Local Venue Alert: ThisisReno takes a look at what Reno has to offer when it comes to local music venues.
In Reno and Sparks the big venues that draw national tours to the area — casinos, the Reno Events Center, the Reno Ballroom or even Lawlor Events Center — are great places to catch a show. But what about the local bands?
Luckily, we are blessed to have many venues the local music scene can call home. Northern Nevada music fans can see a show of nearly any genre on almost every night of the week.
First up in this series is the Studio on 4th bar and venue (SO4TH), located at 432 E. Fourth St. and open Wednesday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Dennis McDonald has owned SO4TH for around three years. A bartender for more than 25 years, McDonald always dreamed of owning his own place. Having played in a band for many years, he also wanted a place where he could feature live music.
SO4TH was the perfect choice: it already had a stage, lighting, a good sound system, and Doug Herd, the venue’s sound and lighting tech for the past two decades and respected member of the local music scene.
McDonald does all the booking at SO4TH, but also works with promoters and booking agents. Not just any band can play SO4TH. McDonald heavily screens the bands he books, favoring original artists, but still permitting some cover and tribute bands to take the stage.
The venue has two rooms, with the bar and stage separated to allow for all-ages shows. The intimate setting of SO4TH is limited to just 140 capacity.
Many local bands have played there over the last three years along with many touring bands. There have only been three cancelled shows since McDonald purchased the venue, all due to weather and travel restrictions in the Sierras.
I’ve been to many shows at SO4TH over the years including the successful 11-band, 14-hour “Soul Rockin’ Blues Fest” that brought four genres (rock, blues, metal and soul) all together on one stage.
Some of the local bands I have photographed there include Sinicle, Big Heart, Jason King Band, Ostracized, The Electric, VooDoo Cats, We Predict A Riot, Seedless 10dency, and Erika Malone’s Eminence, just to name a few.
Another thing SO4TH does that no other local venue does is live broadcast each show on Facebook. If you can’t make it to the show, you can still watch it live. If you can’t watch it live, you can find it on YouTube any time you want.
McDonald plans on bringing in some bigger touring bands in the near future. The biggest show to-date is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2018 featuring Zepparella, the all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band.
If you’re looking for a great place to see a show and have never been to Studio on 4th, now’s a good time to check it out. There’s always something going on there and you won’t be disappointed.
Visit http://studioon4th.com/ or the Studio on 4th Facebook page to see a schedule of upcoming shows.
Always support your local bands and venues … Go to a Show!
