Remodeled concert nightclub brings back musical legacy
0 Comments | Dayton Daily News, Jul 18, 2010 | by Dave Larsen
RIVERSIDE — McGuffy’s House of Rock, an icon of Dayton’s music scene, was at risk of closing when Julia Norris purchased the concert nightclub with the goal of reviving its legacy as a hot spot for national touring acts.
“Back in the day of the ’80s rock scene, McGuffy’s was a major club on the rock ‘n’ roll circuit,” said Aaron Klauber, marketing and promotions director for Dayton rock radio station WTUEFM (104.7).
The concert venue originally known as McGuffy’s House of Draft had no shows on the books and was being operated as a restaurant and pool hall when Norris purchased the establishment at 5418 Burkhardt Road in July 2008. She declined to disclose the purchase price.
In recent months, McGuffy’s has played host to platinum-selling acts such as Uncle Kracker, L.A. Guns and Saliva, as well as up-and- coming rock bands such as Halestorm, who played a sold-out show July 16.
“We are fortunate enough that we have consistent sell-out shows,” said Norris, a 28-yearold entrepreneur from Centerville. The number of patrons who attend concerts there has increased three to four times since 2008, she said.
McGuffy’s features live music on Friday and Saturday nights, with occasional weeknight concerts for national touring acts. Ticket prices range from $5 for local bands to $25 or $30 for national acts. The club’s capacity is 550 people.
Norris revamped the club’s physical layout, removing a raised seating area to create a more open floor plan.
“We’ve also noticed that lights make a show as much as a sound system, so we’ve invested in a state-of-the-art lighting system,” Norris said
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