Deep Ellum
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Image:04160505l.jpg Deep Ellum is an arts and entertainment district near downtown Dallas, Texas (USA). It lies directly east of the elevated I-45/US-75 (unsigned I-345) freeway in East Dallas, connected to downtown by, from north to south, Pacific, Elm, Main, Commerce, and Canton streets. "Ellum" is a corruption of "Elm Street".
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History
Early 20th Century
Image:04160504l.jpg Deep Ellum first became distinguished during the 1920s and 1930s as a prime jazz and blues hotspot in the south. The area is bordered on the north and south by Good Latimer and 1st Avenue. Artists such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, and Bessie Smith played in Deep Ellum clubs like The Harlem and The Palace.
Mid 20th Century
During the 1960s and 1970s, Deep Ellum was largely a warehouse and industrial district which started to attract artists to the cheap loft space that was available. In the early 1980s, a nightclub called Studio D opened on Main Street and featured punk bands like Stick Men With Ray Guns and The Dead Kennedys. Another milestone was when some guys started having regular parties with DJs at the old Clearview Louver Window building. The multi-room environment with different DJs and bands was very successful. Following an exposé in Spin, the club was evicted from the building, but Clearview moved to another location in Deep Ellum (taking the old building's neon sign) and it is still in business as of 2005. Other early- to mid-1980s nightspots were the 500 Café, Empire, Video Bar, Club Dada, and Russell Hobbs' Theater Gallery and Prophet Bar.
Late 20th Century
The 1990s were a high point for Deep Ellum as Dallas' liveliest entertainment district. By 1991, Deep Ellum had 57 bars and nightclubs. There were restaurants, tattoo parlors, other diverse retail shops, and an increasing amount of high-rent residential loft space. Notable businesses of the 1990s included Trees (Closed late 2005), 2826, Club One, Angry Dog (a restaurant, still in business), Monica's Aca y Alla (a restaurant, still in business), Looker Hair Group (a salon), and the Galaxy Club (still in business).
One interesting story involves Russell Hobbs, the former owner of Theater Gallery and the Prophet Bar, who, in early 1988, converted to Christianity, closed his clubs, and opened The Door, a venue which remains popular with young teenagers and lesser-known touring bands.
Early 21st Century
The neighborhood has become such a popular attraction that the streets often are blocked off to traffic, especially on weekends. It has also spawned several events like the Deep Ellum Film Festival and Deep Ellum Arts Festival.
Today, Deep Ellum is struggling, largely because of the economic downturn since 2001. Crime is now a growing problem, but Deep Ellum remains a major attraction for the City of Dallas, as evidenced by an increase in chain stores and restaurants.
Live Music Venues
Image:04160506l.jpg Image:Gypsy Tea Room.jpg
Deep Ellum has several live music venues:
- The Bone
- Club Clearview
- Curtain Club
- Club Dada
- Deep Ellum Blues
- Deep Ellum Live
- The Door
- Galaxy Club
- Gypsy Tea Room
- The Pharmacy (2820 Elm Street)
- The Red Blood Club
- Sons of Herman Hall
- Texas Tea House
- Trees
Graffiti
Image:07110411l.jpg In addition to live music, Deep Ellum is a hot-bed for graffiti. Many of the music venues use graffiti artists to advertise music shows. There are even some walls in the neighborhood where the city has allowed graffiti.
References in Popular Culture
A traditional folk song, "Deep Ellum Blues", advises visitors to "keep your money in your shoes."