Billy Bob’s Texas is marking its 45th anniversary with upgrades to the venue’s sound and lighting systems, aimed at giving visitors a better boot-scootin’ experience.
The 45-year-old honky tonk operates inside a more than century-old building that wasn’t exactly designed with concert acoustics in mind.
“This used to be a barn. It used to be an airplane warehouse,” said Amanda Banda, Billy Bob’s director of marketing.
Billy Bob’s opened in 1981 in the Fort Worth Stockyards and bills itself as the world’s largest honky tonk. The venue has hosted generations of country music performers while also offering dancing, bull riding and other events.
Since 2022, improvements at Billy Bob’s have included removing pillars that previously obstructed views of the stage. The latest round of work focuses on what visitors hear and see during performances.
The upgrades include new speakers throughout the venue, acoustic treatments, a new lighting package and suspended speakers designed to improve both sound and views of the stage.
Banda said the difference is noticeable across the sprawling, 100,000-square-foot venue.
The changes are evident for Banda, who said the difference can be heard across the sprawling, 100,000-square-foot venue.
“I worked here for 19 years, and in the beginning, that’s exactly what people complained about. ‘It sounds horrible. You can’t hear from this side, you can hear from that side,’” Banda said. “Now you can hear it everywhere. I can hear it all the way to the back of my office.”
The work isn’t finished. Banda said additional upgrades are planned this year, including another VIP element, though she wasn’t ready to reveal the details.
“I can’t say too much,” Banda said.