The Birth of Earthquake Ethels
In the heart of Beaverton, Oregon, a legend was born—Earthquake Ethels. The year was 1975, and disco fever was sweeping the nation. However, Beaverton wasn’t just any town; it was about to become home to one of the most iconic nightclubs in the Pacific Northwest.
Earthquake Ethels, named after its pulsating bass that could shake the ground, started as a humble dream in the mind of its founder, Melvin “Mello” Davis. Mello, a music enthusiast with a penchant for pushing boundaries, envisioned a nightclub where the beats were not just heard but felt deep within the soul.
The Sonic Revolution
What set Earthquake Ethels apart from the rest was its revolutionary sound system. Mello, a visionary audiophile, spared no expense in creating an auditory experience like no other. The dance area was adorned with thirty-inch Electro-Voice (EV) woofers strategically spread throughout the venue. These monstrous speakers were the backbone of Earthquake Ethels, generating bass frequencies that could be felt in every corner of the dance floor.|
I can close my eyes and see the sunken dance-floors, the 30in. ElectraVoice Woofers stacked on the walls, and the Dj booth full of Pyle commercial amplifiers. I was truley a ‘Saturday Night Fever’ sensation, for us minors that were allowed in on weekend mornings. Thank goodness my mother liked the idea of me dancing and getting into music.
There were stacks of amplifiers, each taller than the average club-goer, spread throughout the DJ’s glass booth like ancient crystal monoliths dedicated to the gods of shuffle’n shake…
The system, lovingly dubbed “The Sonic Revolution,” became a local legend. It wasn’t just about hearing the music; it was about surrendering to the vibrations that coursed through the body. And when you drove by the propery during ‘dance’ hours – you felt the vibe in your moving car. And that’s not bull.. =]
Nights of Sonic Bliss
The heyday of Earthquake Ethels was a blur of neon lights, disco balls, and dance moves that defied the laws of physics. Every night was a sonic adventure, a journey into the rhythmic unknown. The DJ, perched high above the crowd, was the maestro orchestrating the symphony of bass that reverberated through the very foundations of the building.
As the beats intensified, Earthquake Ethels became a haven for music enthusiasts and dance aficionados alike. It wasn’t just a nightclub; it was a pilgrimage site for those seeking the purest form of sonic bliss. The combination of the colossal woofers and Mello’s carefully curated playlists made Earthquake Ethels a beacon of musical ecstasy in the Pacific Northwest.
The Echoes of a Legend
Alas, like all good things, the era of Earthquake Ethels eventually came to an end. Changing trends and evolving tastes in music led to the club’s closure in the late ’80s. The colossal woofers and stacks of amplifiers were dismantled, and the dance floor fell silent.
However, the echoes of Earthquake Ethels lingered in the memories of those who experienced its sonic revolution. The legend of Mello Davis and his iconic nightclub lives on, passed down through generations as a testament to a time when music wasn’t just heard; it was felt with every fiber of one’s being.
Today, as you stroll through Beaverton, you might hear whispers of the seismic nights at Earthquake Ethels—the bass that shook the ground and the beats that echoed through the ages, a sonic legacy that will forever haunt in the heart of Oregon’s nightclub history.
I think it’s time for the reawakening…
Hhhmmmm…GoFundme????
