Say it ain't so!
The Knitting Factory, a well-known concert venue for tweens, teens and practically all generations here in Downtown Reno, has reportedly shut its doors for good, which is currently breaking the hearts of many around the city. According to the RGJ, the main phone line has been disconnected and the venue's manager has transferred down to San Diego. Greg Marchant, Knitting Factory Entertainment's chief operating officer, stated that there are "currently have no shows booked into the Reno venue and are reviewing our options in the market." Maybe they're going to reopen at later date and time. Maybe they're going to stay closed. In December, "the Knit," as many people call it, was said to be undergoing changes and renovations. As of now, all previously existing shows at the Knit have been moved to Cargo, the concert venue located inside of the Whitney Peak hotel.
The real questions here is what happened? No one really knows the answer, but the one thing that is answered is that people are sad about it, myself included. The Knit was the very first venue I visited after moving to Reno to college. Seeing such big names in music play there (i.e. 3OH!3, Sleeping With Sirens, Pierce the Veil, Wallpaper, The Neighbourhood) was like a dream come true. The Knit helped me expand on all of my concert experiences, unlike in Vegas when I had no car to travel to the Strip and no money. The Knit was conveniently located a few blocks away from campus, so getting there was no problem. And tickets were as cheap as $10 or $15! Yeah, some people may have thought of it as being really cramped, but how else is it going to be when you have hundreds of people with general admission tickets? That's the beauty of the experience!
Reading the article from the RGJ, a little piece of my heart broke off and fell into an abyss of darkness. That may sound exaggerated but the Knit was big part of my life. My friends and I bonded at that place. I shared the RGJ article on my Facebook, and some of my friends are feeling the same way. They had so many great memories at that venue, as did I. If it really is gone, I'm going to regret not going to any shows during my final year in Reno.
I've written a short letter expressing my love and gratitude to the Knit:
Dear Knitting Factory,
You were a large part of my college career. If I needed a getaway from school, you were right down the street. And you were affordable, which made life even better. You were small, but you had a big group of people who loved you. Your atmosphere always made my friends and I happy to be there, even if we were being crushed by hundreds of people. I met a few famous musicians there and those unforgettable moments will stay in my memories forever. You're an incredible place, and I hope you stick around for years to come. But if it comes down to the fact that you are, indeed, closing, just remember this: You brought smiles to so many faces, and those faces will miss you terribly. Reno and I love you, Knit. x
