By Nick Walters

I was driving through downtown recently when I witnessed a truly saddening sight. A college-age couple was standing outside of the chain-linked fence that now surrounds what are the glorious remains of The Dame.

The couple had a camera with them and were in the process of committing the building carnage to film. This incident made me realize that students who have spent their summer break in the far reaches of the world outside of Lexington, may be quite surprised by the scenery when they take their first drive through downtown.

Because of the skyscraper that will soon be under construction, the block that housed many great businesses such as Buster’s, Mia’s and The Dame has now been transformed into a massive war-zone-style pile of material.

I understand that the building will have great economical benefits for our city, but it is always sad to see establishments close that have so much emotional value. The closing of The Dame, which offered shows by some very notable artists, has caused Lexington to take a hard hit to the music scene.

In the wake of all of the downtown changes, it may leave you wondering where students can go for entertainment and a good time. Lexington offers many places around the city where one can find live music.

Since the summer season is still upon us, lots of bars have patios open and generally this is a good place to start when on a quest for live music. I have been to Atomic Café a couple of times lately, which offers a large outdoor section, and was treated to a pretty good reggae band one night and a rocking ‘80s cover band on another occasion.

Other establishments offer similar experiences, such as Cheapside Bar & Grill, which also normally has a live music and sports patio.

If you like your rock ‘n’ roll to be a bit on the harder side then you may want to check out the A1A Concert Hall at Main Street Live. The venue presents both local and national hard rock acts and is of decent size. Main Street Live also devotes portions of their establishment to different types of music. The bar caters to fans of hip-hop, pop and even country.

A place that I have been hearing great things about, but have yet to have had the privilege of checking out, is Al’s Bar located at 6th and North Limestone. I took a look at their music schedule via MySpace, and it was peppered with a diverse musical mix that includes bluegrass, funk, a brass band and some indie rock.

What I have put forth are a few suggestions to aid in the search for a good time. While I have mentioned a few establishments, there are many other great places for live music such as the Fishtank, Lynagh’s or Common Grounds. So don’t fret at the loss of The Dame. It is sad to see it go, but there are still many places around town to fulfill your live music needs.

Nick Walters is an English senior. E-mail [email protected].