Rubber Gloves to Close June 5
There goes another one. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios announced today that they will be closing their doors on June 5, 2016 after 19 years of providing Denton with more than rehearsal spaces, but also exceptional music programming.
After losing Hailey’s at the end of 2015, the news of Rubber Gloves closing today hits extremely hard. Losing two of the longest running venues in the Denton’s history does not do much for our music scene.
"I guess I don't know what to say," Rubber Gloves owner Josh Baish says. "The final decision was made only two days ago, so it's still unreal to know that something that's been your life for so long is actually going away. It's like a death. It's like planning for a funeral, and you just plow through it because you have to get things done in spite of the loss. I honestly don't know. It's something I never wanted, but it's a reality I have to accept and move on. It sucks."
Rubber Gloves is legend for many reasons. Despite being a historical music venue, they offer what the kids want: cheap cover & cheap drinks. There are weekly shows that cost $1 to get into, bills packed with local and national touring names. $.75 cent wells are a thing, too. They don’t lose sight of national touring bands, either. Astronautalis was just at Rubber Gloves at the end of March.
A staple to local music, Rubber Gloves opened its doors in April 1997 as a place you could rent a rehearsal room. At one point-in-time there was an outdoor stage that accompanied this grungy venue that sat right off square in downtown Denton. Bands you’d never believe have played there.
“I remember mixing Bill Callahan with Joanna Newsom at Gloves,” former sound engineer Brent Benedict says. “Also, Vampire Weekend, to like 6 people in the crowd.”
Modest Mouse, Death Cab For Cutie, At The Drive-In, Joanna Newsom, Animal Collective, Vampire Weekend, Boris, Rilo Kiley, Hot Water Music, Vic Chesnutt, of Montreal, TV On The Radio, Ghostland Observatory, Iron & Wine, Out Hud, HEALTH, Jonathan Richman, Melt Banana, Daniel Johnston, The Fucking Champs, Devendra Banhart, The Mountain Goats, High on Fire, John Vanderslice, Lords, Danielson, Deerhoof, Royal Trux, The Blood Brothers, Jad Fair, anticon., Low, Les Savy Fav, Broadcast, The Sword, Papa M, Hot Snakes, Alkaline Trio, Rainer Maria, ...Trail Of Dead, Pedro the Lion, Wolves In The Throne Room, The Locust, Inspectah Deck, (Smog), The Black Heart Procession, Meat Puppets, Cursive, The Shins, Spoon, Jean Grae, Will Oldham, Xiu Xiu, The Walkmen, Lou Barlow, Prefuse 73, Eric Bachman, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Calvin Johnson, Hella, Peter Buck, The Faint, Cat Power, My Morning Jacket, Unwound, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Lightning Bolt, Bright Eyes, dälek, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Fiery Furnaces, so many more.
Rubber Gloves will be sorely missed. Please God, if you are out there, let someone sweep in and buy this property up, keeping the venue intact. We need this venue, desperately.