Last Concert Cafe, which has been confined to 49 patrons since the Fire Marshal issued the concert venue and restaurant a fine on Aug. 20, estimates it will be up and running and up-to-code by mid-September.

Owner Dawn Fudge tells CultureMap that she's in the process of turning in a comprehensive plan to bring the entire facility up-to-code and permanently raise its occupancy. She says the Houston Fire Department has been understanding as her staff works to make improvements without making significant changes, due to the building's upcoming addition to the National Register of Historic Places.

For one, the HFD has given Last Concert special occupancy permits for its two big upcoming events (a birthday party and a wedding), which will allow 300 people to attend with a fire marshal on the premises to supervise.

Fudge says that from what she understands, Houston's new fire chief is working with the Fire Department to bring each zone up to code, so if restaurant and bar owners have changes to make, they should make them now. Last Concert plans to make minimal updates like adding battery-powered emergency exit lights and removing their extension cords.

For now, Last Concert has upped its minimum age requirement (it's 21 and up now, instead of 19); is operating under a one-in, one-out door policy; and is having two shows per night, at 10 p.m. and midnight., to spread the crowd out. Fudge tells us that Wednesday night, the band was still able to make $800.

She adds that though they're by no means shut down, if you really want to show your support, you should come by and eat.