THE BAHAMAS 1978-80

THE BAHAMAS
601 1st Ave (at Yesler St)

Restaurant/bar opened November 1978; live music began in June 1979
Closed September 1980

The Bahamas had three distinct performance spaces. The Underground, the Lounge, and the Deli. All shows listed below took place in the Underground, unless otherwise noted. Clark Humphrey notes in his book, “Loser,” that Jean Baptise booked the Underground, and “many of the former Bird* bands and their friends got their first 21-and-over gigs at the Bahamas, before it was closed over liquor-law violations [in 1980].”

* Located at 107 Spring Street,  The Bird was Seattle’s first punk club, opening in March of 1978.

1979

June 1979
29 - Vizzion (first rock show at the Bahamas)

August 1979
24 - “Under New Management”

September 1979
29 - Seattle Times reports that The Enemy has replaced Chinas Comidas at the Bahamas Monday & Tuesday night.

October 1979
8-11 - The Girls and the Frazz
12 - The Enemy
        Lounge: The Persuasions
13 - China Comidas
        Lounge: Sukay
19 - The Enemy, Special Guests
        Lounge: Gary Peacock 
20 - The Jitters
        Lounge: Gary Peacock
26 - The Urge (“new wave all-woman band from S.F.”), The Enemy
       Lounge: Clannad
27 - The Enemy, special guests
28 - The Urge, Citizen Sane
31 - Dynamic Logs

November 1979
1-2 - Jitters, Magnetics
3 - Lounge - Martin Carthy
4-6 - Hands
11 - The Refuzors
       Lounge: Tom Paxton
15-16 - Jitters
            Lounge: The Skyboys
17-18 - Lounge: The Persuasions
23-24 - Magnetics
            Lounge: Sundance Rhythm
30-31 - Kidd Afrika
             Lounge: Jr. Cadillac

December 1979
3-4 - Etta James
5-8 - Scargill
6-7 - Lounge: Koko Taylor
9 -    Lounge: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
14 -  Citizen Sane, Jim Basnight
        Lounge: Airhead
21-22 - Cowboys, Citizen Sane
             Lounge: Heaters
31 - Cowboys, Citizen Sane
       Lounge: Charlie Musselwhite
            
1980

January 1980
4-5 - Girls, Jitters (The PI lists Footlucy on these dates)
         Lounge: Robert Cray
6 - Jim Page
9 - Lounge: Kidd Afrika
11-12 -  Vizzion
             Lounge: Mithrandier 
18-19 - Hands, Accidents
             Lounge: Kidd Afrika
20 - Dogwater
       Lounge: Jim Kweskin
23-26 - Citizen Sane, New Vitations
25 - Lounge: Heaters, The Girls
26 - Lounge: Blackouts, Chinas Comidas, Beakers

February 1980
1-2 - Citizen Sane
         Lounge: Kidd Afrika
3- Happytones, The News
6-8 - Girls, Frazz
9 - Magnetics, Frazz
10 - The News, New Americans
11-14 - Wreckless

11 - Lounge: John Fahey
15-16 - Black Flag, China Comidas, Exquisite Corpse
19 - Cowboys, Jitters, Wreckless
20 - Enemy, Girls
22-23 - Jitters, New Vibrations

22 - Lounge: Jr. Cadillac
23 - Lounge: Pulsations
24 - John Lee Hooker
25-26 - Owl
28-29 - The Jitters, The Locomotives
             Lounge: Skyboys

March 1980
5 - "Music For Life" Benefit for Cambodia w/Julian Priester, Seattle Jazz Quintet, Total Experience Gospel Choir

5-8 -  Hands, Wreckless
6-8 - Lounge: Robert Cray
9-11 - The Nads
12 - Magnetics (The Rocket has Vizzion & Red Dress listed for this date)
14-16 - Magnetics, New Variations
            Lounge: Airhead
17-18 - Student Nurse, The Beakers
             Lounge: Moberlys (record release), Magnetics 
19-22 - The News, Larry & The Mondellos
19 - Lounge: Son Seals
19 - Lounge: Elizabeth Cotten
21 - Lounge: The Heats, The Woolies
22 - Lounge: Cowboys, Denny Regrade
23 - Lounge: Elizabeth Cotten
23-25 - The Lemmings, Connections
24 - Lounge: The Heats
26-28 - Denny Regrade
26 - Lounge: Dirty Legs

28 - "Bahamas Under New Management" (Seattle PI)
29 - Roadhouse
29-30 - Lounge: Mandingo Griot Society

April 1980
4-5 - The Frazz, Baby Knockors
4-5 - Lounge: Queen Ida & The Bon Tons
6 - Lounge: Kinky Friedman
9-12 - The News, The Girls
9-10 - Lounge: The Pulsations
14 - Lounge: Linda Waterfalk
16-19 - Citizen Sane, Connections
16 - Lounge: Kidd Afrika
18 - The Skyboys
20 - Dr. Timothy Leary
21-22 - The Blame 
Note: “The Lounge” apparently closed around this time.
25 - Black Flag

May 1980
2-3 - The Frazz
4 - “The liquor board ordered a seven-day license suspension for making a change in management without prior written consent of the board.” - Seattle Times
18 - Citizen Sane
23-24 - The Pulsations
26-27 - Pro Jr.
30-31 - The Pins

June 1980
6-7 - Robert Cray Band
10 - “The Bahamas…has paid a penalty of $189.35 after being accused by the State Liquor Board of making alterations to the restaurant without the board’s permission” Seattle Times
20-21 - Baby Knockors
22-25 - Spectre
26-28 - The Cowboys
29 - The Adults, Steven James Band
30 - The Adults, The Accident

July 1980
1 - The Adults, The Accident

2-5 - Pins, No Cheese Please
6 - Pink Section, Blackouts
11-12 - Lips
18-19 - The Frazz
20-21 - Larry & The Mondellos, Customer Service
25-26 - Baby Knockors

August 1980
1-2 - The Pulsations
8-9 - The Pins
15-16 - Impacts, Urban Sprawl (L.A.)
22- The Frazz
23 - New Vitations
29-30 - No Cheese Please

September 1980
4 - The Bahamas received a seven-day liquor license suspension for “making a misrepresentation on a report and for failing to keep records which would reflect the financial condition of the premises.” The club closed shortly thereafter.