The vibrant live music scene on Madison’s east side will undergo another growth spurt with the opening of a new 700-person theater in a renovated church and community center.
Next to the former Mint Mark and future Little Palace restaurant, Atwood Music Hall is set to open on June 13 in a historic building on 1925 Winnebago St.
Toffer Christensen, who bought the space last year, grew up in Madison’s Marquette neighborhood. He wants to use the venue as a space for local musicians to perform, as well as touring shows.
In recent years, new venues like The Bur Oak, North Street Cabaret, muso, Communication and Cafe Coda have popped up within a few blocks of each other, joining mainstays like Harmony Bar and Grill,the Crystal Corner Bar and the Barrymore Theatre.
Atwood Music Hall will be the latest and largest of these, with a capacity of 375 for seated shows and 700 for standing room events. That puts it on similar footing as the downtown Majestic Theatre, which can hold 600. It’s the largest venue on the east side besides the Sylvee, which opened near downtown in 2018.
Christensen also co-owns the Bur Oak on Winnebago Street, which has a limit of 130 people.
A locally owned venue, featuring Madison bands
Early performances at Atwood Music Hall feature a lineup of artists with Madison ties. On June 14, Kevin Farley, brother of comedian Chris Farley, launches his book, “Growing Up Farley.” July 9 is a screening of “The Smart Studios Story.” On June 26, University of Wisconsin-Madison-born emo band Rainer Maria, will perform a reunion show.
The grand opening itself on June 13 is a WORT radio station benefit and tribute to iconic Madison musician Clyde Stubblefield, performed by several bands including Madison-based disco group VO5.
“The first month of programming run is about 98% either bands that are from Madison, bands that started in Madison, or bands paying tribute to artists that were influential in the Madison music scene or art scene,” Christensen said.
These artists include Ben Sidran, the jazz/rock pianist and former Steve Miller Band member, who has spent much of his life in Madison. One Barrel Brewing is sponsoring a concert called Locals Only on June 27, with Wisconsin-based indie band Disq. Spooner, a rock band founded in Madison, will reunite for a 50th anniversary show on July 12.
And there will be national acts too, like Loudon Wainwright III, Dar Williams and Yonder Mountain String Band. December brings “A John Waters Christmas.”
Ticket prices range from $10 (June 18, Music Makes a Difference Presents MadLatin) to $75 (front row seats on the day of the BoDeans show, July 3).
Christensen intends that the music hall will offer performers an audience large enough to keep ticket prices low. He’s not charging for the performance space, so the entire revenue will go to the performers.
Atwood Music Hall invests in what’s next
The building has a nearly 100-year-long history as a community space, starting as the Madison Gospel Tabernacle church in the 1930s. It went on to become a community center and school.
Christensen said he wants to continue the Hall’s tradition of being a community gathering space. The music hall is lining up events that include a Latin music night, as well as a drag brunch and a burlesque cabaret. They’ll take over one event for the Hot Summer Gays party series, which has been on hold since its former primary home, Robinia Courtyard, closed in 2024.
The venue will rent out space for private events like weddings and is set to host the 2025 Madison Area Music Awards in June. It will also host Students of Live, a collaborative effort with the Goodman Community Center’s Lussier Loft program, to give high schoolers hands-on experience in the live music industry.
“Mondays after school, a handful of high school kids are going to come over, and we’re just going to teach them about the live music industry,” Christensen said. “From the booking to the marketing to the production. They can help book a show, help run a show.”
“Kids that might otherwise not be exposed to this business can see and understand what we do,” he added. “And maybe in the future, they’ll want to get into the industry.”
Christensen said what sets Atwood Music Hall apart from other large Madison-area venues is the fact that it’s locally owned, ensuring the Hall’s staff has a vested interest in the well-being of the city it serves.
“We're an independent business, an independent venue, and these are all independent bands that have supported the local art scene for years,” Christensen said. “It's just not about selling tickets, it's about being part of the community.”
For a full line-up of acts and to buy tickets, visit the Atwood Music Hall show page at theatwoodmusichall.com/shows.
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