News.RttP{New Wave Cafe shut down for delinquent taxes}

By Brian Fraga
Standard-Times staff writer
March 31, 2007 6:00 AM

NEW BEDFORD — The New Wave Cafe, a popular venue for local rock bands, musicians and their fans, has been shut down by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue for not paying taxes.

A bright orange DOR "seized" sticker was splashed across the North Front Street bar's locked front door yesterday.

The DOR said the cafe has not paid meals and sales taxes since June 1997. The bar, which is located in a run-down neighborhood, owes $128,321 in back taxes to the state, DOR spokeswoman Jennifer Parent said.

Ms. Parent said the DOR also seized the bar's alcohol license, safe and cash register. She said there is a chance the New Wave could reopen if the owners reach an agreement with DOR to pay its debts.

"We'd much rather resolve the issue than let it go to auction," Ms. Parent said. "We do allow for ample time to talk back and forth with the taxpayer."

Owner Paul Mendes said his bar had recently fallen on tough times financially because fewer people have been going out in the last two years. He said he had been trying to negotiate a payment agreement with DOR for the last year until the state shut his business down Wednesday.

"I guess we ran out of time," Mr. Mendes said. "We were trying to do the best we could to get some finances to keep the place open. It's a tough business."

The New Wave Cafe has been drawing local and regional rock bands, as well as bands from Europe, for 10 years, and is renowned for showcasing original talent. The club had also become one of New Bedford's more popular sites for "open mic nights."

"We help provide a venue for bands to get their music out," Mr. Mendes said. "In 10 years, we opened up a lot of doors. A lot of bands originated with us. That's what we were trying to do."

In addition to celebrating its 10-year anniversary, New Wave recently sponsored its eighth annual Great North Eastern Rockfest. The club hosted 12 bands playing original music on two outdoor stages. The bands originated from SouthCoast to neighboring cities in Massachusetts, as well as Providence.

For the past year, New Wave had held acoustic nights on Thursdays, where local solo performers showcased their work and heavy rock bands performed "unplugged" renditions. National acts such as soloist Michael Troy and bluesman Mark Small also performed.

The New Wave has been a popular draw for heavy metal bands, but it has also held nights featuring hip hop, R&B, and jazz acts.

"We've been all about supporting original music," Mr. Mendes said. "We provided them a venue to get their music out."

The New Wave has also been known among its patrons for its birthday specialty; a free, large vase-sized goblet of purple or blue-colored alcohol strong enough to give the lucky birthday man or woman a memorable evening.

But not as many patrons had been going to the club in recent years as the area's job market stagnated, Mr. Mendes said. The crowds of 60 to 80 people who would come to the New Wave years ago shrank to 20 to 30 on an average night.

"It's been more the economy that hurts everything," Mr. Mendes said. "We lost a lot of business. But the bills don't stop coming. You have the same expenses.

"I'm going to try to do everything I can do in my power to reopen the place," he said.

James Gagne, lead singer of local band Shipyard Wreck and a Standard-Times employee, said he was saddened to see the New Wave shut down.

"It's too bad to see something like that happen to them," he said. "It's nice to have a place like that locally to manifest original music."