Susan T. Chiffy recalls the days when her daughter was a teenager and asked to see bands that were performing in the area. Those bands often were appearing in bars, an atmosphere Mrs. Chiffy wasn't comfortable with for her daughter.
Mrs. Chiffy is manager and co-owner of Velocity in the Empsall Plaza building at 122 Court St. Her brother-in-law, German Leon, purchased the building in 2005. Velocity is a family entertainment venue that offers such attractions as a children's play area, arcade games and laser tag.
Mrs. Chiffy rents out space for band members to practice. She said that when one band member noted there was no place for acts to perform except at bars, she decided something needed to be done.
The answer was below her feet.
The Dungeon, located in the basement of the Empsall building, opened in April 2007. It's managed by Mrs. Chiffy's daughter, Sarah M. Chiffy.
It has hosted dozens of music acts. On April 19, 16 bands performed at the daylong SeanStock '08 festival. All musical styles are welcomed, but it's usually rock 'n' roll.
Bands from far away as Arizona, California, Florida and Kentucky have taken the stage in The Dungeon. Mrs. Chiffy said bands discover The Dungeon through its MySpace page on the Web and word of mouth, as band members who have performed there spread the word to others.
She said that 50 to 100 fans usually attend the concerts. The facility has a capacity of about 300 people.
"We're providing a place where people of all ages can come and enjoy music," Mrs. Chiffy said.
No alcohol is sold or allowed at The Dungeon.
"There is always adult supervision on site," Mrs. Chiffy said, adding that security workers are hired for concerts. She usually mans the door to The Dungeon, and she said there have been no problems like brawls.
Getting to The Dungeon involves walking down two flights of creaky, worn, wooden stairs, which decades ago carried thousands of shoppers. The Empsall location was originally the F.D. Roth building, constructed in 1903. The eight-floor edifice of Indiana limestone and white glazed brick with terra cotta trimmings was impressive enough to be called "almost a village," a one-stop center for shoppers.
The Dungeon's plywood stage, a small step off the floor, is about 25 feet long.
The dungeon theme is evident, with the walls and pillars painted to resemble gray blocks. Tire chains decorate the walls, and two "skulls" in small cages hang from the ceiling, which is not finished.
Exposed pipes overhead add to the room's raw look.
"We did have a leg from a Halloween decoration, but I think it walked off at the last concert," Mrs. Chiffy said with a laugh.
The Dungeon's manager, Sarah Chiffy, 21, is a senior majoring in French education at SUNY Potsdam. She said that audience reaction has been positive and that band members are even more enthusiastic.
"Many bands say it's their favorite place to perform," Miss Chiffy said. "The kids have so much energy."
She has a theory as to where that energy comes from: "There's not too much for them to do in this area, but when they find something they can go to, they can let all of that energy out."
Mrs. Chiffy said some practice "moshing" or diving into fellow fans at concerts. "They enjoy doing that," she said. "It's all done very nicely. If they do land on the floor, there's four or five people to pick them up. They are looking out for each other, which is nice to see."
In a storage area behind the stage, the walls are covered with creative sketches and sayings left behind by visiting band members.
"We get a lot of stuff that shouldn't be on walls, but what are you going to do?" Mrs. Chiffy said.
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The Dungeon is hosting a logo contest. Entries should be sent to thedungeon122@yahoo.com. The winner will receive a $25 cash prize and free admission to the May 17 concert.
