DaytonDailyNews.com

BY DON THRASHER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Once drinking age arrives, most music fans have little concern for minors unable to get into bars to see bands. Fortunately for a new generation of local teenagers, that wasn't the case with Mindy Becker, 28; Nina Zito, 23; Ambir Turpin, 27; and Nick Anderson, 30 — four of the core members behind Dayton Dirt Collective.

"People our age remember Rebos, Sub Galley, Church of Rock and Roll and Mike's Place," Turpin said. "All these people coming up now don't have anywhere to go. Hopefully they'll be able to see something like this that they wouldn't see otherwise and be inspired."

The new nonprofit, all-ages space at 144. E. Third St. — which was modeled after such grassroots collectives as 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, Calif. and Charms City Arts Space in Baltimore — officially opens its doors at 5 p.m. today, May 16. The free showcase during Urban Nights will feature performances by Jasper the Colossal, Goody Two Shoes, Take No Prisoners, The Adversaries and others.

The collective has a busy slate of all-ages shows in the weeks to come. All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m., and the cost is typically $5 general admission and $4 for DDC members. Lemuria, Bomb the Music Industry, Till Plains, Delay and Five Nineties perform on Tuesday, May 20. Hellnation, Atgrund, Skarp, Dripfeeder and Medusa Complex perform on Wednesday, May 21. The Ray Gradeys perform May 24. Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition, Mammoth Grinder and Hooker Spit Windex perform May 29.

A big focus of DDC is live music at night, but the members also plan on using the space for daytime events.

"A lot of us want to host special events for the youth during the day," Becker said. "We want to do information sessions and workshops like build-a-bike and 'zine-making. It's completely nonprofit, so nobody gets paid a penny. It's all-volunteer and that's how we wanted it. We want all the money to go right back into helping the Dayton Music Scene come back. It's kind of dying out, but it was big when there were all-ages venues."

Dayton Dirt Collective has a strict no-alcohol policy, and it will be enforced.

"If someone comes in smelling like a brewery and falling over, they're not allowed in," Zito said. "We want to keep everything positive. We won't tolerate anything negative."

Becker added: "If you get caught with drugs and alcohol, you're out. Any fighting or bad attitudes and you're out."

Turpin added: "With our location there, we want the parents to feel comfortable letting their kids come. That's what will make it successful."

Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.

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how to go

Who: Jasper the Colossal, Goody Two Shoes, Take No Prisoners, The Adversaries and others

Where: Dayton Dirt Collective, 144 E. Third St., Dayton

When: 5 p.m. Friday

Cost: Free

More info: www.daytondirtcollective.org

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