Tune Inn tuning out

While Center Street's Tune Inn celebrates its ninth anniversary in October, its patrons may not have much time left to enjoy its variety of rock shows. When the club got a new landlord almost a year ago, he tripled owner Fernando Pinto's rent.

COURTESY TUNE INN

As a result, Pinto has said he is "not interested" in renewing the concert venue's lease, since running the club "is not what I want to do with my life at this point," Pinto said. "I want to promote music. That's my job." His aspirations include attending film school and working more closely with his two record labels, Elevator Music and Thirteenth Floor Records. Pinto is also considering starting a yearly music festival, building on his experience with 1991's Fuck the Lollapalooza show and last spring's Junk Culture Festival.

"This is what my heart is set on doing," he said. "Anyone [trying] to cripple me is not [going to succeed]."

When the prospect of the Tune Inn's closing was mentioned to Toad's booking and promotions man Brian Phelps, he expressed surprise at the move.

"The Tune Inn has always played an important part in the New Haven music scene," he said. "They've always had their certain niche. It [will] be sad to see them go."

Despite Pinto's eagerness to continue with other career pursuits, he still spoke enthusiastically about devoted patrons and upcoming shows. "A lot of people are already crying the blues at the prospect of [the club] being gone," Pinto said. Until the club closes, these devotees will continue to attend performances of everything from Yat-Kha, a Siberian throat-singing band, to Duke Robillard's blues show, to the punky One Way System and The Unseen. In addition to these fans, Pinto would also like to see more Yalies supporting the Tune Inn in what looks to be its final year. "Yale students have a certain edge to them," he explained. "I think that what I support also has an edge."

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