Center Stage can become the center of Muncie's music scene.
The building at 306 S. Walnut St. sat empty and unused until New Year's Eve, 2003.
Now, the address is filled with a myriad of tables and chairs. Its blue-painted walls are lit by neon signs and black metal pillars rise in the middle of the floor, creating a space for crowds to stand and dance. Track lighting and four monitors hang above a large stage that sits 30 feet from the venue's entrance.
This stage gives the venue at 306 S. Walnut its name and its appeal.
Owned by Stan Stephens, Center Stage is one of Muncie's newest, biggest and best venues for live music. Stephens started transforming the property in May 2003, turning old Junior Achievement offices into a spacious locale that will play host to local, regional and national acts and attractions.
The venue does not have regular nightly hours, as Stephens rents the room on demand. He said Center Stage was mainly developed to benefit the live music scene; it's already held an all-ages heavy metal show. But he said it's diverse enough to host many events. He's booked a home-brewing contest for beer-drinkers in June and a railroad show for next fall.
Stephens also owns the Heorot, a bar in downtown Muncie. He hopes Center Stage will become the venue for live music in Muncie, knowing his own bar doesn't have the capacity to appease.
"People come in to the Heorot for different types of beer and conversation," he said. "Music doesn't play as strongly."
The versatile venue resembles a glorified banquet hall. Two large nooks, one in the front of the room near the entrance and one at the rear toward the barroom, provide seating for attendees who wish to escape the bustle of the main floor. Stephens also thinks the areas are ideal for bands to set up merchandise tables.
Center Stage can seat 320 people and has a total capacity of 500. Light catering is available, as Stephens said the venue's kitchen makes sandwiches and chip plates. There's also a full-service bar enclosed in its own room, completely secluded from the main seating areas.-á
Center Stage's stage is adorned with $18,000 worth of high-quality sound equipment, a feature Stephens said is important. He said the venue can provide microphones and sound engineers, too.-á
Perhaps best of all, Stephens also built two restrooms for each gender. This quirk was merely a personal preference, though.
"I hate standing in line for the bathroom," he said.
In all, Stephens spent nine months preparing the building for concerts, conventions and the like, officially opening Center Stage with a concert on Dec. 31, 2003. During the summer months, he twice cleared out construction materials to hold charity shows. Now that Center Stage is officially up and running, he said the Heorot will sponsor four shows a year. Otherwise, he said, the venue is available any night of the week to any organization that wants to hold an event, be it music or otherwise.
On March 6, Center Stage will host a death metal show, put on by Kent Waters, a first-time local promoter.
Waters said Yonkers, NY-based Malignancy will headline a show featuring Chicago-based Gorgasm, Indianapolis band Blockhed and Muncie's Uncoil.
Other bands interested in booking a show at Center Stage should contact Stan Stephens at the Heorot.-á-á-á-á
Drama Queen with:
Jenny, Jenny
Feb. 14 at 9:00 p.m.
$5.00 advance, $8.00 at door
-á
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum with: Faun Fables, the Zzzz's and days and nights in the ... Skeleton Crew
Feb. 23 at 7:00 p.m.
$7.00, all-ages; 21+ can drink
-á
Duke Tomatoe with: Dogma
Feb. 28 at 9:00 p.m.
$5.00 advance, $8.00 at door
Chris Shaffer with: Gary's Kitchen
March 13 at 9:00 p.m.
$5.00 advance, $8.00 at door
-á
Jackson Pain with: unannounced guest
March 27 at 9:00 p.m.
$5.00 advance, $8.00 at door
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