All over the country, every night, local music venues are being filled with young fans eager to watch burgeoning bands. These are the spaces Hometowns of Consequence is here to celebrate — those welcoming places where people go to both witness and create culture. After all, without venues like West Columbia, South Carolina’s New Brookland Tavern, bands like SUSTO may never have gotten their start.
The indie Americana outfit just released their latest album, My Entire Life, last month, and according to frontman Justin Osborne, you could trace that title right back to the all-ages venue in his home state. “Growing up in small town South Carolina, [New Brookland Tavern] always felt like the center of my musical universe,” Osborne tells Consequence. “I believe it’s SC’s longest continually operating venue, and because it’s all ages, I was road-tripping to Columbia from an early age to see shows with friends, and I eventually started performing some of my first shows there.”
SUSTO aren’t the only ones to have benefitted from NBT’s inclusive environment. Since opening its doors in 1998, the venue has grown a reputation for booking soon-to-be major artists early in their careers: My Morning Jacket, Rilo Kiley, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Manchester Orchestra, Band of Horses, The Gaslight Anthem, Toro y Moi, Ice Nine Kills, and even fellow Hometown contributors Portugal. The Man have all stopped through on their rise to stardom.
Osborne told us exactly why New Brookland Tavern is so special and what makes them so good at what they do, and you can read everything the SUSTO singer had to say below. You can also vote for your own favorite local music venue at Hometowns of Consequence or via the widget below. Follow the widget’s instructions to share with friends and you could win discounts to the Consequence Shop or free tickets to your favorite venue!
For some more inspiration, see which venues artists like Josh Homme, UPSAHL, Deer Tick, The Dead Milkmen, McKinley Dixon, and OSEES named as their favorites.
What’s your favorite local venue under 2,000 capacity and why?
Although I’ve got a lot of favorite venues, I’d have to say the one closest to my heart is New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia, SC. Growing up in small town South Carolina, NBT always felt like the center of my musical universe. I believe it’s SC’s longest continually operating venue, and because it’s all ages, I was road-tripping to Columbia from an early age to see shows with friends, and I eventually started performing some of my first shows there. Even now, I still do reunion shows there sometimes with my old band, and it always feels really good to be back, whether I’m playing, seeing a show, or just stopping by for a drink.
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