In the Tank for the Black Dolphin

I was an ersatz doorman last night.  Each time I exited the Black Dolphin represented an opportunity to shill for the new venue as I club-hopped in the Crossroads District.

When I opened the door during a set by the blues/soul/funk band the MGDs, the sudden burst of party music caught the attention of curious passerby on Grand Boulevard.  My spontaneous cry of “Come in! No cover! Live music!” succeeded in attracting a handful of well-heeled couples who were convinced to enter after I explained that the Black Dolphin is the sister venue of the Green Lady Lounge.

The Black Dolphin opened seven weeks ago, but my first-hand experiences and the commentary I continue to encounter on social media indicate that word hasn’t spread.  A few steps to the south of the Green Lady, the Black Dolphin is a minimalist space with bare walls, a high ceiling and a gold curtain framing the stage.  Patrons receive the superb service they associate with the Green Lady.

A handful of stumblebums on their way to the Green Lady were perplexed by the scene when the glorious jazz-based sound of the Project H hit them as I left Black Dolphin late in the evening.  “The Green Lady is over there, but the sound is coming from here” a befuddled guy slurred to his pals.  I declined to help them out.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)