Stable Hall provides a forum for entertainment in San Antonio

Stable Hall is a historic concert venue in the Pearl. Built in 1894, the venue originally served as a stable that housed the draft horses that supplied beer for the Pearl Brewery in the early 1900s. Over the years the building has been repurposed for many different purposes and is now an independent music venue hosting entertainers and artists from all over the world.

The stable hall has been extensively renovated over the last three years. The interior of the 1,000-seater venue was almost completely gutted. The stage was moved from the west to the north side of the building and the previously existing catering kitchen was converted into modernized artist green spaces.

In addition, Clair Global company designed and installed a new sound and lighting system. Libby Day, Stable Hall’s executive director and marketing director and a graduate of Trinity University, said these renovations have given artists a new incentive to perform in San Antonio.

“I think to some extent there are artists who left San Antonio in the last decade because there just wasn’t a space that suited them. And that’s what they do. This is her passion. This is her career. They’re not going to take a gig in a space that just doesn’t fit what they want to do,” Day said.

Trinity Class of 24 graduate Danae Barkocy has attended numerous events at Stable Hall, including an ’80s-themed disco night and a concert by Tex-Mex punk band Piñata Protest. Barkocy said the venue offers a great option for Trinity students because it is close to campus and is fairly priced.

“Honestly, I think it’s my favorite venue in the San Antonio area just because it’s so small and easy to get to from campus, and also because it’s so affordable… it was really easy to get in because [the venue offers] $20 concerts. And so for me, as a college student, it’s a really affordable night out that’s just fun,” Barkocy said.

The entire Stable Hall complex consists of a concert room with standing and seating areas and a loft with box seats.

There is standing room available on the ground floor of the concert hall and fixed seating on the upper floor. The building also features two areas called East and West Haylofts for a more traditional VIP experience — although Day said the venue prefers not to use the often antiquated VIP language. Additionally, the venue offers discounts and a full bar.

“For the college population, this may be less important. I think most people are under 21, but our food and beverage program – we have a full bar, so we have liquor, beer and wine. We have a craft cocktail program. “We partner with a lot of neighborhood restaurants for our concessions,” Day said.

What’s notable is that the venue is multi-genre, meaning it showcases all types of music. In the post-renovation period, the Stable Hall has hosted everything from jazz, R&B to country artists. Additionally, the venue has begun to expand its horizons to include other entertainers such as drag queens and comedians. Day said the venue prides itself on providing opportunities for local and regional artists.

“It makes sense for these local and regional artists to have the opportunity to play on a stage that functions like a professional touring venue, right? “It’s a big part of how we can help develop the local talent market and give artists the opportunity to perform in a space that advances the show professionally,” Day said.

One of those local artists, junior marketing major and country singer-songwriter Dylan Hoffman, had the opportunity to perform at the recent KRTU Music Festival on April 13 at Stable Hall. Typically, Hoffman said she performs at restaurants and bars one to three times a week, so performing at a professional venue was an exciting experience for her.

“Honestly, it was definitely the best venue I’ve ever performed at because the stage was beautiful and the sound was great. The sound engineers were great. … They were there, and I liked the way it all sounded,” Hoffman said. “They employed several different people and made sure everyone was comfortable and got everything they needed.”