Struggling KC area bar "RGs Lounge" gets "Bar Rescue" visit

[Deberg_1990]

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/12/12...s-tvs-bar.html


A bar near the Truman Sports Complex has gotten a reality TV makeover, thanks to Spike TV’s “Bar Rescue” show.


The series stars “renowned bar and nightlife expert” Jon Taffer, who with his crew swoops into a struggling bar, fixes its problems and gives it a new name and concept. In the case of RG’s Lounge, at 9100 E. 35th St. in Independence, the place gets renovated and is reportedly given the new moniker “BarCode.”

That, we suppose, is the good news. The bad news is that in a preview of the episode (airing at 9 p.m. Sunday on Spike), RG’s beyond-grimy kitchen does not exactly invite business. It looks like the last place you want preparing your food.

We’ll just assume that Taffer and “Bar Rescue” did a deep cleaning.

The preview clip is also noteworthy for the number of bleeps, as Taffer and a cook scream and curse at each other over the condition of the kitchen. The dispute devolves into a shoving match.

Spike TV sums up the episode, “Twin vs. Twin,” this way: “Jon is met by lights, sirens and handcuffs before he even enters the door of this Kansas City bar. Sibling rivalry between two identical twins with identically huge egos” — that’d be Randy and Rick Houser — “present Taffer with one of his toughest rescues yet.”

Sunday’s episode is the second of three filmed in our area. An episode titled “Brawlin’ Babes,” shot at the former Long Shots in Grain Valley, premiered last Sunday. Catch a rerun of that one at 8 Sunday night, part of a “Bar Rescue” marathon on Spike. Long Shots has been renamed Badlands.

When we checked in with RG’s, we learned that a “Bar Rescue” watch party starts at 7 p.m. Sunday. The public is invited.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/12/12...#storylink=cpy

[alpha_omega]

Hmmm.

Been there before. Seemed ok to me but we were just there for beers and live music. And that was quite some time ago (I think).

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by sedated

Did you actually read that link? Half of the show was staged, edited, or flat out made up.

I read the link. You seem not to have read my post.

[NewChief]

The Pirate one was really bad. First, the people running it were idiots who seemed to have escaped from a Renaissance Fair or Comicon and seemed to have no business running a bar. That being said, it seemed like John really went out of his way to **** with them because he hated the type of people they were. I mean, having people like that run some kind of business executive themed bar? Really? It's almost like he was trying to thumb his nose at them and be funny with the theme he chose for the bar. That's more of the tone deaf, business only decision without considering passion and soul stuff that I talked about him doing. With that one, thigh, it almost seemed malicious or an attempt to be ironic/funny.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by NewChief

The Pirate one was really bad. First, the people running it were idiots who seemed to have escaped from a Renaissance Fair or Comicon and seemed to have no business running a bar. That being said, it seemed like John really went out of his way to **** with them because he hated the type of people they were. I mean, having people like that run some kind of business executive themed bar? Really? It's almost like he was trying to thumb his nose at them and be funny with the theme he chose for the bar. That's more of the tone deaf, business only decision without considering passion and soul stuff that I talked about him doing. With that one, thigh, it almost seemed malicious or an attempt to be ironic/funny.

I could. not. agree more.

To expect those people to buy into "corporate" couldn't have been a simple mistake, it had to have been purposeful, it was easily the biggest WTF moment since i've been watching, it was almost like the city said "help us get these guys the **** outta here"... having said that, why not just buy in after seeing the beautiful new bar that was created to cater to the immediate, money making clientele?

They could fly around America hitting up pirate/renaissance festivals if they had stuck to the program imo, its not that i don't get being an outsider with a dream... at all... but daaang, take the money and run, be who you are anywhere but that bar.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by scott free

I could. not. agree more.

To expect those people to buy into "corporate" couldn't have been a simple mistake, it had to have been purposeful, it was easily the biggest WTF moment since i've been watching, it was almost like the city said "help us get these guys the **** outta here"... having said that, why not just buy in after seeing the beautiful new bar that was created to cater to the immediate, money making clientele?

They could fly around America hitting up pirate/renaissance festivals if they had stuck to the program imo, its not that i don't get being an outsider with a dream... at all... but daaang, take the money and run, be who you are anywhere but that bar.

According to the blog post (taken with a grain of salt) those self dispensing beer machines are illegal in their city/state, so They had to remove them.

[Kidd Lex]

Originally Posted by sedated

Did you actually read that link? Half of the show was staged, edited, or flat out made up.

Did you read the link? If we are to take the butt hurt pirates claim as true then we also must take into account the Murphy's rescuee as accurate well. Except the Murphy's employee debunked the others claims by citing sources and facts, the pirates defender had a laundry list of opinions dressed up as facts.

[KCUnited]

My favorite was the guy in Phoenix, next to ASU, who turned a killer space into a metal bar. There isn't a more non-money spending clientele than metalheads. Yeah, yeah, you got some beard metal guys who are into craft brews, but for the most part metalheads come to the show with a case of beer in their trunk, are in the parking lot getting high between sets, and looking for a $2 Hamms if they are forced to buy something inside. I mean, at least hip hop/dj clientele pretend to know about tequila and cognac and will drop some $$$.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

They just opened a few years ago didn't they? I'm assuming they sucked (never been) but didn't think it would be that bad so soon.

imho location and atmosphere suck. the patio has an 8' block wall all the way around it, it's like being in a prison yard. food is okay. service poor. the fact that many link them to recent credit card fraud doesn't help I'm sure.

the guy who opened it drained his dad's 401k to open it. I believe he recently sold it. not sure who runs it now.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

My favorite was the guy in Phoenix, next to ASU, who turned a killer space into a metal bar. There isn't a more non-money spending clientele than metalheads. Yeah, yeah, you got some beard metal guys who are into craft brews, but for the most part metalheads come to the show with a case of beer in their trunk, are in the parking lot getting high between sets, and looking for a $2 Hamms if they are forced to buy something inside. I mean, at least hip hop/dj clientele pretend to know about tequila and cognac and will drop some $$$.

I didn't see that one. I will say that I went to a joint called Angel's Trumpet in that same area, and it had a very metal vibe and clientele. It was like a bar full of Reapers. Craft beers, awesome good, and intelligent metal head vibes.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by NewChief

I didn't see that one. I will say that I went to a joint called Angel's Trumpet in that same area, and it had a very metal vibe and clientele. It was like a bar full of Reapers. Craft beers, awesome good, and intelligent metal head vibes.

I'm sure they exist. From my experience in KC, most "rock bars" start off strong and then have to go in a more hip hop/DJ direction with fewer rock/metal shows simply because they can't make any money off them (can't get any chicks to show up). The rock bars around here with craft taps still keep tallboys on hand for the metal shows. Most shows I go to, we stand around outside between sets drinking beer someone brought. I spend very little inside. I do blow my cash wad at the merch tables though.

It's a lttle sad though, because people (myself included) complain about the lack of consistent punk/metal venues, but that's why, they don't make money for the most part.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

I'm sure they exist. From my experience in KC, most "rock bars" start off strong and then have to go in a more hip hop/DJ direction with fewer rock/metal shows simply because they can't make any money off them (can't get any chicks to show up). The rock bars around here with craft taps still keep tallboys on hand for the metal shows. Most shows I go to, we stand around outside between sets drinking beer someone brought. I spend very little inside. I do blow my cash wad at the merch tables though.

It's a lttle sad though, because people (myself included) complain about the lack of consistent punk/metal venues, but that's why, they don't make money for the most part.

Well, in fairness, this place wasn't a venue. Just a bar/restaurant that had a metal vibe and clientele.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Well, in fairness, this place wasn't a venue. Just a bar/restaurant that had a metal vibe and clientele.

Yeah, I should've differentiated between metal people going to shows and people who like metal that are going out for drinks.

[Sully]

I love the show.
But it's clear parts of it are "fake," when the "hidden cameras are moving with the characters and picking up production-quality sound in an ostensibly crowded bar.