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| The Bomb Factory | |
 | |
 Venue interior, 2015 | |
| Former names | The Bomb Factory (1993–1997) (2015–2021) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2713 Canton Street, Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 32°46′56.606″N 96°47′1.493″W / 32.78239056°N 96.78374806°W / 32.78239056; -96.78374806 |
| Owner | Clint and Whitney Barlow |
| Type | Music venue |
| Genre(s) | Rock, hip hop, metal, indie, electronic |
| Capacity | 1,000–4,300 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1914 |
| Opened | 1993 |
| Renovated | 2015 |
| Closed | 1997–2015 |
| Reopened | March 26, 2015 |
| Website | |
| thebombfactory | |
The Factory in Deep Ellum, formerly the Bomb Factory, is an American music venue and event space located in the Deep Ellum district of downtown Dallas. It originally operated from 1993 to 1997 and was reopened in March 2015 under new management. Since its reopening the venue has hosted acts including Erykah Badu, Sturgill Simpson, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Disclosure, Don Henley of the Eagles, Future, D'Angelo, Brand New, Hardwell, Chvrches, Kraftwerk, Ludacris, and Hatsune Miku.
History
1914–1970
In 1914, Henry Ford acquired the site for one of his first automobile assembly plants. The plant, along with the present day Adam Hats building, remained in the 2700 block of Williams Street (now known as Canton Street) until the 1930s.
When World War II began, Ford was pushed to help the United States gear up for war. The manufacturing of automobiles ceased, as the production of jeeps, practice bombs, and ammunition for the war effort started under the new company name Mayhew Machine and Engineering Works (present day Bomb Factory). With an impending economic recession, the Factory closed down in the 1970s.
In the early 1990s, Deep Ellum attracted industrial developments, commercial storefronts, and early musical cultures such as jazz and blues. The Bomb Factory resurfaced as one of the largest music venues in the Deep Ellum area. Towards the end of the decade, Deep Ellum took another downturn forcing many venues and businesses to shutter its doors. In recent years, the Deep Ellum neighborhood has flourished economically and culturally and continues to thrive, dedicating the area primarily to local arts, music, and businesses. Under new ownership, the Bomb Factory reopened March 2015 as a turnkey venue hosting concerts, private parties, banquets, company meetings, and more.
1993–1997
The Bomb Factory first opened its doors as a music venue in 1993 and hosted acts including Ramones, Sonic Youth, and Phish, whose "Tweezerfest" performance at the Bomb Factory in 1994 has since become a fan favorite. The venue closed in 1997. The Bomb Factory also had acts including Megadeth, Korn, Fugees, Black Sabbath, Rage Against the Machine, Fugazi, INXS, Marilyn Manson, Tool, Motörhead, Nine Inch Nails, Slayer, and the Dave Matthews Band during its initial run as a venue.
On Wednesday, August 9, 1995, the first ever run of the Warped Tour held a Dallas concert in the parking lot of the Bomb Factory. L7, Sublime, and Quicksand headlined the event with support from No Use for a Name, Sick of It All, Fluf, Seaweed, and Tilt.
2015–present
In November 2013, Trees Dallas owner Clint Barlow announced that he would be resurrecting the Bomb Factory after 15 years. The multimillion dollar project detailed plans for a complete renovation of the space, including air conditioning, the installation of mezzanine seating, eight VIP suites, a centered stage with unobstructed views, a raised roof, and state of the art lights and sound systems. Additionally, the renovation plans for backstage featured four green rooms with laundry and shower facilities, as well as a gym for touring artists. On Thursday, March 26, 2015, the Bomb Factory opened its doors to the public with a sold-out grand opening concert, headlined by Erykah Badu with support from the singer/songwriter Sarah Jaffe, who is based in Dallas.
Since its grand opening, the 48,000-square-foot venue has had acts perform including the Lumineers, Sturgill Simpson, Robert Plant, Disclosure, Don Henley, Future, D'Angelo, Brand New, Hardwell, Chvrches, and Lauryn Hill. It has held events including the Elm Street Music and Tattoo Festival, as well as corporate events for Jaguar, Raising Cane's, the Dallas Observer, and other companies.
In addition to booking live music, festivals, conventions, and private events, the Bomb Factory frequently hosts boxing and mixed martial arts events. On Saturday, November 28, 2015, the Bomb Factory hosted the Premier Boxing Champions Super Welterweight World Championship, which was televised on NBC. Jermall Charlo and Wilky Campfort were the title fighters. On Saturday, January 9, 2016, Dominion Warrior presented an MMA Fight Night at the Bomb Factory. The event featured primarily local fighters. Top Rank presented Bomb Factory Fight Club at the Bomb Factory on Saturday, January 16, 2016. The event featured a lightweight match between Eric De Leon and Fidel Navarette and a middleweight fight between Matt Korobov and Jose Obando as the co-main events. The fights were televised on UniMás Network in the United States.
On October 31, 2017, Clint and Whitney Barlow reopened Deep Ellum Live as Canton Hall, an indoor music venue capable of holding up to 1100 people. On July 12, 2021, the Bomb Factory was renamed the Factory in Deep Ellum.
Notable events
- The venue's sold-out March 2015 grand opening was headlined by Erykah Badu with support from Sarah Jaffe, both Dallas natives.
- In October 2015, Dallas hip hop legend, The D.O.C., performed at the Bomb Factory for his return show, his first performance since his near-fatal car accident 20 years ago.
- The Bomb Factory hosted the second annual Rageville Music Fest on October 30, 2015, headlined by Future. The festival also featured performances by Paper Diamond, 12th Planet, AraabMuzik, and Keith Ape.
- On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, Robert Plant and his band, the Sensational Shapeshifters, performed at the Bomb Factory, with support from The Sonics. Plant performed songs from both his solo work and his time in Led Zeppelin, and after a 90 minute set, Plant returned to the stage for an encore.
- On March 29, 2016, the Dallas Mavericks hosted a Ludacris concert at the Bomb Factory, the first concert promoted by the team's event company, Another Mavericks Production. Dallas hip hop artists Cure for Paranoia, Bobby Sessions, and -topic were the support, each of whom were given full sets. During -topic's set, Leon Bridges, who is from Dallas, briefly joined the rapper onstage.
- Don Henley performed at the Bomb Factory on April 29, 2016, for the annual ESD Gala, a private benefit for the Episcopal School of Dallas.
- On August 11, 2016, Mark Cuban's network, AXS TV, launched a five-week concert series featuring performances by The Monkees, Bret Michaels, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Bad Company. The Monkees celebrated their 50th anniversary with the show, which was free to attend and filled to capacity.
Awards
- Dallas Observer Music Awards, Best New Music Venue – 2015
- D Magazine Best of Big D, Best Local Music Venue – 2015
- Dallas Observer: The 5 Best New Concert Venues in Dallas/Fort Worth – 2015
- Consequence of Sound: The 100 Greatest American Music Venues, #86 – 2016
- Dallas Observer Music Awards, Best Music Venue (over 500 capacity) – 2016
- D Magazine Best of Big D, Best Live Music Venue – 2016
References
- ^ Grubbs, Eric (March 25, 2015). "The Bomb Factory's Return Is About More Than Just Nostalgia | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- ^ Wilonsky, Robert (January 28, 2015). "Bomb Factory to (re)open in Deep Ellum in March with shows from Erykah Badu, Toadies | Dallas Morning News" Archived February 19, 2015, at the Wayback Machine www.popcultureblog.dallasnews.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- Galicia, Mikel (February 29, 2016). "Erykah Badu's Annual Birthday Bash Reached a New Peak Friday Night | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- McCarthy, Amy (May 9, 2016). "Sturgill Simpson Flipped the Bird to the Country Establishment at The Bomb Factory | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- ^ Raggio, Eva (March 16, 2016). "Robert Plant Was Rock 'N' Roll's Storytelling Man of the World at The Bomb Factory | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25).
- Macon, Alex (May 12, 2016). "Things To Do In Dallas Tonight: May 12 | D Magazine" www.frontburner.dmagazine.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- ^ Episcopal School of Dallas (April 25, 2016). "Don Henley to Perform at ESD GALA 2016" www.esdallas.org. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- ^ Galicia, Mikel (November 2, 2016). "Future Was the Savior of Rageville's Second Coming at The Bomb Factory | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- Blackburn, H. Drew (June 17, 2015). "D'Angelo Was Indeed the Black Messiah at The Bomb Factory Last Night | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- Galicia, Mikel (October 5, 2015). "A Grown-Up Brand New Got In Touch With Its Youth at The Bomb Factory | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- "Hardwell | The Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
- Wood, Naomi (November 6, 2015). "Chvrches Enchanted The Bomb Factory, But the Lights Show Did the Heavy Lifting, Dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- "The History of Deep Ellum" deepellumtexas.com. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- Advocate Staff (June 1, 1998). "Ford assembly plant in East Dallas" | Advocate Lakewood/East Dallas lakewood.advocatemag.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- Pask, Kevin (October 30, 2007). "Deep Ellum Blues" Southern Spaces. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- "Ramones Setlist at Bomb Factory" www.setlist.fm. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- "Sonic Youth Setlist at Bomb Factory" www.setlist.fm. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- "Saturday May 07, 1994 at The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX" www.phish.net. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- Wood, Matt (March 26, 2015). "Remembering The Bomb Factory's Original Run With the Dallas Observer Archives | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- "Warped Tour | Last.fm" Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- Pete (January 20, 2015). "Dropping Bombs | Central Track" www.centraltrack.com. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- ^ Macon, Alex (March 28, 2016). "Bombs Away: Erykah Badu Rocks the Grand Opening of Dallas' Game-Changing New Music Venue | D Magazine". Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- Martinez, Matthew (May 23, 2016). "The Lumineers Brought a Perfect Date-Night Singalong to The Bomb Factory | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- Lockhart, Kristin (May 5, 2016). "Ms. Lauryn Hill Played By Her Own Rules at The Bomb Factory | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- "Elm Street Music and Tattoo Festival at Bomb Factory | Dallas News" www.guidelive.com. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- "Jaguar: The Art of Performance Tour, Dallas | The Dallas Weekly" www.dallasweekly.com. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- Gage, Jeff (November 9, 2015). "Come to the Dallas Observer Music Awards Ceremony and Join the 27 Club | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- Round by Round Boxing (November 24, 2015). "PBC on NBC: Charlo vs. Campfort Camp update" www.roundbyroundboxing.com. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- Pullum, Roderick (January 11, 2016). "In the Cage at Bomb Factory's MMA Fight Night | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- Sanchez, Hector (January 13, 2016). "BOB ARUM AND TOP RANK PROMOTIONS PREMIERS "BOMB FACTORY FIGHT CLUB" IN DALLAS, TEXAS / DALLAS' OSCAR MOJICA RETURNS TO THE RING" www.northtexasfisticuffs.com. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- "Deep Ellum Live To Reopen As Canton Hall This October". Jackontheweb.cbslocal.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- "Former music venue Deep Ellum Live gets new life, new name: Canton Hall". December 19, 2017.
- Rushing, Brenna (October 18, 2015). "The D.O.C. makes his rapping return at Bomb Factory celebration | GuideLive" www.guidelive.com. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- Ahmadi, Arya (February 18, 2016). "Another Mavericks Production presents Ludacris" www.mavs.com. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- Galicia, Mikel (March 30, 2016). "Mark Cuban and The Mavs Took Over the Ludacris Show at The Bomb Factory | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- Gage, Jeff (December 9, 2015). "The 2015 Dallas Observer Music Awards Winners | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- "The Best of Big D 2015 | D Magazine" interactive.dmagazine.com. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- Falcon, Jaime-Paul (November 24, 2015). "The 5 Best New Music Venues in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2015 | Dallas Observer" www.dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- CoS Staff (April 29, 2016). "The 100 Greatest American Music Venues | Consequence of Sound" consequence.net. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- Gage, Jeff (December 7, 2016). "The 2016 Dallas Observer Music Awards Winners". Dallas Observer. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
- "Best Live Music Venue – Best of Big D 2016". D Magazine. Retrieved October 7, 2017.