Queen of Clubs joins The Eddies HOF club

Charlene Shortsleeve serves up a legacy through artistry and music

ALBANY—Known as the Queen of Clubs, Charlene Shortsleeve has been an instrumental figure in the art and music community for decades. As creative director of 288 Lark and founder of QE2 nightclub (now known as the FuzeBox), she hosted a variety of musicians and rising stars such as 10,000 Maniacs, the Goo Goo Dolls, Sonic Youth, Marilyn Manson, the Wallflowers, Allen Ginsberg, and Jim Carroll. Her legacy is further cemented this year as she joins the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame 7 p.m. March 24 at Universal Preservation Hall.

An artist first and foremost, Shortsleeve was drawn to the eclectic Lark Street in Albany. She moved into the notable “pink house” in 1979, and things began to fall into place. A few spots down at 288 Lark she was hosting an art show, when the owner handed her the keys and told her she was in charge.

According to her, “I was actually just minding my own business, hanging an art show and the owner, all of a sudden, just gave me the keys and says, ‘Take over. I just met this girl, and I have to go.’ I didn’t really know anything about it, but I just started booking bands.

“It was exciting because I would get all these press kits in the mail. I would have maybe 50 a week to go through. Then I would have a no pile, or a maybe pile, a yes pile, and a hell yes pile,” she said.

Her taste was spot on–10,000 Maniacs would go on to credit their successful career to Shortsleeve. In her five years running 288 Lark, she created a space that became a sanctuary for both emerging musicians and established artists. Her efforts culminated in the production of “Live at 288,” a compilation album that captured the magic of a venue that was at the epicenter of Albany’s underground music scene.

“I do the best I can. I’m no accountant. You know, anybody can tell you that. But we always made it work, somehow,” she said.

After 288 Lark, Shortsleeve worked at Duck Soup in Rensselaer booking musicians for a short period of time. She then set her sights on a historical building on Central Ave that would become the hub for Albany’s punk, alt-rock, industrial, goth, and poetry scene.

QE2 hosted groundbreaking performances by iconic bands like Sonic Youth, Marilyn Manson, The Wallflowers, and even legendary poets such as Allen Ginsberg and Jim Carroll. The club quickly became known as the heart of the city’s alternative art and music culture, drawing both local and out-of-town artists who sought a platform to express themselves.

“We didn’t even have enough money to paint the walls black at first. We had to open with white walls. It didn’t matter that much because nobody was really looking at the walls,” Shortsleeve said. To build the iconic venue she invested in a home equity loan and maxed out five credit cards for $10,000 each.

“It was only the front building and light tower. I found out there was land behind it, and I’m like, that must be it. It’s such an awesome historic building. It’s so pop. So, I decided we can build it,” she added.

A significant aspect of Shortsleeve’s work at QE2 was her commitment to elevating the local poetry scene. As a lover of poetry and an admirer of the Beat Generation, she sought to bring renowned poets to Albany. Through her efforts, poets such as Ginsberg were invited to perform at QE2, while local poets were given the stage to share their work with a wider audience. This blending of music and poetry created an atmosphere that was both electric and intellectually stimulating, helping to define the cultural landscape of Albany during the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“I love poetry, and I’ve always wanted to meet certain poets, and I thought ‘I can get these people here.’ I was so excited.”

“I told [Ginsberg], I’ll give you a stage, I’ll give you a microphone and a podium. And he loved it. All of a sudden, the poets just kept coming from everywhere,” Shortsleeve said.

Her contributions were not without their challenges. As the club faced constant legal battles over noise complaints from neighbors, she was forced to navigate a complicated relationship with the city. Even with these hurdles, she remained determined to provide a platform for artistic expression and community engagement. The connections she built with local publications, radio stations, and the greater arts community helped her maintain the club’s reputation as one of the most influential venues in the region.

“The thing that pulled it all together was everybody that worked there was an artist. This was an artists for artists production. We related to each other and helped each other out, and that made it a really special place,” she said.

Shortsleeve was recently honored with the 2024 Listen Up Hero Award and has been inducted into the CAMA Hall of Fame.

“I was really happy. It worked out really well for a lot of people. … It’s nice to be recognized. I mean, I worked hard, I really, really worked hard. Long hours, seven days a week,” she said.

But for Shortsleeve it was all worth it. “Seeing bands go from playing to five people, you know, in a club to opening for somebody big, and then seeing them playing in stadiums. You know, I totally love that. I’m just somebody that really wanted to helped other bands along.”

Currently, Shortsleeve has gotten back to her roots–painting. She recently had a small show and is trying to figure out where she’s going next. In true fashion, she said, “It’s a surprise to me.”

Tickets are on sale now for The Eddies HOF, an exceptional showcase of music in the Capital Region, sponsored by MLB Construction Services, LLC and media partner WEXT.  Visit the Box Office at Proctors in-person or via phone at (518) 346-6204 Tuesday-Saturday 12 p.m.-6 p.m. or online by visiting atuph.org.

The Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards and Hall of Fame, as well as UPH, are part of Proctors Collaborative.