OK, OK, so Elwood’s, isn’t a country music place ... at least, not every night it isn’t. But from the delicious BBQ to the variety of live music every Friday and Saturday, Elwood’s (located at 10403-J Park Road) has a lot of reasons to boot and scoot over there.
Elwood’s Music Hall just opened seven months ago, and is owned by the same people that own Fifty 1 and the Yellow Rose at Touchstone. During the day, it’s a damn good restaurant, serving up burgers and BBQ. And the smell of their BBQ is so tantalizing, it hits you before you even walk through the door.
But even better, the food is really well-priced. Elwood’s offers great lunch specials; in fact, you could call it BBQ on a budget. For $5.99, guests can get a Lil Elwood or a Beef Brisket sandwich, with a soft drink and side included. As for drink specials, there’s $2.50 domestics, $4 Tallboys and $5 bombs.
And at night, it’s still a damn good BBQ place, but with an added twist — it becomes a concert hall. Amy, a lady who has worked there since the place opened, gave me the grand tour.
When you walk through the door you’re immediately at the bar, but Amy tells me that’s not what Elwood’s intended. “We were going for a red carpet type look for the music hall entrance, but the bar part sticks out, and because the Elwood’s sign is there we don’t really use this one anymore,” Amy explained as she showed me the intended entrance.
As for the bar area, the walls are accented with stone slabs and the bar itself is a dark, pine wood. It reminded me of an upscale, smoky mountain bar. Not only was the space elegant, it was warming and inviting.
Then down the corridor is the music hall. The room was extremely spacious, but split into an upper and a lower level for seating. The stage sits right at the back of the room, and no matter where you sit, you’ll get a great view of whoever performs.
Alongside making good use of the space, Elwood’s has some great music décor. From a Jimi Hendrix poster to a Jim Bean light-up guitar, you can’t help but get in tune with the classy, musical décor. But look out for my favorite piece of wall art, located by the stage — a sign that read “Hippies enter through here” ... I definitely came through the wrong door.
Live music events runs every Friday and Saturday, usually starting around 9 p.m. Cover charges never exceed $10, and if you buy from their Web site, you can get a discounted price. Amy told me some of her favorite bands that have played at Elwood’s: “Evelyn Rose, Bums Lie, Spongetones, and Trial by Fire (a Journey tribute band). There’s been so many good acts.”
That may be the best part about Elwood’s — they cater to every musical taste. From reggae to rockabilly, and from blues to punk, they have an el’ of a lot to chose from. Upcoming musical acts include:
April 16: 25 Minutes to Go w/ Buckmountain Stranglers and Hectagons
April 17: The Barbed Wires
And for the latest music schedule, you can always pick up a copy of Creative Loafing.
So head over and check out some live music this weekend at Elwood’s. With good BBQ and great live music, it’s the kind of place you’ll be singing about for days.
