Dan Lewis has been with Warehouse 508 in every step of its metamorphosis — from a dead-on-the-water idea banned by the mayor, its renovation from a strip club and its ascension as one the best all-ages venues in Albuquerque.
But after five years, the venue manager is stepping down. He said he stuck with the Warehouse because he knew teens needed a place to go on the weekend.
Lewis, responsible for events such as the Breakin’ Hearts competition, said he will step down May 14.
“Putting in my two weeks was one of the hardest things I have ever done,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was the right choice for me to make.”
He said he’s going to volunteer when he can, but will focus on his DJ career as DJ Dizzan. He plans to continue teaching his crash course for youth interested in being audio technicians. He teaches for free, and he said he loves helping however he can.
“I think the main reason for me stepping down is (it’s) just my time,” Lewis said. “I have a million and a half other things that I am interested in, and, specifically, my DJ career. I want to go pursue music full time whether that’s me DJ-ing or throwing shows and planning parties or managing other artists — helping them. All of these things that I have done before, but now I am conglomerating them into one company.”
Lewis said he received the venue manager position after taking a class at UNM taught by former Mayor Martin Chavez. At the time, Chavez was leading a campaign against all-age venues, and Lewis, underage at the time, was in a position where all he could do was go to all-ages shows or go to parties, with alcohol and drugs. He said his primary reason for taking the class was to confront the mayor with this issue.
“There’s always drinking and drugs and all of that, and I just wanted to let him know the actual reality of things,” Lewis said.
And from that class, Lewis’ career developed. Chavez eventually appointed Lewis to a committee working towards the development of Warehouse 508 in 2005. Later, on July 1, 2009, he became the full-time venue manager, and has been working ever since the Warehouse’s official opening in October 2009.
Since then, Lewis sacrificed his own time to ensure some show or event is scheduled every weekend at the venue. That way, the youth of Albuquerque can still have fun on the weekends, but without endangering their lives or others.
He said the Warehouse’s opening, more so than any event that came there, stands as his proudest accomplishment.
“I can’t say it was any one specific thing, but it was just this building being operational,” he said. “Every day, youth come in to use the computers from something as simple as checking their Facebook or MySpace — the point is they have a place to go after school. They have things that they can get involved with, classes and events, or becoming a youth promoter, or coming in here to play in their band.”
As Lewis walks through the labyrinthine halls, dark basements and hidden rooms, it’s obvious that he knows the place better than anyone else.
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“I have been here the longest out of anyone who’s involved with the project,” he said. “That’s part of why I am leaving. It’s a concept that needs fresh ideas and fresh youth coming into the door and making that happen. I could probably end up growing old here and end up being the 50-year-old venue manager of the Warehouse.”
Lewis said the Warehouse should be fine in his absence, otherwise he wouldn’t consider leaving.
“The youth — it’s the hardest to explain to them why I’m leaving,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Yes I am leaving from this role I am in now, but I am not going anywhere… I am still going to volunteer here.’ … I feel like I only have this one chance to go and do stuff for myself.”
