Country music venue Cowboy Up Nightlife will open March 4 in the Judson Mill development at 701 Easley Bridge Rd, the developer confirmed Jan. 21.
Though billed as a modern take on the traditional live country music venue, developer Howard Dozier said he plans to feature music across all genres.
“The base for it will be country music,” Dozier told Upstate Business Journal. “Soon after opening, however, we will be open Thursday through Sunday featuring local bands, DJ’s and artists across a large array of genres, whether that’s rock, indie rock, folk, etc.”
Dozier said that Greenville is in the sweet spot, geographically, for a wide range of acts.
“You have artists who are typically going from Charlotte to Atlanta,” he said, “and we’ve seen that when they have that two-day layover, they’re looking for a location to stop through for a day or a couple days of shows. This will be that location.”
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At about 10,000-square-feet, Cowboy Up Nightlife will accommodate a large crowd of people and will feature state of the art production equipment, with a 30×21 stage and concert-level sound and lighting. The music venue will also have a large four-sided bar, a mechanical bull and a style that combines rustic reclaimed wood with sleek metal design, according to plans.
He compared the venue’s aesthetic to that of Whiskey River, the popular modern country bar and venue in Charlotte, North Carolina. He anticipates the budget for the build-out to be roughly $2 million.
“Aesthetically it’ll be really nice and fleshed out, rather than just an empty shell waiting for musicians and people to fill it up,” he said.
The venue will host live music every night, according to Dozier, and will cater to acts ranging from top 40 country artists to more niche artists.
Dozier is partnering with Braxton Wilson, owner of Greenville based company Palmetto Entertainment. Palmetto Entertainment will be responsible for all of their entertainment and booking needs.
Wilson said they are targeting top bands and artists from across the country.
“Cowboy Up will be a landmark music venue in no time, and artist will walk away from each show asking when they can come back,” he said.
As for the name, Dozier said he was conflicted as to whether or not he wanted to make it overtly country-themed.
“I went back and forth on that, because while I wanted to push that country theme, I want people to realize I’m really pushing for other styles of music as well,” he said. “I decided I’m just going to prove that to them by the acts we have coming through, and people will notice how unique we are once we get going.”
Cowboy Up & Palmetto Entertainment will begin to announce shows by mid-February. Information and tickets can be purchased by visiting www.cowboyupgvl.com. If you are interested in performing at Cowboy Up, contact Braxton Wilson at Braxton@PalmettoEntertainment.com.
