The lure of Loom

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A crowd huddles at the front door of the nightclub, waiting to enter.

Beautiful men and women looking for a good time, premium booze and electronic music remixes in elbow-to-elbow quarters.

Oh, the lure of Loom.

For five years, nightlifers sought refuge at the monthly Benson dance party. It was a hideout of sorts, a place where socialites, hipsters, music nerds, fashionistas and theater geeks congregated — if they were savvy enough to know about it.

That party has moved to Little Italy, just south of the 10th Street Bridge. And there may be no better place for Loom than that area known for its funkiness and ethnicity. The edgy parties are all about diversity and creativity.

Omahans Brent Crampton and Jay Kline are the fathers of Loom. They have a talent for uniting people through song and dance.

And now, with the help of friend Ethan Bondelid, they've given the monthly outing a permanent home — a luxurious lounge and nightclub at 1012 S. 10th St. in the former home of the Neon Goose.

Although cocktailing and conversing happens, the intent of the House of Loom is much deeper. The nightspot will serve as an entertainment house, a place to gawk at art, listen to a lecturer or world music, watch a fashion show, learn to dance the Pachanga and sip a craft cocktail.

But the heart of Loom will always be its dance parties.

Loom fosters a "come as you are" culture. The parties draw young women dressed to the nines. In contrast, dreadlocked women in Bohemian attire dance next to young men in fitted fedora hats. It took Crampton and Kline a lot of grunt work to promote the concept.

In 2006, Omaha's nightlife seemed a bit lackluster. People wanted more than martini lounges. They wanted a creative outlet, a place to meet and dance.

"The city was quite segregated physically and economically," said Kline, 30.

Crampton and Kline brainstormed ways to reconnect people, something organic and not contrived.

If you've never met Crampton, 27, know that people are drawn to him. He's a DJ with a true Bohemian spirit, a genuine, on-the-road 1970s spirit that comes alive when he talks about supporting world music and making Omaha a destination city.

Naturally, he suggested music to draw people together. He recalled the dance cultures in the 1970s and 80s, when parties were seen as "sanctuaries for people who were different either because of ethnicity or sexual preference" he said, and people could express themselves openly.

Crampton and Kline became friends at just such a place: Doug Dushan's Fluxion Art Gallery in the Old Market.

Kline facilitated art sales. Crampton spun music at openings. And Bondelid was a co-owner and promoter.

Crampton played eclectic, sexy, down-tempo music that Kline recognized from his early years. His father's Navy career forced his family to move frequently, exposing him to an array of cultures and sounds. Mom was a big Motown, soul and funk music fan. Dad loved East Coast rock. And Kline acquired a taste for electro-pop and house music.

"I felt very personal about it," Kline said. "It was the type of music I was attracted to."

At an art opening, Kline approached Crampton about his music set. He told the DJ that several of the songs he was playing were in his personal collection.

"He rebuked me, saying 'There's no way.' He didn't think I knew what I was talking about until after I named off some of the artists and labels he played," Kline said. "Right there we had a mutual respect for each other."

Crampton shared his idea for Loom with Kline. As an artisan weaves cloth, Loom would help intertwine lives. At the socials, people of different ethnicities, economic levels and sexual preference mingle. Loom is their common denominator, the place where a gray-haired musician meets a 20-something yoga teacher or an aspiring designer or a sculptor.

Kline immediately was on board. Within months, the guys hosted their first underground event at España Tapas Bar in Benson. About 50 people attended.

They started to have one Loom a month, sometimes two, and sometimes at places other than España, including Joslyn Art Museum and the Heartland of America Park.

People started talking about the new, inner-loop hipster parties, and attendance continued to grow. Loom had secured a spot in Omaha's club scene as "a must-be-seen-at" event.

But Crampton and Kline wanted it to have more meaning, so each party supported a cause. Fundraisers like February's Haiti benefit at Love's Jazz and Art Center reveal Loom's true mission.

"Within six months we were at capacity," Kline said. "People were shoulder-to-shoulder. It was as if one massive body was moving together on the dance floor."

Crampton and Kline decided it was time to move to a larger, more permanent location.

"Every cultural movement has a center of gravity ... a home base," Bondelid said. "We weren't looking to become this huge, super party," Kline said. "Our desire was one that was a little more intimate. That made sense for us."

The three guys looked for a cozy spot that complemented Loom. Nearly a year later, the men closed on the building formerly known as Bones, a biker bar at 1012 S. 10th St.

"It's still a biker bar," Crampton joked, "except our bikers cycle here."

The House of Loom had a soft opening three or so weeks ago. Several creative types — a handful of indie rockers, a few actress-models and playwrights — sipped specialty cocktails, ate papaya and listened to electronic beats. It held its official grand opening Saturday with its annual all-white attire party.

The three partners hope to use the space as a bar five nights a week. They also plan to host poetry slams, dance parties, art exhibits and educational lectures. It'll serve as a space for creative types to debut their work. For instance, Omaha fashion designer Megan Hunt (aka Princess Lasertron) hosted a secret preview show for her Omaha Fashion Week collection at the lounge last week.

The building has lots of character: hardwood floors, brick walls and high ceilings. The place formerly housed the Goofy Foot and Planet Soull nightclubs.

The guys have poured tens of thousands of dollars into renovating the space. They laid concrete to flatten the patio, added an outdoor garden, painted, stripped away metal, stained floors and the bar and added tile, light fixtures, Victorian furniture and a custom DJ booth.

They know how to keep the party intimate, even while the layout is grand with multiple rooms and ample lounge space. The sit-down lounge area has a Bohemian-eclectic flair, with velvet crush privacy curtains and a fireplace. A dance floor sits just inches away from the bar. Dushan is curator of the lounge's artwork.

Chris Engles, formerly of the Boiler Room, is the craft cocktail bartender who will mix champange cocktails, dirty martinis and pre-Prohibition-inspired drinks. The bar will make its own syrups and juices from scratch. For instance, when Engles makes a seven-and-seven cocktail (a Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up mixed drink) he won't use the soft drink. Instead, he'll make his own interpretation of it with fresh limes.

"This place exists on the premise that there are enough creative alternative thinkers in Omaha that'll identify with a place that matches their lifestyle," Crampton said.

Kline said he's happy with the way it turned out.

"It feels like home. It doesn't feel forced."

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