Today’s generation is accustomed to capacious music venues; bland arenas, where people seated even 20 rows back would be better off watching the concert at home on TV.

The Jonas Brothers and Taylor Swift generation experiences a commercialized version of music, where intimacy and distinctiveness fall by the wayside.

While places like the American Airlines Center are thriving, more local, independently owned venues are still determined to offer the intimate personal music experience that people seem to be forgetting exists.

On the outskirts of Dallas, lies one of the few independent music venues left in the Dallas area: the Granada Theater.

For more than 60 years, the Granada has focused on providing audiences with memorable music events.

Mike Schoder, the theater’s owner  for the last five years, continues to add personal touches to Granada, making the theater a unique and special place to hear all types of music.

The Granada Theater opened in 1946 as a movie theater on the happening Greenville Avenue.

In the late 60s and early 70s, the Granada housed many notorious pornographic films, later becoming a dinner and movie theater.

In 1992, the Granada established itself as a music venue. 

Over the last 17 years, the Granada has been passed between several owners.
Before Schoder stepped in, the theater was owned by Snuffer’s restaurant, located directly next door on Greenville.

Since Schoder has owned Granada, the theater successfully brings in avid music fans that appreciate the work the Granada staff have put in to make the venue a personal and friendly place.

Schoder has always had an interest in music; in the 1990s he opened CD World on Greenville, later opening another in Addison.

He is all about being familiar with music, showing people new music to discover.
Schoder says that when costumers came in, he furthered their knowledge about different bands, saying “oh you like this? Well here – you have to try this.”

In 2000, CD World’s success started to deplete. Schoder blames the revolution of iPods and mix-tapes for the drop.

In 2004, he decided to try out music venues. Thus, the New Age at Granada began.
The Granada holds 1000 people standing, and 650 when chairs are set up.

“The sleepy people sit in chairs placed on the sides, while the energy is in the middle in front of the stage,” Schoder says.

The theater houses five to seven concerts a month with three to four private parties as well.

Schoder recently put in a $250,000 sound system, along with two huge projector screens, so bands can have cool graphics while performing.

Regardless of the up-to-date mechanics, the Granada’s original décor is still intact.

The wall panels from 1946 are still intact, providing a distinctive authenticity to the venue.
There are four subheadings on the walls, two on each side.

One says, “Fantasy,” in gold script, with a drawing of an astronaut. Another panel says, “Adventure.”

Schoder also likes to mix in his own personal touches with the historic furnishings.
Hanging above the stage is a handmade banner that says, “Love Yourself.” Even the bouncers wear jackets that on the back say “Serenity.”

At a glance, the word looks like “Security.” Schoder believes these special little touches allow him to have a voice, creating a “realm of comfort and care.”

“We are just trying to exercise reminders that the Granada is a resort, a rock n’ roll resort,” Schoder says.

These peaceful touches provide Zen and relaxation to a theater whose energy come concert time is nothing but.

The Granada’s mission statement is “fun.” The way to achieve this is through kindness and honesty. 

The theater thrives on a sense of community. There are 20 employees at the Granada, and they consider themselves a family.

Before each show, the Granada team shares a meal with the band.

“We start preparing for a show around noon, and by nighttime, if the crew is working on an empty stomach, they cannot perform as well, so we feed them. The mind and body need sustenance,” Schoder says.

Even in these hard economic times, the Granada continues bringing in audiences, mostly because the tickets are a lot cheaper than those sold from big arenas and franchise theaters like The House of Blues.

The fall of Deep Ellum is also considered a reason why people have flocked to Greenville Avenue.

Schoder agrees that Deep Ellum turned into a scary place, saying, “When people start singing from an angry place, the surrounding area becomes angry.”

Schoder also attributes the Granada’s popularity to the large SMU student following.
SMU is located minutes away, and brings in students all the time. The theater has developed a large dependence on the university.

When electronic group Ratatat preformed last spring, tickets were sold out four days before the concert, and 90 percent were purchased by SMU students.

“It was unbelievable,” Schoder says.

SMU held a Battle of the Bands on the front lawn last semester, and the winning band gets to open for a band at Granada.

Keeping the connection between SMU and the Granada is very important to Schoder.
The Granada also makes use of the growing obsession of online social networks to spread their popularity.

The theater has an active Facebook fan page and a Twitter account to help reach out to the public.

At 1 p.m. before a concert, both pages show the line up to get the fans pumped for the concert.

The Granada Website has a live radio that plays music from upcoming bands so listeners can get a heads up on what music they can expect to hear.

Setting itself apart from places like American Airlines Center, which hosts mainstream pop music, Granada tries to expose new cutting edge bands that will both sell tickets and help the band’s fan base.

While some feel the Golden Age of music is long gone, Schoder insists that is not true.

“There is so much more music being made and waiting to be discovered,” Schoder says.
The 60s were a time of rock, the 70s were a time for disco, the 80s were a decade of garage metal, the 90s launched alternative rock, and the the 21st century is a kaleidoscope of genres. 

Electronic, Hip Hop, Blues, Pop, Rock, and Country are all styles that continue to grow in popularity.

Even though pop icons continue to grace T.V screens and commercial venues, the underground music scene is growing just as rapidly. 

Granada will continue to be a catalyst for lesser -known bands, providing an intimate venue for audiences to truly have a connection with the band and the music. 

“Granada is just like a family resort, with a large band in the corner,” Schoder says.