Voltaire’s New Idea

What appears to be a hippie in a cowboy hat is, in fact, Francois Marie Voltaire, resurrected, much as John Wayne is in that beer commercial. The drawing of the famous French philosopher--his eight gallons of curly locks hanging out from under a 10-gallon hat--is the logo for Ventura’s new/old place with the long name, Cafe Voltaire’s Ban-Dar.

Cafe Voltaire was an all-ages coffee house, restaurant and rock ‘n’ roll place in downtown Ventura until it closed last summer, leaving local musicians and their fans scene-less.

The Ban-Dar, which can hold more than 200 people, has a much longer history. Once upon a time, it was a big band place owned by a couple of guys named Bannister and Darwin, who left the name. Mostly, however, the Ban-Dar has been known as a country joint, the center of the universe, in fact, for those whose world view is slightly left of “wahoo.” For the last 40-plus years, the Ban-Dar was owned by country music hit-makers Johnny and Jonie Mosby, who just sold the place but thoughtfully left their names on the neon sign outside.

The new owners of the old place--Todd Winokur, who used to run the Voltaire, and Tamara Coe, who used to play for the all-girl rock band Vixen--are adding live original rock to the country stuff. And it all comes together in a classic dive bar setting. The red chairs and funky carpet came direct from the Las Vegas Tropicana 20 years ago. The one decorating improvement: the picture of the sheep that used to adorn the stage is gone.

Cafe Voltaire’s Ban-Dar is trying to please both rockers and those of the pointy-boot persuasion.

“This place has been here for over 80 years, and people know the place by name,” said Coe. “Plus, the place never did close when we took over. We just want to try to keep everybody happy, and we’re going to still have country music.”

Open for about two months, the club has not experienced the potential culture clash between rednecks and rockers. The house band, the Desperados, has even caught the drift of change. The group has renamed itself Aces & Eights and has begun to play some originals.

On country nights there are lessons in line-dancing, an activity that some see as dang fine fun, and others see as proof positive that Mulder was right and the aliens have landed. Fridays are reserved for country acts such as the Bum Steers, the Riders of the Purple Sage and Mark Insley & Friends.

Singer-songwriter Jimmy Adams, one of the mainstays at the old Voltaire, has found his calling and a fan base at the Ban-Dar. The affable Texan, who plays with a rotating cast of locals, actually got people up and dancing during the official grand opening in late April. It was a sea of dancers even.

This is pretty amazing because Adams may have composed the wonderful beach song “I Think I’ll Go Down to the Ocean,” but he’s never before inspired booty shaking.

Saturdays, Ban-Dar will feature touring or local acts who have some fans and a clue when it comes to danceable music. Mondays are Blue Mondays, featuring such locals as Bob Jones and Ashford Gordon or blues acts such as Mighty Joe Houston & the Defrosterz.

There’s a big TV screen for the True Blue to watch the Dodgers. Also, the beer selection has increased exponentially. The Ban-Dar now offers a dozen or so beers on tap, such as Bass Ale and that party-ender masquerading as innocent liquid refreshment, Newcastle Brown Ale.

All that great Voltaire food is back, prepared in a new and improved, not to mention really big, kitchen. An order of nachos, for example, is bigger than a Chrysler but much cheaper.

All in all, it’s the same, only different.

Or as Coe said, “We haven’t really changed the place. We’re going to keep the honky-tonk feel.We’re not going to put in anything groovy or anything modern.”

Wahoo, indeed.

BE THERE

Cafe Voltaire’s Ban-Dar, 3005 E. Main St., Ventura. Cover varies, usually free to $3. (805) 643-4420.