Greenville’s newest live music venue Cowboy Up will be opening March 25 in the Judson Mill development, and the mechanical bull is waiting.
“Yeah, I might just be too old to get up there myself,” said Howard Dozier, owner and developer of Cowboy Up, as he stood outside the cushioned and padded bull ring. “But I know people are going to have a lot of fun with that.”
Inside 10,000-square-foot space, the work is nearly complete to transform the once-empty warehouse into a premier live music venue that stylistically echoes the country music ethos. Reclaimed wood from the old Judson Mill cover the walls, while old steels beams cross the ceilings. The goal was to create a rustic and modern design that combines the traditional with modern.
“We’re just super excited because this location is perfect for us,” Dozier said. “It’s a destination location with great parking.”
Other than the mechanical bull near the entrance, the two centerpieces are the four-sided bar and the 30-by-20-foot stage off in the back, where live music will be playing every night.
Admission is free, with the exception of ticketed events. The plan is to feature smaller and more local acts on non-ticketed nights, while the space also operates as a bar and restaurant, with a food menu focused on classic bar food and crowd pleasers.
Although rooted in country music, a broad range of musical acts will be featured — rock, folk, indie, and even large-format DJs.
The venue will only be open Friday and Saturday initially but will eventually be open Thursday through Sunday, with brunch offered on Sunday. After a softer opening on March 25 that will feature local bands, a grand opening will be held on April 8.
The first two ticketed shows are Colt Ford performing with Conner Sweeney on April 8, and Matt Stell performing with George Birge and Hunter Holland on April 15.
Cowboy Up plans to host 10 to 15 ticketed shows in the first few months of operation. The entire space is also available for private or corporate events.
For more information and tickets, visit cowboyupgvl.com. If you are interested in performing at Cowboy Up, contact Braxton Wilson at Braxton@PalmettoEntertainment.com.
