Supporters of the historic Che Cafe have been fighting against the venue’s closure since first notified in May by University of California, San Diego. On June 16, the venue finally received a 30-day notice of eviction. Not going out without a fight, the venue is hosting two big shows on its scheduled last week at the university campus.
The first show in line is unofficially billed as the One Final Hardcore at the Che. True to its word, the July 11 show presents several local hardcore-punk bands holding down the brutal yet exciting culture in San Diego. Featured groups such as Take Offense and Take Walk play with the traditional edge of early hardcore while others such as Impulse play with more brooding yet equally speedy sludge.
“In 2005 we played our first show as a band here and are honored to play its last hardcore show,” Chula Vista-based band Take Offense wrote on Facebook about the event. “The Che Cafe has always been a staple for the San Diego hardcore community. It closing does not mean hardcore is dead in San Diego, and the all local line up for this show proves that.”
Following the hardcore show, the Che presents For the F–king Kids Fest on July 13. The fest covers a similarly aggressive style of punk music but with a line-up double in size. Bands such as folk-punks Sledding with Tigers and garage-rockers The Frights provide a more diverse sound to the all-punk billing. Heavy groups such as Danny Tanner, Retox and Crime Desires bring the furious punk-power to end the show on a rapturous note.
As of now, the Che Cafe will not hold any future events after the July 13 show. All shows booked at the Che after the date are cancelled until the members can find alternative venues or accommodations. Worst comes to worst, these two shows will be the last two.
Supporters can still help save the venue. The Che is currently holding an e-mail writing campaign to address the UCSD administration about the need for the venue to stay open. Weekly meetings are also held every Monday at 7 p.m. Though the last days may be near, the fight to save the Che continues until the end.
