Having read today’s totally amazing blogoentry by Sam Sessa featuring a promo video for the defunct Hammerjack’s, I find my brainstrings stretching far and wide enough to remember another club that was sadly not long for this world: Steeltown. Steeltown was a gargantuan, 32,000 square foot bar/restaurant/concert venue with an industrial theme, presumably an homage to Bethlehem Steel, Sparrow’s Point, that sort of thing. I remember eating there once after playing Laser Tag – er, sorry – PHOTON at a shopping center in Dundalk. It was bizarre, since the actual restaurant portion of the place was called The Bomber Cafe, and it had airplanes hanging from the ceiling. Even as a child I asked “What does this have to do with steel?” Then there’s the stage area, known as THE BLAST FURNACE. Awwwww yeah you just KNOW shit’s gonna get awesome in there!! 98 Rock would plug the ever loving crap out of the place constantly – I swear I must have heard at least a thousand times on the way to school how Great Train Robbery or Laughing Colors were playing there pretty much every week. At any rate, Steeltown didn’t make the long haul and shuttered a few years later, and today I’m pretty sure it’s a Walmart or something.
I couldn’t find anything nearly as awesome as Hammerjack’s video, but here’s a video featuring the Funk Junkies at Steeltown, with bonus guy-playing-a-guitar-with-a-chicken goodness!
I love how the Funk Junkies are actually an alt-rock/metal band. YOU DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING DID YOU, BALTIMORE?!?!?!
Also, I’m going to do some digging and see if I can find out more about this place.
I have no recollection of this at all, although as a kid I used to go to the movies at North Point sometimes, and remember playing photon a few times too.
Years from now, we’ll all die of inoperable brain tumors caused by exposure to Laser Tag. IT WAS WORTH IT
Hey man, I played PHOTON. Totally different and 100% safer. Science proved it.
BONUS PHOTON COMMERCIAL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYamJAuwyEA
I remember Photon and Steeltowne, I worked at AL Gators in Pasadena from 92-96, the good ole days.
Gators is still around, right? I think I might just have to take a field trip there.
A.L.Gators, was on Ft. Smallwood Road, it is now a CVS. It used to be Sandbar, Network, A.L. Gators, then Daytonas. 4 clubs in 20+ years, not bad.
Hey Jason, We worked together at AL Gator I believe. Got the job from Bob Smuff who I worked with at Steeltown (worked at Steeltown the entire time it was open). As for Photon, I was one of the best in the world. I still am very good at Lasertag in general and I am a 5 time world champion at LaserTron:
http://www.lasertronworldchampionships.com/Laser_Tag_Tournament_2005.htm
2005/2006/2008/2009/2010
Do you remember John the bar tender can NOT remember his last name lol
There were actually two incarnations of Steeltown, the first one Bob Schmuff and the guy from Memories opened, they had a good run, and Bob was the coolest. Part 2 92-94 when Louie from Hammerjacks and Sam, a rich old guy from VA., Iassac the lawyer owned it, Nick Massoni managed it until 94. I had worked from day one of Part 2, I was a bar-back, the last year or so I became General Manager, we had Ace Frehely, Quiet Riot, Joe Lynn Turner, too many to mention. We had the front bar as the 98 Rock Cafe, the Sports Bar, then what became the concert hall and, the big room became the Dance Hall. Sports bar had the punching bag, games and the Mustang Pizza Shop, it was like, if you couldn’t find an area of that club to, “fit in” You weren’t even trying. Oh, before I go…Who remembers Greggo and Mo from 98 Rock when the had the boxing match between yow girls)? I helped them plan that, I got them a boxing ring and opened up at…8 freakin am, one of our biggest crowds ever.
I worked at Steeltown as a bar back! I loved it! I met Kings-X, Molly Hatchet and Quite Riot a couple of months after Steeltown opened. That place had potential but was not at the best location!
I saw Ace Frehley twice at Steeltown 93/94. Also at A.L. Gators in 95.
I was Laura Blaze. I was the lead bartender the whole time the club was open. I moved from Florida to be part of it from day one. Some of the best times of my younger self. 98 Rock spent a lot of time at my bar! What a ride for sure! The closing was a result of some bad luck and timing really.
What ever happened to Laura blaze. From a steeltown patron
Blaze, you made the best Long Island Ice Teas. I know I’m late to this party but I stumbled across it so, I thought I’d chime in. I’m living down the street from the old joint, doing…alright. How you?
I am a line dancer way back. I started at Steeltown in 92.;. I line danced on Sunday and Tues. Larry and Dawn were the dance instructor s on Sunday. ( Which is now The Green Room ) I am still line dancer to this day. I also shoot pool at the Green Room.