Rockefeller's

Last updated
Rockefeller's
Address3620 Washington Ave
Houston, TX 77007-5939
Location Rice Military
Coordinates 29°46′11″N95°23′48.5″W / 29.76972°N 95.396806°W / 29.76972; -95.396806
OwnerHank Zwirek
Capacity 410 (general admission)
250 (reserved)
Construction
OpenedAugust 27, 1979 (1979-08-27)
Closed1997-2016
ReopenedSeptember 9, 2016 (2016-09-09)
Website
Venue Website

Rockefeller's is a live music venue located in Houston, Texas. [1]

Contents

History

In 1979, Sanford and Susan Criner opened Rockefeller's to serve as a performance space for Houston's music scene. The Criners wanted to create a place where both local talent and already-established acts could play to Houston crowds. [2] They already owned a former bank building, designed by Joseph Finger in 1925; they turned it into a club and used proceeds to renovate the space. [3] [4] [5] [6]

The building's architecture lent itself to a unique performance space. The old bank vault became an artists’ dressing room, while the large lobby created a distinct acoustic atmosphere. Seating was two-tiered, with some of the audience on the ground level and some in balconies that nearly extended over the stage. [7] The venue could seat about 325 guests. [2]

Rockefeller's closed as a public venue in 1997. The owners of Star Pizza purchased the building and it was a private event and wedding space from 1999 to 2014. [8] In 2016, concerts returned to Rockefeller's for the first time in nearly 20 years. [9]

Noted performers

List of noted performers during the 80s and 90s: [10] [11]

References

  1. ↑ "Houston: On the Town". Texas Monthly. Mediatex Communications Corporation. July 1980. p. 59.
  2. 1 2 Houston Chronicle. October 11, 1979.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ "Story Map of Houston Folk Music Venues". Houston Folk Music Archive. Rice University . Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Best Club Revival: Rockefeller's". Houston Press . Voice Media Group. September 9, 2016. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Rockefellers Houston - About". Facebook. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
  6. ↑ "Rockefeller's, Houston, TX, USA Concert Setlists". setlist.fm. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
  7. ↑ Gray, Chris (June 2018). "Rockefeller's 2.0 Offers a Taste of What's to Come". Houston Press. Voice Media Group. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021.
  8. ↑ Hlavaty, Craig (July 26, 2016). "Rockefeller's on Washington Avenue to come roaring back to life again". Houston Chronicle . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  9. ↑ Hlavaty, Craig (November 21, 2017). "Rockefeller's is having a rockin' renaissance". Houston Chronicle. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  10. ↑ Witthaus, Jack (September 12, 2016). "Rockefeller's reopens as a music venue on Washington Avenue". Houston Business Journal. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  11. ↑ Cook, Lynn J. (May 9, 1999). "Pizza stars acquiring Rockefellers strip". Houston Business Journal. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
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