Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Gastonia, NC (WNN) - Since its opening in 2022, The Rooster, a bar and music venue in the Gastonia business district, has been supporting local artists for four years. Owner Michael Carpenter was inspired to create a venue for everyone to enjoy, drawing on his own time as a teen, the lack of places to go for live music, and his desire to spend time with others. As a result, he carries the required insurance to allow all ages inside The Rooster, except during events marked 18+, such as burlesque shows.
In 2019, Carpenter purchased the building, hoping to have it open by 2020. However, COVID put the entire world on pause, and The Rooster was not spared from this effect. Despite the setback, the Rooster was opening for business in October of 2022. Of course, all places need a name, and The Rooster should sound familiar to fans of Alice In Chains. Carpenter recounted that he must have gone through hundreds of ideas while searching for a memorable name. Then one day, the radio happened to be playing Alice In Chains. Despite the song not being "Rooster", Carpenter went "flipping through the rolodex of Alice In Chains songs" in his head and landed on the name. He found the song suited a blue-collar town like Gastonia because of its story.
With the unique name came a venue just as unique. Walking up to the location, the logo created by one of Carpenter's friends is fully visible in the window. Once inside, not only are many of the walls covered in painted art, but one wall is covered in records. According to Carpenter, he sourced these from a friend who owned a record store, and paid more for the glue holding them up than the sleeves and records themselves. Despite having many notable records that, in good condition, would be worth quite a bit, many of these are either empty sleeves or are no longer workable. This allows these pieces to have a second life and continue to be appreciated.
While the biggest draw may come on nights when The Rooster hosts one of the area's more popular bands, such as Scandal on April 25th, each night has something to enjoy. Singer-songwriter open mic nights are every Wednesday, with bands and artists who pull more weight offered weekend spots to perform a full set. On open mic night, attendees can expect to hear three songs from each artist, with the night beginning with solo artists and progressing to full bands.
Thursday is their weekly trivia and karaoke night, with trivia from 6 PM to 9 PM and karaoke taking over the club for the rest of the night. The weekend is reserved for shows and, as such, unlike the previous nights, does require tickets/ a cover charge. The price ranges from $8 to $25, depending on who is taking the stage that night. There are also once-monthly events, such as the third Friday of each month being a blues night hosted in conjunction with the Charlotte Blues Society and a twice-yearly show with WSGE 91.7 FM.
The hit "Royal Rooster" Cocktail alongside the menu and nachos | The Rooster | Gastonia, NC | March 11, 2026
Ashley Reep (WNN)
As a bar, you'd expect some custom cocktails, and The Rooster's most popular drink is the "Royal Rooster", which is a mixture of rums and is very sweet. The cocktail menu also contains favorites like "Pink Starburst" and "Orange Creamsicle," which are fairly self-explanatory. For those who'd prefer beer, the bar sports a variety of local craft beers, as well as your expected domestics. As for the food offered, the behind-the-bar selection Carpenter describes as "concessions like a high school football game." Patrons can expect to find pretzels, nachos, hot dogs, popcorn, and similar items. However, for those who don't like alcohol, the bar also offers Delta-A seltzers and edibles. This leaves a selection of items for all ages and preferences while listening to music at The Rooster. Outside of the bar, you can also find food trucks, with Milltown Meats being one of the regulars to expect.
The Rooster is open Wednesday through Saturday from 5 PM until 12 AM, with Sundays being from 5PM to 11PM. The venue is located at 334 W Main Avenue in Gastonia NC. Those wanting to see an event schedule and stay up to date with what's happening can visit theroostergastonia.com. Not only do they have an event calendar, but you can also reach out to book a show night. They do ask that you provide music links if you are new to touring in the area, so they know what to expect. Lastly, as a partner with Gaston College's A/V program, you can also reach out via their contact us page if you're interested in an internship and learning to run the stage setup.
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