2008 Woodie Awards
Local bar, venue prepares to close doors
Students express disappointment over loss of popular hang-out
Audrey Leon
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: A & E
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The Proletariat, located less than a mile away from UST, is a popular spot for students seeking a comfortable place to converse with friends over drinks, play a game of pool or see live music performances.
Ramos said that she wants the Proletariat's final night to end on a high note.
"Some of the best times I've had here were when there were DJs and people danced all night," Ramos said. "I'm in that kind of mood. It would end things on a fun note, and that's what we're about."
Since its inception in 2001, the Proletariat has hosted a myriad of local acts such as The Fatal Flying Guillotines, Spain Colored Orange and Heist at Hand, as well as national music acts, including TV on the Radio, Broken Social Scene and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.
The bar has also featured theme nights for every day of the week, like Commune Music Wednesdays, which features local acts, many of whom had never before played on a stage. Rock Box Thursdays, another weekly event, serves as a showcase for local DJs and Karaoke Fridays offer patrons the opportunity to perform themselves.
Senior communication major Marcella Vasquez said she started going to the "Prole," at the behest of her friends, soon after turning 21 in early 2007.
Vasquez said that the Proletariat's low-key, anything-goes atmosphere, as well as its affordable drink prices attracted her to the bar.
"If you wanted to wind down, the Proletariat was ideal," she said. "It was like a home away from home. Even if we went to other nicer bars, we still felt compelled to go back."
Vasquez said that the experience she had at the bar has not been matched anywhere else.
"The crowd there was always diverse," Vasquez said. "One weekend you might find grungy kids, the next yuppies. No matter who you are, you could have a good time there."
Ramos said that she believes the bar draws a diverse clientele because of the many different activities the Proletariat hosts throughout the week.