Opening weekend at Thrashers was a full-circle moment for Connor O’Neal.
After he moved back to Colorado Springs a little over a decade ago in the wake of his dad’s death, he’d busk on the corner or play open mic nights at the Zodiac when he wanted to get out of the house.
“Fast forward 12 years, and it’s like, holy shit,” he says of opening a venue and bar with his wife, Dania O’Neal, in the former home of the now-shuttered Zodiac at 230 Pueblo Ave. “That was such a nice, like, therapy during that time, and we … own this thing now. It’s awesome.”
His band, Tejon Street Corner Thieves — now a successful alt-folk touring act in its own right — played a sold out show as part of opening weekend for the new skate punk bar.
“It was insane and emotional for a lot of reasons,” he says. “It was packed; the support from the community was insane.”
Just three months into its existence, Thrashers is already hosting events just about every night of the week, from punk shows and video game nights to bingo and karaoke. Oklahoma-style burgers, smoked wings and hand-cut fries are served up by Bobby Couch of the Green Line Grill, which used to occupy the space on its own. Drinks range from $2.50 happy hour PBRs to local brews and craft cocktails.
The first ever Thrashers Fest is set for Nov. 14 weekend, with a lineup of more than 20 thrash and punk bands over two days.
Dania has a degree in music business and production and is a longtime bartender and former manager at the Triple Nickel Tavern. She said owning their own place was “a natural progression” for the couple; and the name Thrashers just fit.
“First of all, I love thrash music,” Dania says. “Like our sign says, live to thrash, thrash to live. Like, I’m here for the fight. I’m a metal head, punk rock kid, and I was in the pit since day one. My neck hates me now, but I live it still to this day.”
The name also pays homage to the longrunning skate publication Thrasher Magazine. The O’Neals both grew up skateboarding, though they joke that the mainstreaming of skate culture today is a far cry from their days of “always being chased out of everywhere.”
Blacklit skeletons skateboard in the nightscaped ceiling and skateboard trucks serve as purseholders beneath the bar. When a bartender presses the button on a deck hung behind the bar, “You’re Cut Off” by Municipal Waste rings out. The bar also boasts a huge finger board park — the result of a Reddit rabbit hole for Connor.
“I found a guy that actually made them, and then got introduced to this whole scene that I was kind of unaware of. I was like, holy cow. People are, like, actually doing this,” he says. “We did a fingerboard event, and all these local, small companies that make their own boards or make their own parks came, and every single table in here had a handmade fingerboard park that they made. And now we get people every day who have found us on Reddit or [through] the event. It’s nuts.”
“It’s fun, because people do come in during the day, they can bring their kids and have lunch and the kids play on that,” Dania adds.
The bar also features foosball, darts, pinball and a pool table.
“A big thing for us is having something to do all the time when you’re at a bar or restaurant,” Connor says. “I think we both got too much ADD to, like, drink a beer and stare at each other.”
The dive already feels drenched in community, complete with decks from local establishments as well as art boards painted by friends of the O’Neals. The Black Sheep gives away free concert tickets at Thrashers’ Tuesday bingo night, and Sean Ostrow of What’s Left Records hosts karaoke night on Thursdays.
“Our whole mindset’s been: the better the scene, the better everyone’s gonna do,” Connor says. “With Tejon, I’ve been playing all these venues, I’ve built up a relationship. It’s one of those, like, when the tide rises, all ships float, kind of thing.”
Thrashers Fest, Nov 14-15, 230 Pueblo Ave., Colorado Springs. $39. Tickets at bit.ly/ThrashersFestSoCo
Thrashers is open seven days a week from noon to 2 a.m. For the full slate of upcoming shows and events at Thrashers, visit the bar on Facebook or Instagram @thrashersbar.