Today we present another installment of “Hot Spots,” our guide to musical venues in and around New Toulouse.
Dafthouse Brewery is a colossal building not far from New Toulouse’s cemetery. Perhaps that explains why Dafthouse is the favorite haunt of a ghost, according to co-owners Miss Crumbles Idlemind and Miss Jeaniesing Trilling.
“Dafthouse is a defunct brewery. The lore tells us it was in trouble after a series of deaths chased workers away who believed that it was haunted, and it was finally abandoned after the very suspicious death of Monsieur Daft, its owner,” Miss Trilling explained as a slight chill in the air became quite apparent.
According to rumor, a malicious spirit roams the building and was the cause of the horrible events leading to its closing. But Miss Idlemind and Miss Trilling are determined to light the old brewery with warmth, laughter, music, and friendship.
Dafthouse Brewery has been in business for about three years. It first began in two ill-fated regions that sank back into the murky waters of the bayou, and now it is firmly established in the city of New Toulouse.
Live music is prominent at Dafthouse. “Our regular artist, VooDoo Shilton, plays a lot of jazz classics, and lingers in the realm of bossa nova, for our listening pleasure,” said Miss Jeanie. “Another artist, TJ Oanomochi, stops in to sing when she isn’t on tour with her RL work as a professional singer. She sings a fair amount of jazz but doesn’t limit herself and nods appreciation to good music of any genre. Our other guest artists of the past nine months most often play acoustic covers of classics, pop, and folk music.”
But more than music happens at the brewery. “Dafthouse has a haunting—with a voodoo charm, offered at limited times. You can chase the ghost around Dafthouse and hear her story,” Miss Jeanie said. “The main room’s second story is our dedicated art walk. We host a rotation of artists’ work that can be viewed and purchased there. We also have occasional activities such as poetry readings and reader’s theater.”
She added, “Dafthouse would love to start up an open mic!” Taloosters of all levels of talent who would be willing to take the stage for a moment should contact Miss Jeaniesing Trilling.
When asked whether a real-life club inspired the artful and enterprising duo of Trilling and Idlemind, Miss Jeanie explained, “The other way, perhaps! Crumbles Idlemind has a RL venture that is modeled, in part, after Dafthouse. She began a cooperative gallery near her RL home that boasts some of the fun bits of Dafthouse’s activities in a RL setting.”
And what does the future hold in store for Dafthouse Brewery?
“Crumbles and I are both RL busy at times,” said Miss Jeanie, “so we enjoy running a low-key sort of place that doesn’t demand constant hands-on. We hope to remain in New Toulouse, providing occasional diversions for friends and neighbors.”
Habana Jazz is a resident of New Toulouse and calls his mother every week.