Karman Bar, located in Laguna Niguel, saw its last live music show on November 16th – at least for now. Currently, the bar’s Cape Drive location has been closed down, and owners Lisa Alley and Erinn Karman are seeking a new spot to open up shop. Ever since it first opened close to five years back, there has been a live music scene that’s been fostered well at this cozy dive bar. Before even that, there was a bar here named Rocks, where some of the scenes of the TV show Bar Rescue were filmed. When Karman did open, there came with it some much needed culture, music, and sense of community that South County readily accepted.
The Karman Bar has hosted numerous punk shows inside the five years that it’s been running. TKB’s stage has been graced by a number of legendary South California acts, like Agent Orange, Narcoleptic Youth, and Shattered Faith. The bouncy and sweaty crowds that have gathered here have also gotten to listen to up-and-coming bands the likes of The Sbins, Velvet Merlin, and Vagrant. TKB has served as one among the most consistent live music venues in South County, proving vital in giving local musicians a stage to showcase their talents, as well as in drawing touring bands into town.
All said and done though, TKB is definitely much more than just a punk bar. It hosts Speakeasy Sundays, Service Industry nights, and of course, Karaoke Nights as part of its regular schedule. The sad part is that the establishment’s five-year lease comes to a close this month, which is what’s driving the owners to look for a new location. Where the local community is concerned, there’s a huge question mark as to whether TKB would host live music at the new location the way it did at Laguna Niguel. Fortunately, the bar’s spokesperson has confirmed that live music shows will continue to be one of the top priorities in the days to come.
“The Karman Bar is relocating and yes, we will still have live music,” reads an email from the aforementioned spokesperson. “We will not be moving far from home. TKB is not only looking for a spot with good vibes, we also want a spot that welcomes the live music scene. We will be keeping our faithful customers updated via social media and our website.”
While it’s definitely some consolation that TKB will keep supporting live music going forward, the main question that needs answering is whether the owners will be able to recreate an atmosphere similar to or at least reminiscent of the old one. Irrespective of the specific drink specials or musical guests that were on any given night, the Karman Bar always achieved the goal of coming off as unpretentious as well as welcoming, considering most dive bars are only one of those things.
TKB is notably “douchebag-free” because of female ownership as well as strong management. Alley, Karman, and their employees are all known for being badass demeanors, while still being able to keep the place fun to be at. This sort of balance has always been at the heart of TKB. If the next outlet has the same management and a similar environment, things would likely go the way the community collectively wants.
