(Editor's Note — The following is an 1120 Press editorial. — Images from shows over the last year at The Pit — with its infamous lone hanging light bulb — including in order, Destroyah, Tyler Bagwell, 13 dead canaries and Smitten for Trash. Photos by Matt Smith/1120 Press )
I am constantly scribbling down story ideas for 1120 Press and was doing so Friday morning, putting together a list that included a feature I had long planned on doing about Timeless Babez. Because this particular idea was “evergreen” — a story that could run any time — I kept pushing it back in lieu of more “timely” stories that needed to run immediately, such as new album releases, reunion shows, the Hostel situation, etc.
When I was growing up, places like The Continental and Skyroom were among the city’s venues where, as a teenage scene kid, I caught bands like The Fems, The Forgotten Rebels, Goo Goo Dolls, The Ramones, The Replacements, Teenage Head, The Lumens and every other punk band that was either passing through town or part of the local scene (including a new band at the time called Virus X).
Back in the day, these were just hip places at which to hang and catch shows by exciting bands that were doing something entirely different and far, far cooler than nauseating cooperate rock acts like The Eagles or Journey.
I didn’t know at the time just how seminal those venues would become in my life. In fact, they were more than just punk clubs. They turned out quite literally to serve as institutes of higher learning. The music to which I was exposed at places like The Continental came to shape the way I would think for the rest of my life. They instilled in me the DIY ethos that has served not only as the foundation — but motivation — in most everything I would go on to do. They were far more influential on my life than any school I’ve ever attended. It’s fair to say those places and their music shaped me into the person I became.
This very thought occurred to me Friday morning as I was thinking about the Timeless
Babez story I had been planning. It occurred to me that when I finally got around to it, I should ask Rebecca Kulik and Shawn Gomez — the two wonderful humans who not only run Timeless Babez but who are integral figures on the scene and whose contributions are immeasurable — if they ever stopped and thought about what their venue will mean to this generation of young people decades from now.
Well, three hours after having that thought I heard the news that has rocked the scene: The Pit at Timeless Babez, where so many amazing shows and incredible moments have taken place over the last year, is no more.
“Due to circumstances out of our control, Timeless Babez will no longer host events in our space,” read the post early Friday afternoon.
In some way, we all knew this was coming … eventually. Even Timeless Babez called it an “inevitable end.” Still, that doesn’t mean The Pit’s closure doesn’t sting badly — especially given this month’s forthcoming closure of Stamps, and the very possible closure of the Hostel too.
I never did get the chance to ask Rebecca and Shawn that question that occurred to me. But, I did get my answer as the comments that came in wake of the Timeless Babez announcement made clear just how much the venue mattered not only to the scene, but to people’s lives.
“Played my first gig ever there… thanks for giving me that memory.”
“Had my first-ever hardcore show experience here and fell in love with it. Thank you for everything you’ve done for the community.”
“This is so sad. Thank you for every show we’ve played and watched.”
“My youngest child’s first basement show was with you! Thank you for everything.”
We owe Timeless Babez are own debt of gratitude. We based our very first edition — a very meager and flimsy one — around a Smitten for Trash show in April 2023, held inside the store before The Pit opened. When we asked Jd from Smitten if we could shoot their show for this new publication we were planning, he could not have been nicer to us despite not knowing who the hell we were. Rebecca was just as cool, not only welcoming us with that familiar smile of hers, but making it a point to tell us we were “welcome” to shoot any show at Timeless Babez whenever we wanted. An invite like that was instrumental in paving the way for a publication like this. In fact, our second edition also was largely based off photos we shot there, too.
What the future holds for Timeless Babez, who knows?
“This is not the end,” said Friday’s post, “but the beginning of a new bright chapter only we can build together.”
Let’s hope.
Places like The Pit at Timeless Babez, Stamps and the Hostel add to our culture, and culture is how we define ourselves. These places are more than just venues. Ultimately, they are institutions that help shape and transform lives.