The Western is headed for its last roundup, y'all. The stylish Scottsdale bar/restaurant/music venue, which has been open about a year and change, will apparently be closing after one final show on Sunday night.
An e-mail announcing it's shuttering was sent out this morning by the joint's PR person with the somewhat cheeky subject line "Cowboy...Down! The Westerner [sic] is closing this Sunday."
See also: The Mason Jar Building is For Sale
The attached press release hints that the closure is due is due to a lack of business and states that The Western, which opened in May 2013 and is co-owned by local restaurateur Tucker Woodbury and concert promoter Charlie Levy of Stateside Presents fame, will be immediately rebranded into a barcade called The King that will open at the end of the month.
When a joint called The Western can't make it in the "West's Most Western Town," it might be time to throw in the towel. And that's just what Tucker Woodbury and [Charlie] Levy, the team behind the Old Town western-themed watering hole and countless other restaurants like The Vig, Crescent Ballroom and Little Woody is going to do following this Sunday's dinner service..
Woodbury told us last year prior to The Western's opening that it was inspired in part by the bygone Scottsdale saloon Rockin' Horse that he operated in the '90s. As such, The Western featured live music of the country, Americana, and blues variety (much like its predecessor) and different indie bands and performers that were booked by Stateside and affiliated local promoter "Psyko" Steve Chilton.
"We thought we could recreate the magic of the old Rockin' Horse and the success we've had with live music at Crescent," Woodbury states in the aforementioned press release. "We're proud of our efforts -- we built a beautiful venue and booked some incredible bands, but for whatever reason, we never quite gained the traction we had hoped for."
Psyko Steve will have the honor of putting on the last show at The Western, as alt-folk/ Americana musician Adam Faucett will still be performing there on Sunday night.
Several upcoming Stateside shows were booked to perform at The Western in the coming weeks and months, including Star Anna, Matrimony, Jessica Lee Mayfied, and Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires.
Jeremiah Gratza of Stateside told us via e-mail that they are currently searching for new venues around town for each of the concerts.
Stay tuned to Up On the Sun or our online concert calendar for updates.
Like Up on the Sun on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest local music news and conversation.
