On Bryan’s bustling Main Street sits the historic Grand Stafford Theater. Dating back to the 1910s, this venue has a vibrant past that bleeds into its current character. First known to locals as The Dixie Theatre in 1926, ownership sought to inspire the students of Texas A&M involved in the arts. They created an environment for talent to be showcased, which was few and far between at the time. Originally a single-screen showing venue, the building received a facelift in the mid-1990s to accommodate the growing music scene. The new Dixie Opera House then made its name as many renowned bands took the stage; Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Gin Blossoms, just to name a few. After several rebrands, the locale adopted the names Dixie Theater, The Venue, and finally, under new ownership, the current-day Grand Stafford Theater. Although the site has gone by many names and hosted all kinds of talent, it has always maintained a passion for bringing the local community together for quality live entertainment. 

While many venues have emerged around Bryan-College Station in recent years, there is still an undeveloped music scene in the area. Limited expert settings leave many musicians without a platform. The Grand Stafford Theater, however, continues its legacy of live performances by hosting various shows, such as Ultraviolet and Zayno’s Spooky Series, in a artisan environment. 

Rock the Stafford is a new program hosted by the theater to spotlight Texas A&M musicians. General Manager Rob Hitchcock and talent liaison Zayno Rayne aim to bring life back into the local college music scene. The lineups consist of both established musical talents and novel artists, seeking a name for themselves. The goal is, ultimately, to give  Aggie local artists their time to shine in a setting that truly lets them sparkle. The team at the Stafford coordinates the acts and works to deliver quality sound and light systems while also marketing the event to bring in traffic.

But do not take our word for it; here is what some of the local bands have to say about their experience as a college musician and their time at The Grand Stafford Theater…

While Spirits Sleep, a local rock group consisting of Daniel Lagunes (lead vocalist and guitar), Nico Ruiz Barnes (lead guitar), Erik Penick (rhythm guitar), Breck Echelberger (bass), and Seth Sanders (drums), have only been playing together for just shy of a year. They will be hitting their year milestone this spring semester. 

Blue House, an indie rock group based in College Station, has been playing together for a year now. Band members Carter Adams (drums) and Patrick Campbell (lead vocals and guitar) have been playing together since their freshman year of college. Bassist Jaden Williams and guitarists Joe Coolidge and Simon Sprouse have also been playing since the start of college. The band got together last October to form what we now know to be Blue House.

What inspires you to make music?

“For me, I write music to express how I feel about certain topics/situations/or people. In pursuit of writing my truths, I hope to elicit visceral emotions from anyone willing to listen. I love music very much and have felt connections deeper than just sounds, so I would like to replicate that connection with others. Music is deeper than frequencies; it’s a soulful experience.” – Danny Lagunes of While Spirits Sleep 

“Music has always been a great stress reliever for me, especially now that I’m in some pretty challenging courses, being able to make music has provided me with such a great outlet to blow off some steam. I’ve also always been inspired by how music can speak to so many people in so many different ways. My brother has autism and he is one of the biggest fans of music I know, and seeing how happy listening to music and going to live shows makes him has definitely grown my appreciation and passion for music.” -Patrick Campbell of Blue House 

How is your school life-music life balance?

“My school life/ music life are somewhat intertwined. Although I put my studies first, I make sure to create time for music. Whether it’s practicing with my band, attending music clubs like TAMUSIC or Album of the Week, or even playing shows, I’ll make time for it. I’m very much in love with music, so I’ll do what I can for it!” - Dany Lagunes

  “As I mentioned, school has gotten pretty stressful, so music has been such a great way to take my mind off of my courses for a while. There’s nothing like doing a day's worth of engineering homework and then going and making some loud noise with your friends. It can be difficult to balance schoolwork and music, but all the late nights of studying are worth it to me.  There are certainly times where it’s too much to handle and music has to take a back seat for a week or two, especially around exams, but for the most part, the balance has been alright.” - Patrick Campbell

How was it performing at a historical place like The Stafford?

“Performing at the Grand Stafford was a surreal experience. Going there as an audience member is already very intoxicating; however, going as a performer is an unreal experience. All I can recall from the show was feeling like I belonged. It felt like I was born to be on a stage and perform my heart out. The Stafford was the perfect place to express ourselves and get rowdy. I’d like to thank the Stafford and [their] amazing staff for letting us play.” - Dany Lagunes 

“Playing at the Stafford was such a great experience for us and definitely a full circle moment for me. I have been going to shows at the Grand Stafford for as long as I’ve been at A&M, so having the opportunity to play on that stage was so special.” - Patrick Campbell  

How do you think Rock the Stafford is going to benefit the BCS music scene? 

“Rock the Stafford was such an amazing event and I really think it will definitely help grow the BCS scene in popularity by getting more local bands opportunities to get in front of the larger crowds that the Grand Stafford brings in. I also think it will help develop a community among bands. Going in we had never met either of the bands sharing the stage with us but it was awesome getting to meet them and see them kill it.  Experiences like that with more local artists will absolutely help the scene grow.” - Patrick Campbell

What is your advice to other college musicians?

“My biggest piece of advice to local musicians is to just put yourself out there as much as possible. Go to shows, introduce yourself to the bands, and meet people in the audience.  You never know who knows someone else looking to start a band. I met Zayno (organizer of Rock the Stafford] by chance in a dining hall because of a mutual connection in the BCS music world. I know it’s a simple thing to do but it has definitely paid off for me.” -Patrick Campbell

Music moves us. A program like Rock the Stafford is exactly what Bryan-College Station needs to get the music scene back on its feet. Without the support of The Grand Stafford Theater, many of these talents would get lost in the crowd. The program is a perfect example of how investing in artists can pay off and provide an environment to be seen, but more importantly, be heard. 

The next Rock the Stafford show is Thursday, Oct. 26 and features 80-HD, Blood Price, Dempsey, and Sweetie. So come out and support a local business, you never know what will happen where music happens.

Written by Zoey Frederick, Photography: 2am Productions and Cody Hamilton, Design: Claire Thessen, Social Media: Kate Puckett, Videographer: Antonio Gutierrez