Thursday, April 09, 2009
It’s not quite the Holy Grail of Waco musicians and urban developers, but a bustling live music scene in downtown Waco that’s more than the sum of its venues seems always on the horizon.
The arrival of another downtown restaurant offering live music several nights a week, though, has some crossing their fingers: Is Waco one venue closer to the tipping point where downtown, and not just a specific club, becomes the destination?
The newly opened Square Bar and Kitchen, with live jazz, Top 40 and pop music planned for Wednesdays through Saturdays, joins Treff’s Grill & Bar and Austin’s on the Avenue as Austin Avenue locales where customers can take in live music. Throw in the jazz nights at Diamond Back’s, the occasional touring country act at Wild West and early evening jazz and pop on Wednesdays at Courtyard by Marriott, and music in downtown may mean more than turning on the radio.
Other downtown venues such as The Palladium and Nelson’s often build events around bands or music performances. Cricket’s Grill has hosted bands in the past, as has the former Legends nightclub at 618 Franklin Ave.; owners of the club, now renamed the Milk Bar, could not be reached for comment on whether the venue would continue live music, however.
Live music, in the form of shows at Hoffman Hall, is also part of the Waco Outreach Foundation’s program for downtown. Public spaces such as Heritage Square and Indian Spring Park also add to the scene with live music through concert series, such as Brazos Nights, and community festivals, such as the Waco Cultural Arts Festival.
Chris McGowan, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce’s director of urban development, says music is a magnet that draws people and, as such, Waco’s downtown developers see it as a crucial part of those plans’ success.
“I wouldn’t say that Waco has a music scene by any stretch of the imagination . . . but I think we’re getting closer to where people see downtown as the destination,” he said.
That’s a crucial issue for downtown developer Michael Wray, a part-owner of the Square Bar. “Typically, restaurants and entertainment venues lead development . . . and live music is one of those things that makes an area unique,” he said.
A history of failed music venues in downtown Waco, however, demonstrates there’s no formula to guarantee a club or restaurant’s survival.
“You just stick your neck out there and hope they come,” Wray said.
New lofts, townhouses and condominiums under construction may provide the population that turns the cluster of Austin Avenue and Franklin Avenue music venues within walking distance of each other into a nucleus of a nightlife scene.
To encourage the idea of downtown-as-destination, downtown businesses will promote a “Dinner and a Movie” series on the third Thursday of May, June and July, said Wray. Those eating dinner at a participating downtown restaurant on those nights will get a receipt for a free movie at the Waco Hippodrome Theatre with time left over for a nightcap and live music.
“With the Hippodrome offering family films on Friday nights, we wanted to make this more of a date night,” Wray said.
Guitarist Pat McKee and bassist Tramm Kelly have played weekly as a jazz duo at Diamond Back’s for more than four years. They’ve seen many of the recent changes in downtown Waco and are optimistic that the momentum’s in the right direction.
“I think it’s getting better and better,” noted McKee. “There are nice, classy restaurants and nice watering holes opening downtown. I think the trend in Waco is for a lot of these establishments to add music as part of their restaurants’ atmosphere . . . Diamond Back’s has been a great trendsetter in this regard and we’ve enjoyed it.”
Kelly agreed. “Musicianship-wise, we’ve never seen it this good in Waco,” he said, pointing out that the combination of restaurants, clubs and private parties have provided numerous gigs for local musicians. “And as far as sustainability, I don’t see any letting up. I don’t see that at all.”
choover@wacotrib.com
757-5749
Downtown Waco venues that regularly offer music
Hoffman Hall, 400 S. Fourth St.
Cricket’s Grill & Drafthouse, 211 Mary Ave.
Indian Spring Park
Heritage Square
The Palladium, 729 Austin Ave.
Nelson’s, 414 Franklin Ave.
Lake Brazos Steakhouse, 1620 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (755-7797), Thursdays through Saturdays
Common Grounds, 1123 S. Eighth St. (757-2957), various nights
George’s Restaurant, 1925 Speight Ave. (753-1421), Saturdays.
Scruffy Murphy’s, 1226 Speight Ave. (753-0802), various nights
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