Rockefeller's

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

Rockefeller's
Address3620 Washington Ave
Houston, TX 77007-5939
LocationRice Military
Coordinates29°46′11″N 95°23′48.5″W
OwnerHank Zwirek
Capacity410 (general admission)
250 (reserved)
Construction
OpenedAugust 27, 1979 (1979-08-27)
Closed1997-2016
ReopenedSeptember 9, 2016 (2016-09-09)
Website
Venue Website

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. 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 4, 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 4, 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 4, 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 4, 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 4, 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 4, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
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