The New Oasis

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  First review? Most people would be a little more self-respecting than me than to end up in this godforsaken hole in the wall.  Being one of those who has to get his fix of old school punk/metal, I have to end up going here, because Reno's entertainment scene is largely casino-based.  Other than the GSR, none of the casinos will really book "hard" bands, so the New Oasis is it.  Boy did I get spoiled living in the Bay.  A place like this would last two months before word got out about how much it sucked...wait I take that back.  A place like this would never even EXIST in the Bay, because it's such a costly venture to open up a bar/music venue there that you have to kind of know what you're doing.
  
  I doubt that the people running this place listen to, or really give a shit, about most of the bands that play.  You can tell because a band like the Misfits will have a bunch of metal bands opening up for them, instead of punk bands.  No wonder so many kids will hang outside and drink instead of going inside...
  
  So many reasons to loathe this place.  My main one used to be that they would cancel a lot of shows if there weren't enough tickets pre-sold, and with no notice beforehand.  Usually I would find out about it the day of the show, and this includes calling the venue, checking their website, etc. 2-3 days in advance.  Exhibits A-D, on cancelled shows: A) Blitz.  B) Kreator/Napalm Death.  C) The Melvins.  D) Slayer. AAARGGH!!!  yeah I said Slayer!!  YOU M.F.S!!  
  
  OK, to be fair, I heard that Slayer cancelled because they were doing all big arena dates and they didn't want to play a smaller club, so F Slayer.  They suck now anyway.  But exhibits A-C still stand.  Within the last year I have gone to a couple depressingly under-attended shows, namely UK Subs and Hellbastard, where there couldn't have been more than 75 people there at most.  So maybe they have stopped cancelling the poorly selling shows? Who knows.
  
  Security are pretty humorless jerks for the most part.  Yeah I know it's a thankless job to pat down a bunch of snotty kids, but it's your job man.  The people at McDonald's seem happier than you, for Christ's sake.  Years ago I even had a security guy try to pick a fight with me, for absolutely no reason.  Maybe it was the fact that he looked like he got rejected from Sun Valley from being too ugly, and too spun out.  Most of them seem like they're pissed off because they couldn't qualify for normal security jobs at anyplace that would require qualifications, or a drug screen.  Not to say that you should have to drug test nightclub bouncers, but can you at least give 'em a "douchebag test" or somethin?  To be fair, a couple of em have been pretty cool here and there, most notably the one who was giving "in n' out" privileges to anyone who was 21 or over...but this seems to be a thing of the past.
  
  And why would in n' out privileges be valuable at a nightclub/bar, you ask?  Because the bar flat out SUCKS.  Worst in Reno?  Worst EVER.  ANYWHERE.  So if you get lucky enough to get the cool security dude, or have time to kill before going in, hop across the street to Rail City and have a couple brews.  Hell, go to one of the two crazy tweaker bars that are towards the Nugget.  At least they have real booze available, and will serve it to ya in a GLASS.  Hell, go to any of the nearby liquor stores, grab your drink of choice, and sit in your car in the parking lot and drink it.  Feel scummy drinking in your car?  Then you must have never been to the New Oasis bar.
  
  Sure the drinks are overpriced, as they are everywhere that charges for live music.  But there's no selection at all.  They usually have Bud LIght in cans, if you're lucky you can get a Corona (lately they've had Modelo as well).  That's it as far as beer.  Booze?  Hope you like Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, and Jose Cuervo.  They can't have much more than that.  I only drink whiskey and beer, and they've always only had Jack or Jim Beam, which is always served in those plastic single-shot cups that make even good whiskey seem like you're sucking it out of the devil's butthole.  Beer is generally served warm.  I prefer to have the "I'm about to vomit" feeling later in the evening, after consuming many drinks...not after having the first round.  Ecchhh.  
  
  The place has the atmosphere of a dingy warehouse, with a couple random chairs and tables thrown WAAAYYY in the back away from the stage area.  As dark as it is back there, this would have been a perfect New York club circa CBGB's era, because everyone could have shot heroin and turned tricks in the back of the room and no one else would have probably noticed.  Also it gets HOT AS HELL in there during the summer, so being at a show is like being immersed in a giant's smelly armpit that he used to put out his cigarettes in.  
  
  I should have given one star, but they still get the occasional cool show.  Fortunately the same promoters also seem to do shows at the Underground, a WAY better venue.

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  Posted on 04.13.10 The D.

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