Off the Rails in Worcester to add country music venue in April

WORCESTER – Off The Rails, the country-themed restaurant and bar at 90 Commercial St., is set to open its “Music Venue,” as part of the second phase of the restaurant’s plans which were first announced. times last year.

“The Music Venue is scheduled to open in April,” said Eric Lindquist, communications director for Off The Rails. The official date in April remains to be determined.

One of the first musical acts announced for Music Venue is “The Voice” finalist Ricky Duran of Grafton, which will perform in May.

The restaurant opened in July (phase one) with food and drink reflecting traditional Southern cuisine and nighttime music from predominantly country bands, filling what owners and operators saw as a void in the city center. from Worcester.

Construction underway since then at the rear of the building represents phase two – “a multi-use, four-season facility” that will accommodate 500 to 600 people, Lindquist said.

The Music Venue will feature a lot of country music and can be used for activities such as banquets, weddings, and similar events.

In fine weather, the music room will include a beer garden.

“The (Worcester) Palladium is right across the street,” Lindquist noted. The Music Venue could “build on what it looks like as well,” in terms of possible Palladium outdoor events.

Off The Rails is owned by Cliff Rucker, who owns the Worcester Railers hockey team and part of the Worcester Palladium music hall. Off The Rails Managing Partner Chris Besaw has also served as Managing Director of The Palladium.

Construction of the concert hall may have moved forward this winter due to the relatively mild weather to date, Lindquist said.

“We were very lucky without snow.”

Off The Rails has announced that it will book local, regional and national artists, including classic country and rock cover groups, bluegrass artists and similar groups that match the Southern vibe.

“We’re looking to book quite a few shows in this space. We’ll be announcing acts as we get closer,” Lindquist said.

Ricky Duran’s May appearance date is expected to be finalized by the end of the week, Lindquist said.

Meanwhile, the Off The Rails restaurant “is doing very well,” Lindquist said, adding that a new menu would be introduced in the coming weeks.

The restaurant had its “second best week two weeks before Christmas,” he said. However, renewed concerns about COVD with the Omicron variant caused some cancellations last week, “unfortunately”.

Still, “We’ve been very encouraged to move forward. We’ve been busy, knock on the wood. We’ve been pretty lucky,” said Lindquist.