By Madeline Stewart
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Live music is back in uptown Towson at The Recher. After eight years as the Torrent Lounge nightclub, the building sports a new sign and freshly painted façade marking the return of a special events venue to the site of the former Recher Theatre.
In the past 25 years, the building at 512 York Road has housed a billiards hall and bar, then a live music venue, and after that, a nightclub, all owned by brothers Brian and Scott Recher. Prior to their ownership, the building was a movie theater bought by their grandparents in 1959. Now, their vision for the space is to incorporate both live music and the nightclub scene.
“In a perfect world we’ll do a show, and then put a DJ on stage for the college kids,” said Brian Recher. “We’ve been open for the college kids with DJs for about a month, but it’s been socially distanced and seated, so no one can dance.”
The original Recher Theatre began holding live shows in 1996, when concert promoter Paul Manna of 24-7 Entertainment came into what was then Rec Room Billiards.
“He came in and said ‘dude, this would be perfect for live music’ and the rest is history,” Brian Recher said.
The Recher Theatre started out booking local acts, but eventually expanded to national talent like The White Stripes, Liz Phair, Cheap Trick and Sonic Youth, among many others. Local acts still had a strong presence at the club, with Baltimore natives like Kelly Bell Band and Jah Works bringing in devoted fanbases.
As EDM rose in popularity with younger crowds over live music and bigger music venues thrived, the Recher Theatre had to keep up with the times, holding the last live show in 2013 and reopening shortly afterwards as the successful Torrent Lounge nightclub.
However, when Manna called Brian Recher last March to propose bringing music back to the club, Recher was ready, and so was his staff.
“I’m very excited live music is coming back,” said Kelly Verotsky, a bartender at the Recher’s businesses for 20 years. “I got very spoiled seeing concerts in that small setting. It ruined big concerts for me— I saw some of the best concerts of my life there!”
The interior of the club was remodeled last year to put the stage back in and take out the VIP lounge and The Recher opened in February as a seated bar in accordance to coronavirus requirements.
The first live show at The Recher was a sold-out Kelly Bell Band show on March 19, marking the grand return of live music to Towson with one of the most popular local acts. Local fans were excited to return to seeing live music for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.
“It was a great crowd, a good time, and someone had to do it first,” said Tim Bombick, a longtime friend and fan of Kelly Bell. “Tickets were tough to get with the smaller capacity so everyone who was there really wanted to be there; the vibes were great.”
Brian Recher said he hopes to bring back large touring acts next year, provided the coronavirus pandemic begins to dissipate. In the meantime, shows are seated with very reduced capacity, masks are enforced while not seated, and patrons have their temperature checked at the door. Show audiences must be 21 and older for now, but Recher said he hopes to hold shows for all ages in the future.
Bringing live music back to an oft-overlooked location is Brian Recher’s main goal, and he said he is confident in the support of the community.
“For years promoters would skip Baltimore; they said there was no music scene,” Brian Recher said, “but there’s tons of people in Baltimore who love live music, love to party, and love to have fun.”