The bar is NOT open. Not right now, but here’s some background….

Bedlam’s always specialized in fuzzing the lines between audience and stage.

Since 1993, there’ve always been examples of how this aesthetic translates to performance venues around the Twin Cities and across the country.

From 1996-2006, our space called Bedlam Studio had a wild and organic evolution (spreading culture, like soybeans turn to tempeh or barley to beer) into a creative community center with Bedlam at it’s heart. Performances, parties, workshops, bicycles, activism, organizing and, oh yeah, some meetings.

From 2007-2010, we translated this momentum for a grand experiment, 2 blocks away and 10 times bigger, to a space we called The BEDLAM SOCIAL.

The “SOCIAL” took the next step in open access, fluid audience building, community gathering. The addition of a restaurant and beer/wine license was a huge factor in providing the atmosphere, framework and steady income that made the space possible. And, oh yes, frick-ing delicious.

The formal informality of the Social made it like nowhere else for miles around in terms of audience/artist interaction, rubbing shoulders and social-izing literally minutes after the performances.

The menu started with a Polish-Fusion theme (influenced by the Czarnecki side of the Bueche-brother’s background) and evolved into a fantastic, hearty, rustic, elegant local-sourced Bedlam menu.

The BEDLAM SOCIAL space in Cedar riverside, and the bar/restaurant wrapped up operations in early September 2010.

A permanent Bedlam venue will for sure build on the experience of the Bedlam Social in terms of food, drink, fun, community and non-stop performance. Until then, we’ll seek to imbue our temporary visits and tours to other spaces with the social atmosphere. And at the Bedlam Community Design Center in the Ivy Building, the coffee pot will always be on for when you stop by to chat about your hopes and dreams and the Bedlam future.