Around midnight on Saturday, according to eyewitness accounts from those attending the monthly Good Show Live Music Series at Lola's Saloon, some official-looking folks showed up, took whatever cash the bar and venue had on hand and left.
This afternoon, R.J. DeSilva, a spokesperson for the state comptroller's office, confirmed to DFW.com that a "limited seizure" did take place Saturday night at Lola's Saloon. Agents for the comptroller's office, who were accompanied by Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents, were on site to "take whatever cash the business had," DeSilva says, and apply it to the mixed beverage taxes owed by Lola's Saloon for the months of April, May and June.
DeSilva said this was the second limited seizure conducted on Lola's in the last 90 days, with regards to the amount owed, which he cited as being in excess of $13,000.
Lola's Saloon owner Brian Forella said in a brief interview Monday that the action taken by the state comptroller was "pretty normal, fairly standard [and] happens to everyone I know" who gets "a little behind" on their taxes. He says he's not embarrassed by what happened, and is "taking care" of the back taxes today. (He estimates agents seized around $600 Saturday night.)
Forella also stressed that the three bands on the bill -- Mills & Co., Fate Lions and Goodnight Neverland -- were paid Saturday out of the register. (I've reached out to a couple of the bands that performed for comment and will update if/when I hear back.)
"Lola's is not going to shut down," he says. "We're fine."
UPDATE: The Dallas Observer's Daniel Hopkins is also reporting on the incident, and quotes Fate Lions guitarist Drew Gabbert describing the seizure as being "like a robbery."
UPDATE x2: I reached out to the Good Show's Tony Diaz this morning (Tuesday) for comment on the matter and he replied via email: "This is a non-issue with Tom Urquhart and I. The bands we book there have always been compensated at the end of the night and we know they always will be. We support Brian Forella and Lola's and are appreciative of everything they have done for us and the bands we book. The Good Show Live Music Series' official home is Lola's and we're excited about plans we have to make the series there bigger and better for the remainder of 2012 and beyond."
