Tickets for all shows are on sale now at longhornballroom.com
Dallas, TX - It seems as if all of Dallas, and Texas for that matter, is counting down the days until the lights flip on and boots start shuffling at the famed Longhorn Ballroom. In a little over two weeks, on March 30, Western Swing torchbearers Asleep at the Wheel with Brennan Leigh and Joshua Hedley will rechristen the dancehall stage for what is sure to be one hell of a re-opening party. The team at Kessler presents continues to build out the Longhorn calendar, sharing a little bit more about the booking ethos with each show announcement.
Announcing and on-sale today, Dinosaur Jr. will play the Longhorn on April 28 and The Polyphonic Spree on July 15, the latter celebrating their 23rd year of existence and release of their upcoming album, Salvage Enterprise. Keeping in line with the Longhorn’s history as evident in today’s show announcement, this stage will be a home for all genres and formats proving to be the go-to independently booked and run venue in Dallas.
Previously announced: Heading into opening weekend, Old Crow Medicine Show with special guest Joshua Ray Walker will perform on March 31, then on Saturday, April 1, Morgan Wade and Lucero with special guest Kaitlin Butts will finish out the Longhorn Ballroom’s soft-opening.
These shows will be followed up by two nights with Emmylou Harris, the long-reigning queen of Americana. Initially booked for one night only, Harris fans will be delighted to know that Kessler Presents have added a second night, and tickets for both are on-sale now.
Longhorn Ballroom Show Calendar:
March 30: Asleep at the Wheel with Brennen Leigh and Joshua Hedley
March 31: Old Crow Medicine Show with special guest Joshua Ray Walker
April 1: Morgan Wade and Lucero with special guest Kaitlin Butts
April 22: Emmylou Harris
April 23: Emmylou Harris
April 28: Dinosaur Jr.
July 15: The Polyphonic Spree
Visit Longhornballroom.com for more information and to sign up for news alerts relating to ticket and show announcements, and be sure to follow Longhorn Ballroom on socials: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. Fans are encouraged to dig into Longhorn Ballroom’s musical history by listening to this Spotify playlist which features songs from every era and artist.
About Longhorn Ballroom: The history of Texas music is long and varied, but the canon of American music more generally can be tidily summarized by the acts that have rolled through the Longhorn Ballroom over the years. The venue was widely considered one of the preeminent purveyors of 20th-century country music in the nation, but a number of great soul and blues acts graced the Ballroom stage on Monday Service Industry Nights at the venue. This was a type of joint that unapologetically promoted Merle Haggard and the Sex Pistols on the same marquee; a place where different factions of concertgoers could unite to experience the glorious journey of live music. When the venue closed, it left a massive hole in the Texas music scene.
Edwin Cabaniss and the Kessler Presents team are reopening the Longhorn Ballroom with the goal of bringing it back to its heyday so a new generation of artists and patrons alike can once again enjoy this Texas legend.
Cabaniss explains, “Our patrons crave authenticity and the magic of discovery in unique settings. It’s been the model for our successes at the Kessler and now we will apply those same values at the Longhorn.”
As such, the ethos of Kessler Presents in regard to the Longhorn Ballroom can neatly fit into this thesis: “The restoration of the Longhorn will share the story of Texas’ musical contributions to the greater American music canon.” The mission states, “The goal is to put these stories in front of the artist, live music patrons, and the music industry alike, building lore and respect with all groups. The aim is to honor and connect the venue’s history to the venue’s present and future.”
About Edwin Cabaniss and Kessler Presents
The animating tension that has made Edwin Cabaniss one of Texas’ most successful purveyors of live music is a simple one. It is a dichotomy that has dictated his entire professional life, one between commerce and creativity, artistry, and business acumen. That is reflected in how Cabaniss and his team at Kessler Presents puts the artists first and makes sure their every need is preemptively met at venues like The Kessler Theater, The Heights Theater, and now, the Longhorn Ballroom. “I want our artists to know that from the first show advance until the bus pulls off the lot, our team is all in.” Cabaniss will be the first to admit that while things occasionally go sideways–after 3,000 shows the entrepreneur has seen his fair share of events go haywire–his team understands artists and patrons like few do. With his success in the industry confirmed, Cabaniss recently purchased the historic but rundown Longhorn Ballroom, a massive space dedicated to nationally touring acts too large for a venue like the Kessler. “Now, we don’t have to say goodbye. We just say, ‘See you next time.’” After a decade and a half in the game, Edwin Cabaniss and Kessler Presents are seemingly just getting started…again. “I am still as excited about our shows as I was when we first started,” Cabaniss explains. “Everyone should be so lucky to have their profession be their passion.”