Photo: S. Carlson, July 1999
Perl's in Bremerton
Bremerton, Washington
This is how Perl's appeared in July 1999.
Do you have a picture of how it appeared in the 60's?
Proprietor: Perl Maurer (R.I.P)
Some of the bands that performed at Perl's were:
Proprietor: Perl Maurer (R.I.P)
Some of the bands that performed at Perl's were:
|
Blue Sky Beau Brummels Chymes of Freedom The Crisis The Deacons Don and The Goodtimes Duke Ellington The Gatormen Heart The Knickerbockers The Fourth Day |
Le Max Mr. Lucky & The Gamblers Noblemen Painted Ship Paul Revere & the Raiders The Ramones The Raymarks Jim Reeves The Regents The Royal Guardsmen |
The Sonics Tiny Tony and The Statics Stryker Sugarloaf Superband The Titans Totem Merrilee and the Turnabouts The Viceroys |
It is sad to see this edifice now. In its heyday, this was one of the "in" places to go and attracted the top bands on the Pacific Northwest music circuit.We are in the process of compiling a list of the bands that performed at Perl's in the 60's. If you had a band that played here, have a flyer or advertisement for gigs at Perl's, or remember seeing a particular band perform at this establishment, please let us know and we will add their name to the list of bands that performed here. Send any information to our Webmaster.
"When we, the Sonics, would play there (Perl's), which we usually did about once a month, it would be packed to the rafters with dancers, and we would be playing as loud as we could. We could always count on Perl's wife to walk by the bandstand at least a dozen times a night holding a sign that she always kept in the back room that said, YOU ARE TOO DAMN LOUD!" Andy Parypa, The Sonics, May 2001
Perl's was one of the "Pat O'Day circuit" hosting many, many NW bands and some national stars as well. The last time I drove by it, the
building was still there, but the property is a storage site for Kitsap County road maintenance machinery - sad!Dick Bowne, December 2008
The Chymes of Freedom played Perl's Ballroom 1967. Perl Maurer approached us on a break and said "you boys have to turn it down or you'll never play here again" we cranked it up, enjoying our moment in time. The question was, did we really want to play there again? The crowd loved it. The bubble blowers inundated the crowd with massive bubble showers and my amp was so covered in soap I could no longer turn the knobs on the Vox Buckingham. I remember having flowers stuffed in around the framework of my amplifier. Peace and LoveGeorge Goins-Rhythm Guitar
Perl's, located in West Bremerton at Arsenal Way and Loxie Eagans Boulevard, originally opened in 1934 and was founded by local musician Perl Maurer. He ran the place until he sold it in 1971. By then, it was the second incarnation of Perl's as the first one had burned down in 1959 and was rebuilt and replaced in the same location two years later.Perl himself, who passed away in 2000 at age 93, claimed that Duke Ellington and country legend Jim Reeves were among the greats who played there.
Gerry Thom, November 2009
Credits: Andy Parypa, Sam Carlson, Jim Sola, Denny Randall, Denny Gore, Rudy Volkmann, Thomas Howell, Mark Black, Tom Walters, Jim Adams, Al Sprenger, Ken Huff, Ed Nodorozny, Walt Melewski, Bob Brannon, Tim Menees, Jeff Fleming, Joel Johnson, Dick Bowne, George Goins, Gerry Thom
Photo
by: S. Carlson
21
November 2009