SINCE 1970
A SAN ANTONIO LEGEND
Few rooms in Texas have seen what Randy's has. A western dance hall, a rock 'n' roll proving ground, a Tejano cathedral and a fight-night arena, all under one roof on Bandera Road.
It began as Bandera Bowling Lanes before ex-Marine Randy Sherwood turned the building into Randy's Rodeo, billed as "the finest western dance hall and night club in San Antonio." By 1970 country royalty was playing the stage: Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Charley Pride and Buck Owens.
Rock arrived in the '70s. When Rush came through in 1976, local KISS-FM DJs had to build an extension onto the stage just to fit the gear. On January 8, 1978, the Sex Pistols played a sold-out 2,200-capacity show, a night still legendary for its punks-versus-cowboys chaos. The Ramones, Squeeze, the Beastie Boys, Patti Smith and L7 followed.
Around 1990 the hall became Randy's Ballroom, one of the premier Tejano venues in Texas, and Selena graced its stage in 1994. Today the Ballroom hosts professional boxing, concerts, community nights and bingo. A new chapter for a San Antonio landmark.
FROM THE ARCHIVE
THEY PLAYED HERE
- Waylon Jennings
- George Jones
- Tammy Wynette
- Buck Owens
- Charley Pride
- Rush
- Sex Pistols
- The Ramones
- Squeeze
- Beastie Boys
- Patti Smith
- L7
- Selena
- Slipknot
- U2
- The Ramones