Local Musicians and smaller touring bands can be an exciting part of any city, but the Wofford bubble may keep many students from knowing where all the places that display these acts can be found. From open mics and local shows to popular music venues, Spartanburg has a lot to offer to students that love music.
Fretwell is the newest venue in Spartanburg. Along the rail trail, it normally offers a nice outdoor and indoor community area with coffee and snacks, but also has music multiple times a week. For singer-songwriters, touring bands and cover bands who perform any genre, Fretwell has on their website a form for artists to sign up for a future event.
Fretwell has also hosted open mic and karaoke nights in conjunction with other local groups and organizations. Students looking to see what artists and events are coming will be able to find that information easily on any of Fretwell or Little River Roasting Co.’s social media accounts or websites.
Little River Coffee Bar downtown may be smaller than the rest of the venues here but still offers something for students to enjoy at their open mics, hosted every third Friday of the month. Here, smaller artists can display their talents no matter how skilled.
Fr8 Yard is a popular spot for students, but they may not know every type of entertainment the venue offers. Along with community screenings of movies and sporting events, Fr8 Yard is popular because of the live music it offers, as the location hosts a multitude of touring bands that perform any genre in the heart of downtown.
For students that want to play here themselves, the opportunity is possible during their open mic nights. Running from March to October this year, Fr8 Yard has a first-come limited sign-up for their Yard Jams open mic starting at 5 p.m. each Tuesday night.
Rockers Brewing & Co., often called RJ Rockers, is another popular bar and hang-out spot downtown already well known to Wofford Students. While they are popular with locals as a great place to watch sports, they also offer a weekly schedule made up of local musicians and an open mic.
Open mics appear regularly each Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. year-round, and all events can be found on their calendar in the “events” section of their website.
Delaney’s Irish Pub may be most well known for its menu, but it also regularly hosts music to accompany restaurant-goers and passers-by. The pub hosts multiple acts weekly, both inside the restaurant and in the outside dining area. Students wishing to know their upcoming schedule can find their schedule is updated weekly on their website.
GroundZero has been a music venue in northern Spartanburg for a long time and has hosted many prominent touring acts throughout its time here. Though it describes itself as a rock & roll bar and hosts primarily rock and metal artists, the venue hosts all genres and has previously hosted System of a Down, Vanilla Ice and Slipknot, to name a few.
Music on Main is an event hosted by Spartanburg from April to July each year. Hosted outside on Morgan Square, Spartanburg has booked 17 acts for 2023, and the bands come from a range of genres like country, rock, folk, funk and R&B.
While local music scenes may seem daunting to students who don’t go much outside the gates of Wofford, knowing where to go is half the battle. Environments like these can provide a lot for students, both by expanding music tastes and growing their own musical abilities.
