Every month hundreds of people enjoy shows at the Oakland Metro Operahouse. Cult followings show up for vaudeville, burlesque, and more at Tourettes Without Regrets and for Oakland's version of WWE, Hoodslam, and hardcore punk and metal shows. But the future of Metro is in question.
Over a year ago the landlords of the Metro's old building were enticed by a tech company and asked they leave. Fortunately, they found a spot just blocks away from their old spot on 3rd near Jack London Square. But their new neighbor isn't thrilled with living next to a venue and is asking for further significant and costly soundproofing.
The Metro is crowdsourcing for donations on social media, and likely their cult following will save the venue, but as Oakland continues to grow, this story of threatened arts spaces will not be the last.
