Remembering Lubbock’s Iconic Music Venue The Backroom

Like most of you reading this, clubs—especially live music clubs—were a way of life around Lubbock. Today, I’d like to remember one of the best: The Backroom.

Many of you will remember my commercials for New West, featuring me screaming, “Where 34th and Slide collide!” New West featured some live music, but the club was so successful that a smaller venue was built adjacent to it specifically for live performances.

That club was called The Backroom. As you walked in, you’d see a number of painted instruments, most of them "signed" by rock stars. In case you didn’t know—those signatures were all fake. And I do mean all of them. Hey, it was impressive for the time, but let’s be real: why would there be a signed Eric Clapton guitar in a dinky little club in Lubbock?

The venue featured a stage that was oddly offset into a corner, and the sound guys had to mix audio from a spot crammed between the entrances to both bathrooms. I don’t know what the official capacity was, but it felt like it held about 300 people.

Epic Moments on a Tiny Stage in Lubbock

Still, that little club played host to some epic shows. The Backroom was where Slayer first hit Lubbock. I remember dancing on the floor with members of Foghat. I stood shoulder to shoulder with John Kay of Steppenwolf.

Of course, a ton of new bands made their way through The Backroom too. Most fit the up-and-comer category and are hard to name-drop after all these years. I just remember that club being a great place to go—no matter who was playing.

Read More: Remembering Metallica’s Unforgettable Lubbock Concert Moments

I can’t tell you the exact years it operated, but I can tell you I saw Prong perform Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck there, and that song came out in 1994. I don’t know how long the club lasted, but it seems like it stuck around for at least a couple of years.

Even now, The Backroom remains one of my favorite memories of the live music scene in Lubbock. Hit me up if you can remember more bands that played The Backroom and I'll update this accordingly.