Live music in flux as The Studio at 414 takes over The Loft

TUESDAY, Aug. 24 — Sweaty mosh pits, spilled beer and healthy doses of loud rock ‘n’ roll, dope hip-hop, pulsating electronic music and breakneck speed metal. Those were the hallmarks of The Loft, a shuttered venue that was once a reliable fixture in several local music scenes and host to countless concerts. In its place is The Studio at 414, a new venue that officially debuted in late-July that will host functions such as wedding receptions, stand-up comedy nights, variety entertainment shows and perhaps, eventually, smaller live music gigs. Its inaugural events were a comedy show and a party for the Lansing-based Moneyball sportswear brand.

The Loft announced its closure in August 2020 with a post to its Facebook page. The announcement’s subsequent deletion and The Loft’s owner, Jerome White, keeping tight-lipped about the venue’s future raised some hope that it might eventually come back, but The Studio at 414 is The Loft’s permanent replacement.

The Studio at 414 is managed by a partnership of Doug Johns — who owns the building and 414 Entertainment, the company that is also behind Duke’s Saloon, Tin Can and Taps 25 — Shawn Elliott and Stacey Wesolek. Wesolek, who has worked with 414 Entertainment for more than a decade, said the original business model of The Loft was no longer financially viable, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic taking a severe bite out of the live concert industry for the foreseeable future.

“COVID changed a lot of things for us. Concerts were not an option anymore. It hurts to have a space that large just sitting empty. We decided it was time to bring something to Lansing where we could have more intimate events,” Wesolek said.

She added that The Studio at 414’s downtown location right next to several bars, the Radisson Hotel and, eventually, the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel, makes it prime real estate as a rentable wedding venue.

“I thought it was a cool concept to bring downtown,” Wesolek said.

The Studio at 414's crew pulled off some impressive renovations. The Loft’s rough and tumble visage has gone through an extensive makeover that gives it an urban chic look. The old stage is gone without a trace, the flooring looks immaculate compared to its formerly beer-soaked condition and each room has been decorated with brand new furniture, light fixtures and fresh coats of paint.

While The Studio at 414 has potential to fill in some gaps left behind by the pandemic, The Loft’s permanent closure, along with the recent announcement that Mac’s Bar will also not be returning in its original state, has some questioning what will become of the Lansing music scene. With two staple music venues gone, local indie bands might have a tougher time booking gigs in town.

Alfonso Civile is the lead singer of the Lansing metal group Heartsick, formerly known as Know Lyfe, which regularly performed at The Loft. Civile also worked for The Loft as a talent buyer and was regularly booking shows at the venue before it shut down.

“I was really attached to The Loft. That was Heartsick’s hometown venue, as our fanbase grew to the point that playing Mac’s was difficult,” Civile said. “I was working there as well booking shows and acquiring talent. It was a place I really loved.”

Civile said he is trying to stay optimistic but is uncertain of what impact the loss of The Loft and Mac’s Bar might have on the local heavy music scene.

“We don’t have Mac’s Bar. That’s basically where almost every band in the heavy scene cuts their teeth at,” Civile said. “The Loft being gone really affects Lansing. We worked hard to build a community that was vibrant and being taken as seriously as Grand Rapids, Detroit and Flint. Seeing it crumble is hard. It’s hard to see that gap being filled any time soon.”

A.J. Glaub, a local musician and concertgoer who frequented gigs at The Loft both as a performer and an audience member, said The Loft’s closure is another step toward a music scene that could come apart at the seams.

“The local music scene has been completely decentralized. Mainstay venues for touring and local acts are disappearing, and artists and booking agents will have to build something new,” Glaub said. “If people are going to put the effort into hosting an event, it’s going to require everyone involved to make it something with longevity.”

Edward Emmerich is the guitarist of Dead Hour Noise, a hardcore noise rock group that played several shows at The Loft over the years. Emmerich also attended many shows at The Loft, seeing many of his favorite touring bands as they passed through Lansing. He is disappointed by the closure and hopes Lansing doesn’t wind up as a wasteland for live music.

“It’s disappointing for Lansing to lose a space like that where you could bring in larger, mid-level touring acts,” Emmerich said. “Without that anchor for larger shows, which helps the overall health of the local scene, it just feels like no man's land between Grand Rapids and Detroit. It’s rough.”

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