Venue News

Gas Monkey Bar & Grill in Dallas rebrands, farewell Richard Rawlings

The venue overlooks its own body of water.

Courtesy photo

The restaurant and live music spot formerly known as Gas Monkey Bar & Grill in Northwest Dallas is rebranding. New name: Amplified, and former co-founder Richard Rawlings is no longer involved.

It'll occupy the same space at 10261 Technology Blvd., but with a renovated interior, improved audio system, and new menu.

According to a release, Amplified will celebrate a grand opening on October 5 with Atlanta rock band Manchester Orchestra, plus tattoo artist Bob Kakaha (aka Bob Zilla), who will be doing Amplified lightning bolt tattoos and other designs to commemorate the occasion.

Additional shows already booked include Matisyahu, Bad Religion, and Alkaline Trio.

This represents the next chapter for what was originally a two-pronged concept, with a bar & grill on one side, and a live music venue, Gas Monkey Live, on the other. Gas Monkey Live closed in 2020; the space has since been acquired by a new owner although it remains empty.

Managing partner Alex Mendonsa says that they'll keep hosting live music at Amplified, which has both an indoor stage and an epic outdoor space.

"The Grill has always had a wonderful outdoor stage right on a park, overlooking a neat waterway," Mendonsa says. "We'll still have the live music, great food, and cold drinks we're known for, just a different name."

Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill opened in 2013, followed by Gas Monkey Live in 2014 in the space formerly occupied by Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill in Northwest Dallas. It was part of the empire fronted by Richard Rawlings, Fort Worth native and co-star of the Discovery channel TV show Fast N' Loud.

Rawlings was the front man — but the venue was always run by Mendonsa, who came to Dallas from the House of Blues Las Vegas; talent buyer Peter Ore, formerly of Talent Live Nation Denver; and brothers Mike and Dan Flaherty of United Commercial Realty.

"Richard is taking the name, and it gives us the freedom to move forward and focus on what we've been doing for the past eight years — providing the best entertainment we can get our hands on, with the best food and service," Mendonsa says. "We don't have security guards, we have security hosts. When people come to the venue, they're pleasantly surprised."

Food & drink
The menu will still feature Gas Monkey favorites such as burgers, sandwiches, and smoked meats, but also new dishes such as chicken Marsala, shrimp-chicken-sausage étouffée, chicken-fried steak sandwich, al pastor tacos, and birria-style brisket.

The drinks menu has also received an update, with new cocktails and shots, plus local and national beer.

Renovation of the space
Amplified's interior was given an overhaul, with new floors, a wraparound bar near the stage, new seating and upholstery, paint, and new décor.

Gear-wise, they did a big upgrade:

The interior stage now houses a DAS Vantec Series PA system with eight speakers and 15,000 watts of total power.
Extensive lighting features 24 fixtures, including eight moving fixtures, and a 176-inch HD LED video wall.
The outdoor stage received its own update, with a DAS Aero Series PA system with 30 speakers and 40,000 watts of total power.
A state-of-the-art lighting system features 54 fixtures, including 24 moving fixtures, and another 176-inch HD LED video wall.

They feel confident that, with its updates, Amplified is the best place in Dallas to see a show, whether indoors or out.

"We're off the beaten path, but that becomes an advantage," Mendonsa says. "Having an outdoor stage is obviously a big plus right now, but we're also not subject to ordinances for sound or having to be done by a certain time. We have plenty of parking, and we don't charge for parking. We end up being a destination."

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Movie Review

Hugh Jackman channels Neil Diamond in biopic Song Sung Blue

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in Song Sung Blue.

Neil Diamond - a member of both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame with 10 No. 1 songs and over 56 million albums sold - is such a music legend that it would be easy to do a straight-up biopic of him. Instead, the new Song Sung Blue - named after Diamond’s 1972 hit song - serves as a shadow Diamond biopic, with his songs showcased through a real-life husband-and-wife tribute act known as Lightning & Thunder.

Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, the film focuses on Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who comes up with the idea for a Diamond-centric act when he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). The duo soon grows in popularity locally in Milwaukee, headlining not just restaurants and bars but also some larger venues. As their legend spreads, they even start to get the attention of the media and bigger names outside of Wisconsin.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a good biopic without a little turbulence, and — without spoiling things — Mike and Claire learn that good times never seemed so good when they face more than their fair share of troubles. The couple endures their ups and downs with the help of their combined family, including children Rachel (Ella Anderson) Angelina (King Princess), and Dana (Hudson Henley), as well as a community of fellow tribute acts.

Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name), the film’s appeal lies mainly in the irrepressible enthusiasm of Mike, a man born to entertain if ever there was one. Neither his long-dormant alcoholism nor health problems nor location in the Upper Midwest can stop Mike from demonstrating his showmanship skills. Of course, it helps that he’s portrayed by Jackman, who - despite getting a little long in the tooth - gives every performance his all.

What the story can never quite answer, though, is why this particular couple is worth an entire feature film. Sure, they have a somewhat interesting arc, especially when it coincides with a certain early ‘90s grunge band, but otherwise there’s little that separates them from other tribute acts toiling around the country. Brewer struggles to define them outside of their singing lives, and when things get really bad for them, the emotional connection is at a minimum.

Then there’s the aspect of incorporating Diamond’s music, some of which has endured across the decades more than others. Naturally, “Sweet Caroline” gets a notable showcase, but whither “America” or “Heartlight?” The title song is featured the most often, as Mike uses it to celebrate his yearly “sober birthday,” but it’s not a barnburner. Mike also has an obsession with the relatively obscure "Soolaimón," an odd choice both for him and for the movie to include so much.

Jackman and Hudson have good chemistry together, and when the film puts them together in singing scenes, their bond becomes infectious. Each of them has naturally melodic voices as well, lending an extra boost to that part of the film. Supporting actors like Anderson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, and Fisher Stevens complement them well, but Jim Belushi, playing their promoter, gives a hammy performance that seems to be in a completely different movie.

While it’s unclear who the audience for Song Sung Blue might be other than hardcore Diamond fans, it has just enough crowd-pleasing moments to make for a solid watch. The entertainment factor of the film comes and goes, but Jackman using every ounce of his abilities mostly makes up for any deficiencies.

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Song Sung Blue opens in theaters on December 25.

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Movie Review

Hugh Jackman channels Neil Diamond in biopic Song Sung Blue