New Performance Venue: The Roadhouse

The program highlights and celebrates the many cultures and musical styles in the area, artists and musicians living and working in South King County, and connects transit riders with the places they are traveling through.

The Roadhouse will be an inclusive 145-person venue. STart will be working with the Venue Manager, Eduardo Mendonça, and a Community Advisory Committee to develop programming for four marquee events and up to 12 smaller events over the next year. These will be ticketed, all-ages events. The venue will also be available to rent. STart and Sound Transit are committed to the mission of creating a safe and welcoming environment for the people of South King County and we encourage potential renters of the space to adhere to the Guiding Principles of The Roadhouse and embody the values of inclusion, respect, and artistic expression.

The venue name, “The Roadhouse,” is a nod to the musical history in this area. In the 1930s through the 1960s a number of dance halls were located in South King County, midway between the urban centers of Seattle and Tacoma. The most well-known was the Spanish Castle, which featured local musicians and national acts, as well as the first on-stage appearance of a young Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix’s song “Spanish Castle Magic” was inspired by the Spanish Castle.

The Advisory Committee and STart developed the following Guiding Principles for the space use and programming:
o INCLUSION: create a sense of belonging through music and performance
o COMMUNITY: focus on South King County audiences and musicians
o HISTORY: highlight the musical history and culture in South King County
o CONNECTION: create a bridge between transit and the places that it serves
o CELEBRATE: create a space to share and build South King County culture

To learn more and register for events, please go to www.theroadhouse.art.