Well, that was fast: The Irenic is officially back in business.
Maybe you hadn't even noticed the North Park church/all-ages music venue (located at 3090 Polk Ave.) had ceased hosting concerts? If you aren't highly in tune with the goings-on in the San Diego music scene, the news may have slipped under the radar.
After a recent local report that the Irenic had stopped booking live music indefinitely (according to several people with knowledge of the situation, Julien Baker's Dec. 15 show at the venue was supposed to be its last), the Board of Elders of Missiongathering Christian Church (which houses and manages the Irenic) released an official statement on Jan. 10 effectively reversing course.
"In mid-2017, the Board of Elders decided that it was necessary to restructure and reorganize the operations of the Irenic to ensure its longevity and success as a nonprofit music venue," the statement reads. "By mid-December 2017, the Board of Elders reached a unanimous agreement about the organizing and structuring of the Irenic, and immediately began working with promoters to schedule shows as early as February."
"The Irenic is a beloved and unique venue, and our desire is to continue hosting high-quality performances in our sanctuary for the foreseeable future," Missiongathering Christian Church Lead Pastor Brandan Robertson said. "Our restructuring was only to ensure that our church could feasibly continue to sustain the Irenic while growing in our capacity to do outreach to our community." [Read the statement in full here]
At the time of this article's publication, there is currently one show officially listed on the Irenic's calendar: Enter Shikari on Feb. 25. Fortunately, by the looks of things, there should be many more to come.
Dustin Lothspeich books The Merrow and runs the music equipment-worshipping blog Gear and Loathing in San Diego. Follow his updates on Twitter or contact him directly.
