When we heard rumors of a new (refurbished is the more accurate word) music venue in West Ocean City, we were quick to start investigating exactly what was happening at the ‘OC House of Rock.’ The rumor mill proved correct this time around, and we were thrilled to find that Trader Lee’s has transformed their music venue with a well-purposed face lift and a major push to create a space for live music to thrive.
“They’ve completely revamped the stage. They really did right, it’s fun to look at,” said Kasey Briggs of Morning Glass Entertainment. Briggs has taken on the job (is it still considered a job when you love what you’re doing??) of booking Friday night entertainment at Trader Lee’s new OC House of Rock. “The bottom line is, we needed a music venue here,” said Briggs. Friday evenings will showcase original bands, while Saturday nights will continue to feature the local bands that have already made a home at Trader Lee’s. Friday night lineups will vary, with anything from rockabilly to acoustic sets…original music, along with covers. “I’ve got bands coming from as far as New York City and North Carolina,” said Briggs, adding that local bands would certainly be showcased as well.
From the woodwork to the lighting to the stage, the refurbished space is primed and ready for stellar shows. With a capacity of roughly 250 to 300 people, the venue will quickly live up to its new name – the OC House of Rock. The new space will also be climate controlled…a factor that will allow patrons to enjoy the venue during the colder months as well. For now, live shows will be held Fridays and Saturdays, with the bar available the rest of the week for fundraisers, events, and general bar revelry. Happy Hour is available at the bar, along with seasonal specials. The bands will also get to enjoy the perks of the new VIP room.
Briggs is certainly no stranger to the music scene – he is currently the bass player for local bands The Phantom Limbs (pictured below at the OC House of Rock) and Haleytown. Briggs also recently launched his business, Morning Glass Entertainment, in hopes of fostering the local music scene by bringing more bands to town. “I love our local bands, don’t get me wrong, but I think we would all agree that there is a feeling in this town of wanting new stuff,” explained Briggs. “After years and years of booking my bands places, I started talking to business managers about how difficult it can be for them to run a bar or restaurant and deal with booking acts on top of that.” Briggs began to see a gap that needed to be filled and began working as a booking agent for out of town bands. The idea is to essentially link local businesses with out of town bands. “The local bands, they have all their own contacts around town already, but the out of town bands, I can bring them to local venues.”
Briggs recently launched his website as well, which will serve as a place for businesses and venues to look for bands to book. “It’s a one stop shop for finding bands. The whole idea is to make it easier for venues to find and book bands.” Briggs also handles promotions and marketing for both the venues and the bands. “My job is to get butts in the seats; I’m helping both the business and the bands.”
For more on Morning Glass Entertainment, click here. For more on the new OC House of Rock, check out the Trader Lees FB page for upcoming shows and details.
In the meantime, check out The Phantom Limbs in action at the new Ocean City House of Rock this past Friday:
