The Factory in Deep Ellum, formerly the Bomb Factory, is an American music venue and event space located in the Deep Ellum district of downtown Dallas, Texas. It originally operated from 1993 to 1997 and was reopened in March 2015 under new management. Since its reopening, the venue has hosted acts including Erykah Badu, [3] Sturgill Simpson, [4] Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, [5] Disclosure, [6] Don Henley of the Eagles, [7] Future, [8] D'Angelo, [9] Brand New, [10] Hardwell, [11] Chvrches, [12] Kraftwerk, Ludacris and Hatsune Miku.
In 1914, Henry Ford acquired this site for one of his first automobile assembly plants. The plant, along with the present day Adam Hats building, remained in the 2700 block of Williams Street (now known as Canton Street) until the 1930s. [13]
At the turn of World War II, Ford was pushed to help the United States gear up for war. The manufacturing of automobiles ceased, as the production of jeeps, practice bombs, and ammunition for the war effort began under the new company name Mayhew Machine and Engineering Works (present day Bomb Factory). With an impending economic recession, the Factory closed down in the 1970s. [14]
In the early 1990s, Deep Ellum attracted industrial developments, commercial storefronts, and early musical cultures such as jazz and blues. The Bomb Factory resurfaced as one of the largest music venues in Deep Ellum. Towards the end of the decade, Deep Ellum took another downturn forcing many venues and businesses to shutter its doors. [15]
In recent years[ when? ], the Deep Ellum neighborhood has flourished economically and culturally and continues to thrive, dedicating the area primarily to local arts, music, and businesses. Under new ownership, the Bomb Factory reopened March 2015 as a turnkey venue hosting concerts, private parties, banquets, company meetings and more. [1]
The Bomb Factory first opened its doors as a music venue in 1993 and hosted acts including Ramones, [16] Sonic Youth, [17] and Phish, whose "Tweezerfest" performance at the Bomb Factory in 1994 has since become a fan favorite, [18] before its closure in 1997. Additionally, the Bomb Factory also saw acts including Megadeth, Korn, Fugees, Black Sabbath, Rage Against the Machine, Fugazi, INXS, Marilyn Manson, Tool, Motörhead, Nine Inch Nails, Slayer, and Dave Matthews Band during its initial run as a venue. [19]
On Wednesday, August 9, 1995, the first ever run of the Warped Tour came through Dallas and took place in the parking lot of the Bomb Factory. L7, Sublime, and Quicksand headlined the concert, with support from No Use for a Name, Sick of It All, Fluf, Seaweed, and Tilt. [20]
In November 2013, Trees Dallas owner Clint Barlow announced that he would be resurrecting the Bomb Factory after 15 years. The multimillion dollar project detailed plans for a complete renovation of the space, including air conditioning, the installation of mezzanine seating, eight VIP suites, a centered stage with unobstructed views, a raised roof, and state of the art lights and sound systems. Additionally, the renovation plans for backstage featured four green rooms with laundry and shower facilities, as well as a gym for touring artists. [21] On Thursday, March 26, 2015, the Bomb Factory opened its doors to the public with a sold-out grand opening concert, headlined by Erykah Badu with support from the Dallas-based singer/songwriter Sarah Jaffe. [22]
Since its grand opening, the 48,000-square-foot [2] venue has seen acts including the Lumineers, [23] Sturgill Simpson, Robert Plant, Disclosure, Don Henley, Future, D'Angelo, Brand New, Hardwell, Chvrches, and Ms. Lauryn Hill, [24] held events including the Elm Street Music and Tattoo Festival, [25] and corporate events for companies including Jaguar, Raising Cane's, and Dallas Observer. [26] [27]
In addition to booking live music, festivals, conventions, and private events, the Bomb Factory frequently hosts boxing and mixed martial arts events. On Saturday, November 28, 2015, the Bomb Factory hosted the Premier Boxing Champions Super Welterweight World Championship, which was televised on NBC. Jermall Charlo and Wilky Campfort were the title fighters. [28] On Saturday, January 9, 2016, Dominion Warrior presented an MMA Fight Night at the Bomb Factory. The event featured primarily local fighters. [29] Top Rank presented Bomb Factory Fight Club at the Bomb Factory on Saturday, January 16, 2016. The event featured a lightweight match between Eric De Leon and Fidel Navarette and a middleweight fight between Matt Korobov and Jose Obando as the co-main events. The fights were televised on UniMás Network in the United States. [30]
On October 31, 2017, Clint and Whitney Barlow reopened Deep Ellum Live as Canton Hall, [31] an indoor music venue capable of holding up to 1100 people. [32]
On July 12, 2021, the Bomb Factory was renamed the Factory in Deep Ellum.
Erica Abi Wright, known professionally as Erykah Badu, is an American singer and songwriter. Influenced by R&B, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s when her debut album Baduizm (1997), placed her at the forefront of the neo soul movement, earning her the nickname "Queen of Neo Soul" by music critics.
Baduizm is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Erykah Badu. It was released on February 11, 1997, by Kedar Records and Universal Records. After leaving university in order to concentrate on music full-time, Badu then began touring with her cousin, Robert "Free" Bradford, and recorded a 19-song demo, Country Cousins, which attracted the attention of Kedar Massenburg. He set Badu up to record a duet with D'Angelo, "Your Precious Love," and eventually signed her to a record deal with Universal. Recording sessions for the album took place from January to October 1996 in New York City, Philadelphia, and Dallas.
Deep Ellum is a neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, composed largely of arts and entertainment venues near downtown in East Dallas. Its name is based on a corruption of the area's principal thoroughfare, Elm Street. Older alternative uses include Deep Elm and Deep Elem.
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians is an American alternative rock jam band that originated in Dallas, Texas, in the mid-1980s. The band is widely known for their 1988 hit "What I Am" from the album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. Their music contains elements of rock, folk, blues, and jazz. Following the 1990 release of their second album Ghost of a Dog, lead singer Edie Brickell left the band and married singer-songwriter Paul Simon. In 2006, she and the band launched a new web site and released a new album, Stranger Things.
Tripping Daisy is a neo-psychedelic pop rock band that was formed in Dallas, Texas, by lead singer/guitarist Tim DeLaughter in 1990 along with Jeff Bouck (drums), Wes Berggren (guitar) and Mark Pirro (bass).
Mama's Gun is the second studio album by American singer Erykah Badu. It was recorded between 1999 and 2000 at Electric Lady Studios in New York and released on November 21, 2000, by Motown Records. A neo soul album, Mama's Gun incorporates elements of funk, soul, and jazz styles. It has confessional lyrics by Badu, which cover themes of insecurity, personal relationships, and social issues. The album has been viewed by critics as a female companion to neo soul artist D'Angelo's second album Voodoo (2000), which features a similar musical style and direction. Critics have also noted that while Badu's first album Baduizm contained its share of cryptic lyricism, Mama's Gun is much more direct in its approach, and places the artist in a subjective position more than its predecessor.
"Window Seat" is a song by Erykah Badu. It is the lead single from her album New Amerykah Part Two (2010). It was produced by Badu and James Poyser. The song is low-tempo ballad with lyrics that concern escapism and longing for a lover. The music video for "Window Seat" features Badu walking the streets around Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, slowly stripping to the nude, before being shot by an unseen assassin. Badu's public nudity, guerrilla filming, and the video's allusions to the assassination of John F. Kennedy were met with controversy among fans and critics.
New Amerykah Part One is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Erykah Badu. It was released on February 26, 2008, by Universal Motown following Badu's hiatus from recording music due to writer's block. In returning from the hiatus, she received music from several hip hop producers over the Internet and recorded demos of her vocals using the GarageBand software on her laptop. Most of the album was then recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.
"Honey" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for her fourth studio album New Amerykah Part One (2008). It was produced by 9th Wonder, and contains a sample from Nancy Wilson's 1978 song "I'm in Love". The song was released as the lead single from New Amerykah Part One on November 20, 2007, by Universal Motown Records.
New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Erykah Badu, first released on March 30, 2010, through Universal Motown. Collaborating with several hip hop producers over the Internet, Badu conceived 75 songs set to be split over three albums with New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008) being the first. The album was recorded primarily at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.
Jonathan Tyler is an American rock band from Dallas, Texas.
The Summer Tour was a concert tour in 2006 by American R&B singer Erykah Badu. The tour started on June 10, in Knoxville, Tennessee with three shows in North America and several shows through the summer in Europe and a second outing in North America. Badu co-headlined dates in August with Jill Scott and Queen Latifah for their "Sugar Water Tour".
The Singapore Slingers are an American 18-member orchestra based in Dallas, Texas that specializes in performing pre-swing American dance music, with a particular focus on popular songs of the 1920s and early 1930s. They have been called the "coolest, quirkiest, retro jazz group" in Dallas by the local press. They are the only group of their kind in Dallas, with a repertoire that regularly features fox trots, waltzes, marches, one-steps, two-steps, rags, tangos, and rumbas. The band was formed in late 2007 by Dallas native Matt Tolentino, and continues under his direction, normally consisting of four reeds, three brass, five rhythm players, and a string section including three violins, a viola, a cello, and a string bass. The Singapore Slingers were nominated in the category "Best Jazz Act" for the 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards, and were named Best Pre-Swing Jazz Orchestra by the Dallas Observer in 2011.
Christy Brigitte Darlington, commonly known by her stage name of Darlington, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, published author and visual artist. She has performed multiple American and European concert tours, and has had music played on hundreds of radio stations across North America and Europe, as well as featured in television shows on MTV.
Trees is an American live music venue opened in 1990 in the Deep Ellum district of downtown Dallas, Texas. The venue has hosted international touring musical acts such as Nirvana, Snoop Dogg, The Flaming Lips, Death Grips, Daughter, The Wailers, Nick Jonas, and Run the Jewels. It has received numerous accolades from the Dallas Observer.
But You Caint Use My Phone is a mixtape by American singer Erykah Badu. It was released on November 27, 2015, by Motown and Control Freaq. Following the release of New Amerykah Part Two (2010), Badu embarked on a five-year hiatus, during which she traveled to Africa in an attempt to record new music, though this never surfaced. After receiving a remix of "Bag Lady" from producer Zach Witness, Badu contacted him in order to record with him. Shortly thereafter, the pair met again and went to Witness's home in Dallas, Texas, and worked in his bedroom studio, where they recorded the mixtape in 11 days. The mixtape features appearances from rapper ItsRoutine and André 3000.
RC & The Gritz is an American soul, R&B, and hip-hop band with origins in Dallas, Texas. Led by RC Williams, the band was formed in 2004. The group most recently served as the back up band for Erykah Badu.
A bomb factory is a factory for building bombs.
Bobby Dewayne Session, Jr, known professionally as Bobby Sessions, is an American rapper. He wrote and performed the title track for the 2018 film, The Hate U Give, and signed with Def Jam Recordings that same year. He co-wrote Megan Thee Stallion's 2020 single, "Savage", which won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and peaked the Billboard Hot 100.