Dan Signor has been known to park his camper in the yards of friends as he plays gigs across the southeast, but the Lakeland songwriter is about to make a very permanent headquarters in the fast-growing city’s Dixieland district.
The Lakeland Ledger says that Signor, 39, is teaming up with developer Sam Houghton and transforming a property that will eventually become a 3,000-square-foot live music venue called Union Hall.
“My focus is bringing entertainment that people haven’t seen before (in Lakeland),” Signor said, adding that he hopes Union Hall will attract artists or top-tier performers in the twilight of careers who might be lured by relatively small, intimate venues. A strong DIY scene is emerging in Lakeland, and Aaron Marsh's Vanguard Room has long been a haven for indie-rock and pop artists, but imagines artists like Charlie Daniels or The Marshall Tucker Band playing Union Hall.
“I want to breathe new life into the music scene here," Signor said.
The news comes a week after Realtor.com lauded Lakeland as one of the country’s top markets, and weeks after CL made mention of the community’s fast-rising music scene.
Union Hall will feature a 22-foot-long bar, outdoor patio seating and garage doors to let the elements in during cooler seasons, according to the newspaper. The hall — complete with a professional sound system — should open in the spring and will be able to accommodate 100 people, with additional capacity outside.
Read more about the venture via theledger.com.
This article appears in Jan 10-17, 2019.