DIY venue The Roadhouse closes after four years

On a typical street lined with ordinary houses, one home offers more than meets the eye. 

Inside, musical instruments, vibrant decorations and electric crowds can be found. This is The Roadhouse, a DIY music venue that has hosted regular live music performances for the past four years. 

The venue, located in Grove Street, announced in an Instagram post it will host its final show this summer, July 27.

The decision to close arrived when its owners, event coordinator Bri Reed and their husband Justin Reed, decided to move away from Gainesville.

Bri Reed called the decision “bittersweet.”

“This place has been such a huge part of my life for over four years,” Bri Reed said. “I feel so honored to have had a space to bring weirdos together. I’m really going to miss being immersed in music and meeting new people all the time.”

Their announcement shortly followed the closure of High Dive, another popular music venue in Gainesville.

Despite the Gainesville location closing, Bri Reed assured its name would continue by promoting and booking other Gainesville venues like The Ox.

“I’m still booking shows as Roadhouse,” they said. “But the space will be gone as we know it.”

Feedback from the community has been positive, Bri Reed said.

“A lot of people have said they’re happy for us for making a move that felt right,” they said. “Some people said they will miss the special niche it fit as an intimate and welcoming place to experience live music.”

Bri Reed wanted Gainesville to be left with a specific memory of The Roadhouse.

“I want people to remember Roadhouse based on however it made them feel,” they said. “Memories mean a lot to me, which is why I take so many film pictures and have photo albums on photo albums [because] I’m nostalgic like that.”

As The Roadhouse’s event coordinator, Bri Reed saw a variety of performances from bands including Orange Doors, Pigeon Pit and Emperor X.

“The list of stories is too long,” they said. “When Orange Doors played a cover of ‘Time After Time’ and everyone lost their mind and sang along… when Pigeon Pit played and people traveled from all over Florida to see and a bunch of us cried… when Emperor X played an intimate unplugged set sitting on the floor.”

Other bands who performed at The Roadhouse include Confession Kids, The Nancys, Boat Stuff and Daydreaming.

Their work at The Roadhouse inspired others to take on similar projects, Bri Reed said.

“I’ve talked with people who are currently doing infrequent shows in similar DIY settings,” they said. “People who are curious and eager to try something similar, which I’m so excited to see.”

While the transition is going to be difficult, Reed said the couple is excited for what’s to come in their future.

“It’s really hard to imagine life without the high energy and chaos that I love about hosting shows,” they said. “At the same time, my husband and I feel like changing it up, spending more time with each other and with nature, so I’m excited for this new chapter.”

The Nancys band member Ella Norris said scenes like The Roadhouse are vital to the community.

“The venue was always super welcoming and kind,” Norris said. “They supported a lot of the local bands, even the smaller ones like us who weren’t as popular.”

Confession Kids bass player Alex Roberts worked the door at The Roadhouse after visiting a show. He expressed gratitude for the venue’s contribution to Gainesville’s music scene and said he believes its legacy will outlive its location. 

“The Roadhouse changed a lot of lives,” Roberts said. “While the space itself may be transitioning out of regular operation in the not-too-distant future, the spirit of The Roadhouse will no doubt be carried on.”

Roberts’ bandmate, Quil Darling, said they credit The Roadhouse with giving Confession Kids a chance.

“I think it exemplifies something that makes DIY music so great,” Darling said. “Anyone has a shot to play there.”

Contact Ben Nielsen at bnielsen@alligator.org. Follow him on X @benknielsen.

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