By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

People’s Court is now in session

There are several elements needed to build a thriving music scene. Infrastructure is one of them. From small and large clubs and bars, to ballrooms and theaters, to outdoor amphitheaters, to civic centers and arenas, Des Moines has amassed some of the necessary venues for a successful music scene. But until last week’s opening of People’s Court, it was missing a component — a medium-sized venue. And though Tom Zmolek admits he isn’t the first person to recognize downtown’s need for such a spot, with the help of some like-minded developers who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, he is the first to deliver it.

Last Thursday, People’s Court, one of five businesses located at Court Center, 216 Court Ave., opened with a performance by The Nadas. The venue, which holds about 900 music fans and includes amenities for bands and fans alike, is one of three businesses Zmolek is opening in the building. The other two include A.K. O’Connor’s (which will also host live music like its sister locations in West Des Moines and Beaverdale) and C.C. Taft and Company (an upscale restaurant with a Baby Grand piano). The Liars Club, an eclectic punk rock club, and Legend’s American Grill, a family sports-themed eatery, round out Court Center. When completed, investors will have spent between $8 million and $10 million on the 11,000-square-foot building.

“I’ve been looking for this kind of space for years and I think Des Moines is ready for it,” Zmolek says. “When acts billed at Hairy Mary’s, House of Bricks or the Vaudeville Mews get to a certain point they disappear from the radar for a few years until they play the Val Air [Ballroom]. The hardcore fans are still there but they lose their peripheral fan base and they lose sight of Des Moines because there isn’t a venue for them to build in the market like you see in other cities.” Zmolek cites bands like Widespread Panic and Gov’t Mule as examples. They played his former People’s Bar & Grill in Ames before graduating to his Alive Concert series outdoors (now in its fifth season) but didn’t have a place to play indoors as they outgrew the bars.

Those bands will not only have a place to play in Des Moines, but Zmolek says they and their fans will also be afforded the amenities they deserve. After 18 years in the business, the club meets the criteria Zmolek has dreamed of, including a large stage, a state-of-the-art sound system (with a 54-channel Yamaha soundboard), “intelligent” lighting systems, two green rooms complete with bathrooms and a shower, an office for road managers (with Internet), a merchandise booth and a street-level ticket office (in partnership with IowaTix, the ticket broker’s first stand-alone outlet).

For the fans, Zmolek says People’s Court offers great sightlines and sound (the cement floor and steel ceiling are soundproofed with Pro-Flo, an acoustic sealant), VIP booths (available for purchase at $10 per person in addition to the price of a concert ticket), a groupie booth, two bars (including a 60-foot bar in the adjoining 200-person Backstage Bar at People’s Court that was rescued from the old Julio’s club) and closed circuit cameras broadcasting concerts on large screen plasma televisions throughout the building. Three full-sized statues of Bob Marley, Jerry Garcia and Jimi Hendrix will adorn the bar in the main room.

“Over the years, I’ve built a reputation for treating bands and fans great and I want to continue that,” Zmolek says. “It’s exciting to hear the buzz about this place from agents and fans. I haven’t had to sell it to people.”

Zmolek credits Court Center’s owners David Keller, Russ McCullough and Mark Rogers for their persistence in encouraging him to open the club. The 41-year-old Zmolek initially turned down their offer to open People’s Court because it was on the third floor.

“When they approached me I said ‘third floor music club — not going to happen,’” he says. “Then I saw the space and its huge wide open warehouse feel and I thought the idea wasn’t so crazy.”

Though hardcore music fans have been pinning for a venue like People’s Court, Zmolek says they aren’t necessarily his target audience as evidenced by his decisions on which bands he books.

“My goal is to expose people to live music and to make them as passionate about it as I am,” he says. “I’m not trying to be cutting edge, or Mr. Cool or Mr. Indie Rock like I’m above people when it comes to types of music. That’s not my philosophy. I want to bring in music that people like. I watch the trade magazines and see who’s selling and who isn’t.”

By the same token, Zmolek says, he’s “never been in it for the money,” adding “I’ve been very fortunate to have the success I’ve had. People’s has always been the high-profile place, but not the place that makes me the most money. It’s my passion.”

Brian Sitting, general manager for People’s Court, concurs. Sitting, 30, started as a doorman at People’s in Ames five years and now manages a staff of 35 at People’s Court.

“Tom’s vision is to keep that concert feel as much as possible,” he says. “Everything he has done is about the music.”

That kind of devotion to live music — particularly rock and pop — is what made People’s in Ames a namesake for 18 years before it closed last month. The Nadas, longtime Zmolek cohorts, got their start there and played the club’s final show May 27. Zmolek says fans from across the country returned to Ames to celebrate its legacy and shed a few tears. Zmolek says because he has been working around the clock preparing People’s Court he hasn’t had much time to reflect on the closing of People’s Bar & Grill.

“I would have been more upset about its closing if the excitement of this opening wasn’t here to overshadow the suckiness of Ames closing,” he says. “But I know we’ll be open again in Ames.”

Zmolek is exploring two options to reopen People’s in Ames’ campus town. One includes the bar reopening as early as the fall in a temporary location. The other is a long-term solution as Zmolek entertains offers from developers to build a “bigger and better” People’s next year.

“I haven’t slept in about a month, but it will be worth it when everything is done,” Zmolek says.

Here’s the lineup of acts scheduled to play People’s Court:

• Jonny Lang, Jon McLaughlin — Monday, 8 p.m. $35
• Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers — June 16, 9 p.m. $10
• Sister Hazel — June 29, 9 p.m. $15
• Ivan Neville and Dumpstaphunk — July 14, 9 p.m. $10
• Deep Blue Something — July 18, 8 p.m. $10
• Cross Canadian Ragweed — July 27, 9 p.m. $10

Scene notes

Café di Scala has bumped up the start time to its live music offerings. Showtime on Saturdays is now 8 p.m. This week, Willie James Shay and Rob Ankum perform, followed June 16 by Sam Salamone, June 23 by Hot Club of Des Moines with Kim Fitch on vocals and June 30 by Shay. … “Rock N’ Roll Triple Play,” a rock tour of 23 baseball parks featuring the Counting Crows, Third Eye Blind and Collective Soul, plays Principal Park Aug. 11. Tickets $49.50, go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster and Principal Park. CV

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