Nightscape -- Sophisticated Moe's Is Just One Of Several New (And Newly Risen) Nightclubs Opening Around The City

It's late Monday night, and across the city most people are watching Los Angeles crumble a little closer to the sea. But in an anonymous building on East Pike Street - the chapped and petulant lower lip of Capitol Hill - a crew of frazzled, weary construction workers and artists are negotiating paths through heaps of their own rubble and debris. They are working against a frantic Friday deadline to open one of the most ambitious of a new wave of Seattle nightclubs: Moe's Mo'Roc' N Cafe.

Moe's is not the only new ripple, though. Several new clubs - and old standbys with new owners, new names or new formats - have opened in recent months. And at least one more is tentatively scheduled to open next month.

Moe's is named after a mysterious and mythic circus clown, side-show marvel and prophet who, according to legend, wandered out of the Sahara Desert in the late 1800s when he was merely a boy.

The restaurant, nightclub, watering hole and art foundry originally was scheduled to open last November. Not everything goes according to plan in Clubland.

"We're 4 1/2 days and six inspections away from opening," Moe's co-owner Jerry Everard said, taking a beer and fried-rice break at Ballet's across the street from his work site. After a private party tonight, Moe's opens to the public at 8 a.m. tomorrow, with music scheduled to start at 10 p.m. Headlining will be The Crows, with Fallout and Man Tee Mans. For information, call 323-2373.

"The story of Moe's is creativity under pressure. But we've done everything by the book - permits, inspection, all of it. So we feel confident about making it."

The "we" Everard refers to includes his partner, Erick Shirley, and artist/designer Graham Graham. The three originally teamed as part of the crew that created Crocodile Cafe three years ago. After they parted with the Belltown bistro, Everard and Shirley - both lawyers - began driving around the city looking for a place to open a club of their own. They found the space and location they wanted in the old Salvation Army thrift store at 925 E. Pike St., across from the Comet Tavern.

"That was September of '92," says Everard. "We closed the deal in February '93, took over in July and began construction in August." Graham, who was responsible for the Mardis Gras/Armageddon art look of the Crocodile, was already at work on the concept and designs.

Props from Jim Rose

As the night grows later and the deadline draws closer, Everard watches over Moe's progress. Meanwhile, in a workshop at the north end of Lake Union, Graham is overseeing the conservation of artifacts that will be encased in the club's bar, The Rose Room, named after sideshow pitch man and performer Jim Rose.

"We'll be displaying many of the original props from Jim's collection, his show, and recently discovered artifacts that date back to before Moe's time," the designer explains. "Some have been passed down from freak show to freak show for generations.

"From an art standpoint, the club's theme follows a lot of Moe's life, a lot of North African influence is evident throughout the interior." The restaurant's menu, however, will not be North African.

"It'll be basically American diner food with a twist," Graham says. "It'll tend to be healthy."

Revolving shows

The two-story building will contain two gallery spaces with revolving shows: one upstairs, the other in a freight elevator. There will be sculpture, paintings and glass work throughout, representing such artists as Friese Undine, Spike Mafford, Ken Kelly, Ginny Ruffner and Italo Scanga. Between restoring artifacts, Graham makes hourly calls to glass artist Dale Chihuly to see when his work is going to show up.

Graham also credits an army of crafts people who've worked on Moe's transformation. Fixtures have been salvaged from places as exotic as Pioneer Pies and the Longacres Clubhouse.

Everard feels Moe's marks a quantum leap for Seattle nightclubs, a new sophistication.

"Four or five years ago the only thing you could find were taverns with a stage tossed in the corner and garbage for sound. Then we finally started getting venues that catered to music. We think this is the next logical step and the place to be. At least until the next step comes along."

Everard is especially happy with Moe's location.

A future Moetown?

"We love this area," he says. "It's like the last bastion in the city for artists to work and live. It's a great neighborhood, just the whole mix of old industry and commerce and art and entertainment. It's its own place, not quite Capitol Hill and not quite First Hill. In fact, we want to give the neighborhood its own name."

And what might that be?

"Moetown, of course."

Not only are there new nightclubs such as Moe's opening, but some of the old spots are changing. Nightclubs can be among the most grueling of businesses, but there's always another entrepreneur ready to have a go. Among the revived and newly risen clubs are:

-- The Backstage (Ballard). They put in a back-alley entrance with a new staircase. Anything for attention.

-- Bohemian Cafe (Pioneer Square). Formerly The Fenix Cafe before the split with partners at The Fenix Underground. Except for the name, pretty much the same.

-- Brother's Bistro (Pioneer Square). Blues and jazz. Primo players.

-- Conor Byrne's (Ballard). Formerly The Owl, Byrne's is all cleaned up and going for the acoustic Irish music crowd.

-- Captain Cook's Pub (Alaskan Way, across from the aquarium). For a waterfront joint, this is a really clean place. Lots of darts and pool and TV screen sports, and live music of the newer variety on the weekends for free. For now.

-- The Catwalk (Second and Washington). Really big venue still in the works. Expected to open in February.

-- Entros (Lake Union). This mad-scientist experiment has weathered well, finding a strong following for people who want food, beverages and mind and body games. The new program is "Headfirst."

-- The New Lockstock (U District). Basically the old Lock, Stock and Bagel redecorated and rechristened.

-- The Tractor Tavern (Ballard). Formerly the Old Music Hall and, before that, The New Melody. More rock, less folk.

-- Victor's (near Pioneer Square). Formerly the Last Laugh, Victor's is going for the big combination: live music in one room and a sports bar in the other. R&B, blues and rock.