Founded by former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, JAMPAC was focused on fighting several anti-music and anti-performance laws being introduced or enforced in Washington State. One of its primary causes was to repeal the Teen Dance Ordinance, which it ultimately had a hand in achieving in 2002.
“The Speakeasy has been really glorious,” says Gretchen Apgar. “From the beginning, we wanted to mix people,” she adds, referring to their mission.
The Speakeasy Cafe had become a popular destination in the area, particularly for all-age fans of independent jazz. The atmosphere on the weekend nights was electric, and folks could enjoy free music while drinking coffee, surfing the ‘net, sipping on a beer or enjoying any of the cafe’s delicious food.
Here’s my Killer saga; I was mercilessly taken out by Vain’s owner, Victoria Gentry.
Belltown Killer was organized by myself and Adrienne Dailey. The participants (around 30 in the first run) were mostly members of Speakeasy, but other Belltown denizens were also playing.
I had always been a super-fan, lived in Ballard, came to Belltown all the time, used the terminals, very tech-savvy and tech-happy.