As an open-format music DJ and producer — as well as a devoted barfly — I’ve had my share of interesting bar experiences, especially at our local dive bars. If you visit dives often enough, you’ll inevitably have to brave the bathroom at some point, and any experienced dive bar patron can tell you how potentially terrifying the conditions might be. Obscene art, unhinged wall quotes, foul smells, broken or overflowing toilets and — my personal least favorite — long lines, are just a few of the things that could greet you.
But at the same time, it’s the imperfections, quirks, rough-around-the-edges character and grimy aesthetics that make dive bars so great. And for me, nothing beats getting lost in the unusual graffiti art and peculiar messages that can often be discovered on their bathroom walls. You never know when you might unearth encouraging words of intoxicated wisdom or a one-of-a-kind work of art just begging to be the backdrop for a selfie.
With this new occasional column, I’ve taken it upon myself to “dive” deeper into the bathroom scene at our local lowbrow watering holes to share Asheville’s unsung wall-art masterpieces, thought-provoking (or just plain oddball) quotes and other curiosities to hopefully inspire your next bathroom break…