After renovations and a name change, the Dixie, formerly known as the Jupiter Bar & Grill, hosted its first shows this weekend
Hightide Blues, Michael Warren and Meghan Elliot performed Friday night, and Johnny Lee and the Urban Cowboy Band performed with John Stone Saturday.
The Dixie is on The Strip, where the Jupiter used to be, and though the main stage is not open yet, the artists performed to sold out crowds on the side stage both nights.
“I’ve reorganized things, it’s just on a smaller scale,” said Jeremiah Jones, who owns the Dixie and was an owner of the Jupiter. “But the cool thing about that is that the acts don’t have to move… we’re just going to squeeze their production aspects, and they’re going to be a lot more intimate shows.”
The Dixie has several well-known acts playing throughout the next month, including the 17th Floor on Sept. 3, Perpetual Groove on Sept. 7, Citizen Cope on Sept. 13, and Drive-By Truckers on Sept. 16.
Currently, the main room is being finished, but Jones is not worried about when the main stage will open up.
“Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise,” he said. “Obviously it’s going to be a safer space, and we’re going to have the opportunity now to really finish all of the detail work we may not have had time for. We’ve put in a sprinkler system to make it safer for everybody, and we’ve put in wheelchair ramps. In the meantime, we’re also kind of blessed in the sense that we have an opportunity to be known as a more popular bar because we have an easier space to fill.”
Although the Dixie seems to be drawing its normal crowds, not everyone is pleased about the changes.
“Though I am not a regular of the Jupiter, I’ve seen a couple shows there and I know it’s a great venue for local and national music,” said Taylor Blalack, a sophomore majoring in nutrition sciences. “Changing the name to the Dixie doesn’t really appeal to me. Changing the name after all this time just doesn’t make sense. The Dixie is just not original, but the Jupiter is unique. The Dixie just sounds too generic and stereotypical.”
Jones said he does not believe the new name will be a factor in the business’s success. Jones said the new name will actually help attract UA students and visitors who come from anywhere in the region.
“Of course I’m always concerned, to some extent, with what public perception is of my business. I think that kind of goes without saying,” Jones said. “But in regards to the name, opinions are going to vary no matter what. I could have named it anything and some people are going to like it, just because people’s tastes vary. But as far as any kind of rehashing of the past or any kind of negative connotations the word ‘Dixie’ brings, I learned a long time ago that you can’t please everybody. Everybody has different opinions. If you try pleasing everyone, you’re going to end up pleasing no one.
“Of course there’s concern, but not so much with the name,” he said. “I’m more concerned with the longevity of the business and its success. I think people have kind of let go of some of those things that people in our parents’ generation held onto.”
