In today's Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012502200.html D.C. Clubs Dreading Proposed Teen Ban
Hearing Exposes Easy Alcohol Access
By Keith L. Alexander and Darragh Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, January 26, 2007; A01
District nightclubs, which have become the center of a thriving music scene that attracts fans and performers from across the country, could be devastated by a proposal to bar teenagers from establishments with liquor licenses, according to musicians and club owners who say the business relies significantly on youths.
Saturday's killing of Taleshia Ford, 17, in a Northwest club spurred an often heated, standing-room-only crowd yesterday at a D.C. Council hearing over a multipronged proposal to place new restrictions on nightclubs where alcohol is served.
Nightclub owners said that the District, unlike many cities in the country, has become a popular destination for bands and clubgoers because of its all-ages policies. They allow club owners to admit patrons as young as they choose -- typically a minimum age of 15 to 18 -- even if the establishment serves alcohol that is legal only for those at least 21.
"The artists don't particularly like to play to 21-and-older clubs," said Steve Lambert, talent booker for the Rock and Roll Hotel on H Street Northeast. "A lot of their audiences are college-aged, between 18 and 21, and they depend on those people to buy tickets to the show."
In emotional testimony that lasted almost two hours, about a dozen of Ford's relatives and friends called for better security in clubs that cater to teenagers.
Many at the hearing defended the venues, saying they strictly enforce age limits. "Some clubs, like H2O, 9:30 Club, the Black Cat, Platinum and Envy -- they do it very well," said Ronald Moten, co-founder of Peaceaholics, an organization that works to solve disputes among youth. "They monitor for fake IDs, they have bracelets or stamps they put on people who're underage, and they're very strict on this."
The clubs feature a range of music, from the hard-thumping go-go to indie-rock, reggae, hip hop and rhythm and blues.
The District's all-ages policies allow nightclubs to attract larger audiences, particularly die-hard teenage music fans. But many teenagers admitted yesterday that part of the growth of area nightclubs is due to the ease with which young people can obtain alcoholic drinks. Several said they either pay club employees an extra $5 or $10 to get a drink or find a club patron who is 21 or older to buy the drink.
Briejon Smith, 14, Ford's cousin, said that at several city clubs, it is "easy" for teenagers to get alcohol. "All you have to do is slip the bartender $10 and you can get a drink. They ask me if I have ID, and I say 'No,' and then they charge me extra. But I can still get in and order a drink if I wanted to," she said.
Some suburban teenagers, who had left school early to testify at the hearing, said they were concerned that the fatal shooting would give officials a reason to expand restrictions on all clubs, even those that already have tight rules.
Maya Gibson-Reinemer, 18, of Arlington said teenagers go to the clubs mainly to listen to the bands. "You can get drunk anywhere. But where can you see music?" she said.
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) is considering legislation that would establish a minimum age for patrons within the District. In Boston, those younger than 14 are not permitted into nightclubs that serve alcohol. In some other cities, the minimum age is 21. His proposal would also require teenagers, even when accompanied by a legal-aged adult, to leave the establishment after a certain time.
Graham is also considering creating a new license for nightclubs that want to cater to under-21 patrons. It would require them to have minimum-standard security, training and aggressive monitoring during an event for underage drinking. And he wants to restrict the renting of venues to outside promoters. That was the case Saturday morning at Smarta/Broadway, also known as Club 1919, on Ninth Street just off the bustling U Street corridor. Police said that Ford was shot there when the club's bouncer got into a scuffle with a patron carrying a gun. There have been no arrests.
At least one club's advertised rules regarding teen patrons are vague. The Web site for the Black Cat, at 1811 14th St. NW, says: "Black Cat events are all ages. Patrons under 18 should have parental permission, and we prefer them to be accompanied by an adult."
Graham said he did not want to use the fatal shooting as a way to target go-go clubs, popular nightspots mostly frequented by blacks. Instead, he said, he decided to focus on all nightclubs. At the time of the shooting, the Smarta/Broadway was booked as a venue for local go-go bands. Some go-go dances have been marred by violence, but there is a growing movement to change their reputation by promoting peaceful go-gos.
"There needs to be a safe place for these kids to go. There are safe places out there with extra security and where we don't have to be afraid for our kids' safety," Moten said.
Charles A. Burger, chairman of the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, said that Smarta/Broadway's liquor license has been suspended since the shooting and that a hearing is scheduled for Monday.
"We're going to get to the bottom of this. This was a troubled establishment doing whatever it needed to do and didn't care one bit about public safety," Graham said.
