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Rachel Estes Features Editor | 770-718-3421 | life@gainesvilletimes.com
£he Crates
gainesvilletimes.com
Midweek Edition-April 5-6, 2023
‘A family-friendly rock club’
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Kyle Sanders, left, of Let There Be Rock Schools is opening Blackstrap Rock Flail, a new live music venue in midtown Gainesville
with his wife Elizabeth and business partners Nick and Aimee Hoecker, right.
Live rock music venue opening in midtown Gainesville
Kyle Sanders of Let There Be Rock Schools is opening
Blackstrap Rock Hall, a new live music venue on Main Street
in midtown Gainesville with his wife Elizabeth and business
partners Nick and Aimee Hoecker.
Kyle Sanders, left, and Nick Hoecker tour the kitchen area
Thursday, March 30, as they prepare to open Blackstrap
Rock Hall, a new live music venue on Main Street in midtown
Gainesville.
BY RACHEL ESTES
restes@gainesvilletimes.com
Bands will soon have a
new place to rock in midtown
Gainesville.
Blackstrap Rock Hall, a
collaboration between Let
There Be Rock Schools and
Downtown Drafts, is a new
live music venue tailored to all
things rock.
In addition to hosting live
shows, the venue will provide
a space for student musicians
to perform in front of a live
crowd in a real rock hall — an
experience they’d otherwise
have to travel to Atlanta and
beyond to find, according to
Let There Be Rock’s owner
and director Kyle Sanders.
For Sanders, establishing
a music venue and rehearsal
space has been in the pipeline
from the moment the schools’
doors opened two doors down
in 2019.
“I know the stories of how
it used to be here — there was
kind of a (live music) scene
and then it totally died out,”
he said. “I knew that this area
was lacking that and needed
it. All my instructors (at Let
There Be Rock) are in bands,
they go to Atlanta to play or out
of town. They just don’t play
around here because there’s
nowhere to play.”
Sanders’ business partners,
Downtown Drafts proprietors
Nick and Aimee Hoecker,
saw a similar need when they
began hosting open mic events
in their taproom on the square
— performances for which
many of Sanders’ students
laboriously practiced.
“Kyle came to me and told
me some of his students were
practicing to come and do
open mic at Downtown Drafts
and I’m like, ‘Oh, man, I’m in,”
Nick Hoecker said.
“There’s so much talent in
Gainesville and nowhere else
for kids to play (their music),
no scene,” Aimee Hoecker
said. “We’re really looking
forward to being able to house
more people for live music.
The few times that we have
had an actual band play at
Downtown Drafts, you can’t
even move in there. Here, we’ll
have a lot more space and the
acoustics will be better.”
As a rock-oriented venue,
Blackstrap won’t stray down
the dance or DJ route, Sand-
Blackstrap Rock Hall
Slated to open: May 13
Where: 852 Main St.,
Gainesville
More info:
blackstraprockhall.com
ers said, but remain under the
umbrella of rock, whether it
be heavy metal, punk, goth,
alternative or grunge. Or,
more likely, a variation of all
of the above.
“There isn’t anything like
that (in Gainesville),” Sand
ers said. “A lot of rock bands
around here don’t play around
here because they’re like,
‘That’s more of a DJ kind of
club,’ or, I think some places
started out this way and then
veered in a different direc
tion for whatever reason.
Our hearts are in this kind of
music, so we’re going to keep
it that way.”
According to Nick Hoecker,
Blackstrap is “the real deal.”
“There’s a difference
between playing in a room
where someone’s eating
chicken wings (than when)
you’re looking out from the
stage and you just see heads
looking at you,” he said.
Sanders echoed: “People
come here to watch the bands.
You’re not playing to an empty
room with people shooting
pool in the back and looking up
every now and then. If there’s
10 people here, there’s 10 peo
ple here to see you. If there’s
200, there’s 200 people here to
see you. They don’t just hap
pen to be here shooting pool
while there’s a band playing.”
Both musicians themselves,
Sanders and Nick Hoecker
said they’re “in this for all the
right reasons.”
Growing up in Atlanta, the
two said most of the live music
venues were restricted to
patrons 18 or 21 and older. To
experience the scene as kids,
they’d have to listen from out
side the doors or find a “DIY”
club, usually in a converted
warehouse, or a record store
hosting a band.
Unlike those venues, Black
strap will be open to all ages.
“Everywhere, the bars
are 21 and up, so a lot of my
students have nowhere to go
to see a band,” Sanders said.
“We’re catering for a safe
environment for young kids
and all ages. A family-friendly
rock club.”
For emerging rock artists,
Blackstrap is designed to show
them the ropes. Using wisdom
gleaned from lessons learned
the hard way, Sanders and
Nick Hoecker intend to teach
artists how to promote them
selves and sell their own tick
ets and merchandise.
“(We’re going to) teach
them all the mistakes we had
to learn the hard way, (like)
trusting the wrong people and
letting someone else handle
your business for you who’s
just looking out for themselves
and money and just to take
advantage of you,” Sanders
said. “It’s easy to take advan
tage of new musicians because
everyone’s dying to get a
deal and dying to play clubs.
You’ll sign anything, you’ll do
anything.”
Once open for events, the
owners plan to serve coffee,
beer and wine as well as non
alcoholic slushies, kombu-
cha, paninis and other simple
snacks, offering a spot for Let
There Be Rock students to
duck into for a bite to eat when
they come for lessons.
In the back, Blackstrap
also features rehearsal suites
for bands to rent monthly or
hourly.
A grand opening is slated
for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday,
May 13 with a punk rock flea
market purveying handmade
art, music and horror memo
rabilia, taxidermy, oddities,
clothing and records hard to
come by at “your typical flea
market,” Sanders said, fol
lowed by band performances
in the evening.
Vendor applications can be
submitted to blackstrap333(«
gmail.com. For booking, bands
can email blackstrapbands®
gmail.com.
For more information, visit
blackstraprockhall.com or
facebook.com/Blackstrap-
GVL, or follow feblackstrapgvl
on Instagram.
Put family,
church before
auto racing
Easter and Christmas have always been annual
highlights to our family, though never because of
gifts — in a time when children received presents
only for birthdays and Christmas — or egg hunts
and new dresses.
We understood that Christ
mas and Easter were about
the birth and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. The gifts and
new clothes only added to
the excitement.
I’ve never known any
one who loves Easter like
my friend, Stevie. Midway
through Lent, she starts
sending texts about the cel
ebration of the day of grace
brought forth by the cross.
Last year, shortly before
Easter, her only sibling, Carol, died somewhat
unexpectedly despite having been sick for a while.
Topping that off, Stevie’s husband, former race
car driver Darrell Waltrip, was going to Bristol to
participate in a church service before the NASCAR
race and then in the broadcast.
Stevie, glumly, was telling me that she would
be alone for Easter. I hated to hear that; but more
importantly, I was stunned. NASCAR, racing on
Easter?
When I worked in the sport, and decades after,
NASCAR always took off the Sundays of Easter and
Mother’s Day. They raced on Father’s Day. I found
it meaningful that the sport celebrated mothers,
who were often at home while their husbands trav
eled, and Easter because, especially in the South, it
is a monumental holiday.
“They’re racing on Easter?” I knew that Moth
er’s Day had already been snatched away.
“Yes.”
But the upside was that the only way that the
town of Bristol and track folks would agree to it
was if there was a church service, televised. The
Waltrips are founding members of the sport’s
ministry, Motor Racing Outreach, and have
served on the board for 35 years. I was one of 15
who attended the first chapel service that MRO’s
original minister, Max Helton, conducted. Over the
years, MRO has become an invaluable resource
for the NASCAR family.
Bristol, a community of faith, got their way.
Renowned pastor and author Max Lucado con
ducted the Easter service and famed musicians
Chris Tomlin and Gary LeVox sang. Though I
hated to see racing on Easter, I decided that it
could be a good thing — that people who never
attend church, but who would pile in for the race,
could hear the gospel of salvation. Hopefully, some
found Christ’s grace at a dirt track in east Tennes
see. Too bad Bristol didn’t require a baptizing at a
nearby river, too.
To comfort Stevie, Tink and I went to Nashville
to spend the weekend with her and attend church.
Their pastor, Dr. Grant, is a favorite Bible teacher
of Tink’s. It was a lovely, reverent service and not
one kid ran through the aisles sucking a lollipop
and toting a bunny.
Yet, I am troubled that this, another organiza
tion, is pushing a holy holiday into secular gain.
Already, retail companies have eliminated the
words “Easter” and “Christmas” from their
myriad ads.
When legendary car owner and dealer Rick
Hendrick was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of
Fame a few years ago, he told a story that I will
remember always.
He owned one car — the No. 5, driven by Geoff
Bodine. Quickly, the sport was draining Hendrick’s
pocketbook. He called the team together and sadly
announced that Martinsville, Virginia, would be
their final race.
It occurred on a weekend that Rick had prom
ised his wife, Linda, that he would attend a tent
revival with her — this was 1984, before cell
phones. So, as soon as salvation was wrought and
revival ended, Rick dashed to a pay phone to find
out the race results of his last stock car race.
“We won!” was the stunning reply. It was the
first of 293 NASCAR wins and 12 premier champi
onships to come for Hendrick Motorsports.
“I made the right decision,” he said, smiling, that
night.
I would recommend the same decision to others:
Put church and family before racing.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of several books,
including “What Southern Women Know About Faith.”
Sign up for her newsletter at www.rondarich.com. Her
column publishes weekly.
RONDA RICH
southswomen@
bellsouth.net
EVENTS
Community Passover Seder. 7:30
p.m. April 5. Chabad of Hall County,
iocation provided upon RSVR info@
jewishhall.com. $18-$54.
No School Nature Day. 10 a.m. to
noon. April 6. Elachee Nature Sci
ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive,
Gainesville. 770-535-1976, sam@
elachee.org.
In Full Bloom. 1 -3 p.m. April 6.
Elachee Nature Science Center,
2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville.
770-535-1976, sam@elachee.org.
Hall County Master Gardener Spring
Garden Expo. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 7; 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April
8. Chicopee Woods Agricultural
Center, 1855 Calvary Church Road,
Gainesville. 770-535-8293, master-
gardener@hallcounty.org.
Sitting Up With the Dead. 2-10 p.m.
April 7. Gainesville Branch Library,
127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-
532-3311 ext. 4011, info@hallcoun-
tylibrary.org. $13.
Outdoor Painting with Aida. 10:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 8. Elachee
Nature Science Center, 2125
Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-
535-1976, sam@elachee.org.
3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt. 10:30
a.m. to 9 p.m. April 8. Montaluce
Winery & Restaurant, 501 High
tower Church Road, Dahlonega.
$55.
Basic Building Blocks of Geneal
ogy. 10:30 a.m. to noon. April 11.
Gainesville Branch Library, 127
Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-
3311 ext. 4011, info@hallcountyli-
brary.org. Free.
Newcomers Duplicate Bridge Game.
10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 11,18,
25. Lanierland Duplicate Bridge
Club, 3042 McEver Road, Gaines
ville, Idecarlo50@gmail.com.
Hope for Natural Habitats. 6-7:30
p.m. April 11. Linwood Ecology
Center, 118 Springview Drive,
Gainesville. 706-344-7362, bey-
moss@gmail.com. Free.
Kaya Vineyards Wine Run 5K. 9 a.m.
April 13. Kaya Vineyard & Winery,
5400 Town Creek Road, Dahlonega.
Historic Downtown Braselton Tours.
10-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-2 p.m.
April 15; 12:30-2 p.m. April 16, 29.
The 1904, 9924 Davis St., Brasel
ton. 706-921-4016, nperry@brasel-
ton.net. $10.
Bear on the Square Mountain Music
Festival. 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. April
15; 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 16.
Historic Dahlonega Square, 1 Pub
lic Square. info@bearonthesquare.
org. Free.
ONGOING
Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support
Group. 5:30-6:30 p.m. first Tues
days of the month. Grace Episco
pal Church, 422 Brenau Ave. NE,
Gainesville. 727-409-6608, char-
lenebestdewitt@gmail.com. Free.
Gold Rush Quilting Guild. 10 a.m.
to noon first Wednesdays of the
month. Friendship Baptist Church,
3513 Westmoreland Road, Cleve
land. alenekempton@gmail.com.
Turning Leaves Book Club. 11:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m. first Wednesdays of the
month. Linwood Nature Preserve
Ecology Center, 118 Springview
Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-8293,
karin.hicks@uga.edu.
Northeast Georgia Writers. 1 -3 p.m.
first Wednesdays of the month.
Gainesville Downtown Library, 127
Main St. NW, Gainesville. Talltales-
writer@gmail.com. Free.
Card workshop. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
first Saturdays of the month. Hall
County Library System, Gainesville
branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gaines
ville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011,
gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org.
Ekphrasis for the Masses. Noon to
1 p.m. second Tuesdays of the
month. Quinlan Visual Arts Center,
514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-
536-2575, info@qvac.org. Free.
War Stories Book Club. 4-5 p.m.
second Thursdays of the month.
Murrayville Branch Library, 4796
Thompson Bridge Road, Gaines
ville. 770-532-3311 ext. 171. Free.
Discovery Saturdays. 10 a.m. to
3 p.m. second Saturdays of the
month. Elachee Nature Science
Center, 2125 Elachee Drive,
Gainesville. 770-535-1976. $3 -
$5.
Georgia Cross Stitchers. 10 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. second Saturdays of the
month. Hall County Library Sys
tem, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main
St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311
ext. 4011; gkoecher@hallcountyli-
brary.org. Free.
Homeschool Day. 10 a.m. to 12
p.m. third Thursdays of the month.
Elachee Nature Science Center,
2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville.
770-535-1976. $15.
Gainesville Lacers. 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. third Saturdays of the month.
Hall County Library System,
Gainesville branch, 127 Main St.
NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311,
gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org.
Tea with Jane Austen: A Reading
Group. 3-4 p.m. fourth Fridays of
the month. Hall County Library
System, Gainesville Branch, 127
Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-
532-3311 ext. 4011, gkoecher@
hallcountylibrary.org. Free.
