Chat Room Pub barkeep Ben Rogers (on the left in the inserted picture, with owner Brad Hensarling) just updated the schedule for the bar and occasional music venue. Booked so far for 2009 are headliners History at Our Disposal, Musee Mecanique, Mount Righteous, "Danny Doyle" (I'd guess that means Daniel Francis Doyle, not this guy) and Darktown Strutters, with equally cool support acts like Eat Avery's Bones and Matthew And The Arrogant Sea.
Part of my December 3 column touched on how the Chat Room has maintained highly selective booking (courtesy agency The Roman Seasonal) despite -- and because of -- the infrequency of its shows and a policy of giving performing bands 100 percent of the door proceeds. From the looks of its calendar thus far, that isn't changing in 2009. --Jesse Hughey
Update: Rogers just confirmed that the February 21 headliner is former Early Lines member Daniel Francis Doyle.