The Personality of a Born Again Building

Risen from the ashes, there stands a gray building. There stands a building with burn residue and a haunted past. There stands a building that could be confused with an old run-down warehouse. There stands a building with not much finesse. There stands the building that is home to so many musicians. There stands a building where dreams and experiences are birthed. There stands a building that people of all ages go to dance and live their lives in a place where they will not be judged. There stands a building that holds so much life and character, and many call it their home. There stands the Phoenix Theater.

The Phoenix Theater embraces a personality of its own, where the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” truly comes into play. A history dating back to 1905, The Phoenix once showcased acts by the likes of performers such as Harry Houdini. Having fallen victim to the devastation of several fires, the people of Petaluma are lucky that past generations have kept the Phoenix alive and well. The main auditorium of the Phoenix has walls which document an artistic history with murals of spray paint and graffiti. Upon walking in for the first time, one would not expect the high walls and the large stage and the massive size of the amplifying speakers and the dim lighting and the colorful graffiti, all of which add to the mystique that is the Phoenix. The smell of paint fills the nostrils like a potent flower, and the feel of a rough brick wall is felt when touching a painted wall.

The life of the Phoenix bursts out into a whirlwind of culture commonly on the nights of Friday and Saturday. Music can be heard all the way down the street reaching out from the corner that houses the Phoenix. The Phoenix has had the pleasure of being the venue for bands and musicians such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Ramones, Metallica, Green Day, Primus, and Tech N9ne. The nights that play host to musicians are chaotic, boisterous, melodic, harmonic, and enchanting. The lights fill the stage with a purple glow. Lights, lights, lights – the only thing lighting the night inside of the Phoenix, glow with radiance. When attending a concert, the main auditorium is filled with youth witnessing their peers rise in fame as they play their music composed so artistically. Also, one will find regulars attending shows just to do something. Along with the main auditorium, the main entrance is filled with the likes of rogue teenagers looking for friends, love, and fun times. People groove to the beat of their favorite local artists and bigger name artists are drawn to the intimacy of the small venue. I, myself have enjoyed the experience of playing my music on the old stage and wonder at the crowd dancing to music that sounds superb. There is nothing like dancing your heart out during a night at the Phoenix.

On a weekday, the Phoenix is a silent deserted building with only the owner organizing the business that will bring the music to break the silence in the next weeks and months. The archaic videogames light up the darkness of the main entrance and can be seen throughout the main auditorium. It is like a ghost town. Calm. Quiet. Collected. The irony of it being called a ghost town is that the Phoenix is thought by some to be haunted. There have been supposed sightings of ghosts lurking in the bathrooms, the balcony, and backstage area. Having been in all three places, the haunting emptiness can be somewhat unsettling.

Commonly, kids and teens go to the Phoenix just to hang out and relax after a day at school. Punks and degenerates are sometimes thought to fill the Phoenix, but most kids are there just to find a place where they can be safe, hang with their friends and share their love of music. The interior of the auditorium also houses skate ramps in which skaters can skate in bliss with their friends. The darkness of the theater has an effect that seems to intrigue and beckon a person to stay as long as they can. Whether it is the mission of the ghosts to hold one’s attention or the personality of the venue embracing them, it certainly is enticing. There may be another reason for the draw of the Phoenix to the youth: no adult supervision. Teens are free to roam wherever they please in the large interior without the constant watch of a dictatorial parent. I have never witnessed any behavior that would be considered illegal, but without the scrutinizing eye of a parent or other adult, teens are free to express themselves. They can be creative, carefree and even a little reckless. The Phoenix – quiet and calm, personal and free, loud and groovy – is a place where the people of Petaluma can express themselves.

The personality of the Phoenix shines every time I am near or in its presence. The overbearing scream of the amplifiers meets the quietness of the room; the bright lights of night meet the dim darkness of day; the darkness feeds into the mystique of the night, and the night takes hold of the personality; the personality feeds into the jubilee of concerts and the dawn of day finds itself once more ready to prepare for the friendly, personality of the Phoenix.

-Alec R.