/ Photo By Chelsea DeLoach

Robo-Dali open a night of music at The Pirate House.

The Bowling Green music scene has had an interesting history pertaining the acts that have come through the city.

Such bands as Run on Sentence, listed as the up-and-coming band in Portland, Oregon or rising local bands, like Cage the Elephant, who made an appearance in Rolling Stone Magazine.

Another notable aspect of this scene is the evolution of venues that have come from the town. Musicians have found their forum in a variety of places, from coffee shops to places like ArtchRivals Studios, a student initiated space for local art and music in the Bowling Green community.

ArtchRivals was the city’s first attempt at an official venue and for the few months of its operation it was playing a strong roll in the community’s art/music life. ArtchRivals Studios had to shut down fairly soon after their opening, however, due to violations with the building’s fire code.

When this happened many of the shows that were scheduled to be there were transferred to one of Bowling Green’s older and more unconventional venues best known as “The Pirate House,” whose name is inferred from for the mark of the Jolly Roger that once rested in the house’s lawn, distinguishing it from other residences in Bowling Green.

/ Photo By Chelsea DeLoach

The set up of the Pirate House utilizes the ground floor of the three story building. An empty room is set aside for the bands to play in, while spectators can also find space to socialize in three other rooms, including a billiards room.

The history of the house is itself unique. It’s previous owners were the Sigma Kappa Fraternity, who gave up occupancy after hearing University planned to tear down the house, along with others in the area, to make room for alumni residences.

At this time, the house was without residents and still under the possibility of being torn down. Micah James, who worked for one of the members of the landlord’s family, was offered the property and moved in.

As he described it, the Bowling Green party scene was dying and people needed a place where they could socialize comfortably. “We wanted to give something to the community,” Micah said. And with its long history of shows, it has. The house definitely shows the wear and tear of party life, with the most obvious display being the walls that have been painted in creative ways by passers-by.

/ Photo By Chelsea DeLoach

Some of the earlier acts that played the Pirate House are local favorites such as Canago, Karmadons (Micah’s band) and Felonious Funk. Morning Teleportation, who recently played with Modest Mouse, also made some of their early appearances at the Pirate House and utilized its space for one of their last shows before leaving Bowling Green.

More recently the house has helped with ArtchRivals after their closing, and has kept bringing in bands who would otherwise have nowhere to play in the Bowling Green area.

Favorites, such as The Budget Band and Pokey LaFarge have made appearances at the venue and the crowds they and others have drawn remain no less significant than those in the earlier days of its use.

The Pirate House has been a large contribution, not only to the Bowling Green music scene, but to the community as a whole.

Bowling Green is a town with strong artistic inclinations and tastes, yet it doesn’t always provide a medium for these types to express themselves. The owners of the Pirate House contributed what they had by turning it into a hangout/venue and gave this group what they needed.

Though the city has fostered many other places for bands to play, the Pirate House has served as a novelty and a personal element within the music scene because its residents have played their own part in the community and know what it really wants.