You don't count on friends ♪
♪ That I make downtown ♪
♪ Some things in life, they're up to chance ♪
♪ Something to be said about circumstance ♪
♪♪
♪ When every time you go to sleep ♪
♪ It's just another sad, sad song ♪
♪♪
♪ That's how I know ♪
♪ Been here too long ♪
♪♪
♪ But when I was a kid ♪
♪ And my dad would drive me back to the Valley ♪
♪ You know he'd pray for me every time ♪
♪ Maybe his God ♪
♪ Came down to warn him ♪
♪ About all the tears this place would make me cry ♪
♪ Or maybe it was something else entirely ♪
♪ It was probably just his way of saying goodbye ♪
♪♪
♪ Now I'm told that your troubles, they will follow you ♪
♪ You know, you can't run away from your problems ♪
♪ Or your sins ♪
♪ But I think it might depend ♪
♪ What the trouble is ♪
♪ How deep the water ♪
♪ How well you swim ♪
♪ And I bet they already left ♪
♪ Places they wish they'd never been ♪
♪ You don't stay in a house that's burning down ♪
♪♪
♪ Don't count on friends that I make downtown ♪
♪ Some things in life, they're up to chance ♪
♪ There's something to be said about circumstance ♪
♪♪
♪ When every time you go to sleep ♪
♪ It's just another sad, sad song ♪
♪ That's how I know ♪
♪ Been here too long ♪
♪ That's how I know ♪
♪ Been here too long ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thanks a lot.
Felt really good to play in Conor Byrne again.
Whoo-hoo.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪
-♪ Blue sky ♪
♪ Mountains covered in snow while ♪
♪ I can see so far ♪
♪ This right here ♪
♪ Is this what I call home? ♪
♪ Bright lights ♪
♪ Streets overcome by sounds wide ♪
♪ I can hear so far ♪
♪ This right here ♪
-♪ Is this what I call home? ♪
♪♪
♪ Is there a reason why ♪
♪ We will not satisfy ♪
♪ We keep on going and ignore ♪
♪ I think we realize ♪
♪ It's not really worth the price ♪
♪ But we will just not let it go ♪
[ Singing in Hindi ]
♪♪
-♪ This right here ♪
-♪ This right here is ♪
♪ Home ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Yeah, this right here is home.
Thank you.
This next song is called "Street Nawaab."
It's our Hindi song, which is our first language.
And when we started playing,
we used to just sing songs in English
because that's what
the majority of people would understand.
And we started doing Hindi songs,
and we got so much encouragement from the crowd in this place
that half our music is now in our first language,
and that makes us feel wonderful,
and that's because of the encouragement we got
from people of Conor Byrne, playing it at the open mic.
so, yeah, it's just --
just, again, to say
that Conor Byrne needs to keep going.
[ Clears throat ]
[ Applause ]
♪♪
[ Singing in Hindi ]
♪♪
-♪ Oh oh-oh ohh ♪
♪ Oh oh-oh ohh ♪
-[ Singing in Hindi ]
♪♪
-[ Singing in Hindi ]
♪♪
-[ Singing in Hindi ]
♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you.
♪♪