Reporting, article and videos by Ella Warren, music and culture contributor
To close its 11-year run as Harrisonburg’s go-to stage for all types of local and touring musical acts, The Golden Pony hosted four final shows with a characteristically eclectic mix of sounds.
“It’s an immeasurable loss… This has been Harrisonburg’s music venue for the longest time, so the hole that’s being left is really unbelievable,” said Geoff Snow, the talent buyer for the Golden Pony.
The Golden Pony, which announced it would close this month via an Instagram post on May 11, offered an intimate basement setting for shows and forged numerous community connections.
“It’s been a long process of processing the closure of a business that I care so much about, and it’s definitely had me pretty bummed out,” said Paul Somers, owner and founder of the Golden Pony. “I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished here, and seeing the staff and the community being so upset has been a challenge.”
The Pony, as it’s colloquially known, cited financial struggles and inflation as reasons for the closure.
“I feel like this is really emblematic about how the community is changing,” said Zora Hancock, a longtime patron of the Pony. “It’s getting expensive to be around here, and there’s a lot of different needs… to be met. I feel like you’ve got the students who want a specific thing and the townies who want a specific thing, and it’s hard to maintain the business in this area during this current state of the economy.”
Between the day of the Instagram post and the final day of operation on June 6, the Pony held four music shows: Terror Hardcore, Southern Culture on the Skids, and two final showcases. Terror Hardcore sold out, and both showcases reached capacity.
“For something sad, it’s at least going out on as high a note as possible,” Snow said.
In its 11 years of operation, the Golden Pony hosted musicians of all genres, providing a stage for touring artists, local musicians and student bands. Artists raved about the basement’s tight space and ambiance.
“[The Pony is] the perfect size club for live music, and I’m sad to see it go in a college town where there should be creative outlets for music,” said Rick Miller, guitarist for Southern Culture on the Skids. “We’ve just kept coming back. I’m sad to see it go.”
“People say it a lot, but [the Pony has] been like a home to them… We always say it’s our favorite venue in the country,” added Chris Oberholtzer, vocalist for the group Tan and Handsome.
The building on the edge of North Main Street has a long history as a music venue. The Golden Pony’s predecessor, the Blue Nile, also hosted live shows. While the building’s future is up in the air, Somers says he hopes someone will take over and transform the space.
“I know that there’s been a lot of interest in leasing the space… There’s still a lot of energy… to serve the people that we’ve been serving for 11 years,” Somers said. “From what I’ve heard from the realtors, they don’t have anybody in mind yet.”
Community members are hopeful that live music will prevail in Harrisonburg.
“I’m just so grateful that we’ve had a place for weird and non-traditional music for so long, and for weird and non-traditional people for so long. I hope that younger folks continue to book shows and keep live music alive and that this community will continue to find other places to gather and stay strong,” Snow said.
Somers’ future is also wide open.
“For me personally, there’s a lot of options and possibilities, and that’s one of the things that’s excited me about this whole process,” Somers said. “Even though I’m letting go of something I spent 11 years building and working on with so many other wonderful people – letting that go is really hard, but the possibilities of what comes in the future is what is keeping me moving along.”
Despite heartbreak over the closure, people still showed up to experience live music and support the Pony in its final days.
Crowd surfing and sharing the mic at a hardcore concert (May 18)
The Golden Pony’s final hardcore show on May 18 attracted a sold-out crowd, which seemed to vibrate in anticipation of the night’s headliner, Terror, a hardcore band originating in Los Angeles.
“Since this is [the Pony’s] last full two shows. I thought, ‘why not come?’ I don’t really know the bands, per se, but I like listening to anything and everything, so I thought, ‘why not come out?’” said Katelyn White.
“I’m really excited. I’m also really sad this is the last… Just here to say goodbye to the venue that I’ve loved in town for the last however many years I’ve lived here,” said Jason Kyler, another attendee.
Opening bands Krode, False Sense, and Lose Sight began the night with heavy guitar riffs and gritty vocals. The bands offered their appreciation for the Golden Pony and Paul Somers during their sets.
“What you have is fucking important… This does not work without you. This works here at the Golden Pony and will work after the Golden Pony. You need to continue to show up. You need to continue to be here,” the guitarist for False Sense said before the band’s set.
Even in the Pony’s final days, some people were still experiencing the venue for the first time.
“I did not expect A) the ceiling to be that low, B) the ceiling or the room to be that tiny… I thought it was gonna be a… big space. I didn’t expect it to be so DIY,” said attendee John Galdamez.
Fans clambered over each other to get closer to the stage as Terror began their set, pumping their fists towards the artists. Even while thrashing against each other, the mosh pit came together to return a crowd-member’s lost hat.
“I did not expect that many stage dives, because Terror is the stage dive band, and… the ceiling’s, like, right there,” Galdamez added.
Terror lead singer Scott Vogel also gave audience members a turn with the mic to scream lyrics.
“It was really nice how intimate it was,” said Micheala Criss, who was in the crowd. “Everyone was able to stage dive and mic-grab… especially considering Terror – like, they’re huge – so being able to mic-grab for Terror at a probably 150 cap room is awesome.”
In the middle of Terror’s set, Vogel paused to offer a farewell shout-out to the Pony, as well.
“Support whatever these people do next because this is a beautiful place,” he said. “I’m sure some of you consider this your home, so thank you for playing us in your home tonight.”
After the show, those in the crowd gathered on the main floor of the Pony to buy merchandise, chat with other hardcore fans and mourn the loss of an epic local stage.
“It’s always really sad to see a good venue go,” Criss said. “They’re so far and few these days… all the good venues are getting shut down because they can’t make a profit anymore.”
Southern Culture on the Skids brings some first-timers to the Pony (May 23)
North Carolina rock band Southern Culture on the Skids (SCOTS) played on May 23 to an older crowd donned mostly in flannels and jeans.
“I can’t wait to feel the acoustics when the bands start to go ahead and let loose,” attendee Dan Bostic said before the show.
Bostic described The Pony as a “cool little venue.”
“It’s kind of nice and creepy and intimate, all things that live music is supposed to be,” he said. “It’s sad to see places like this go by the by, because live music is still, for many of us, exactly where it’s at.”
Other audience members hadn’t been to the Pony before and traveled to Harrisonburg just to hear the trio play.
“I live nowhere around here. I made a three-hour drive just to this show,” said Chris Fornadley, who made the trek from Pennsylvania. “Sad for the Golden Pony, but [this is] my first and last time here.”
Virginia band Mothman Rodeo opened the night with their self-described “cryptid country” music.
SCOTS played a long set with a variety of genres ranging from Americana to surf to grunge. Bassist Mary Huff wore white cowgirl boots and sparky, heart-shaped sunglasses.
The band interacted with the audience, bringing members up onto the stage multiple times to sing, dance and even eat fried chicken for their song “Fried Chicken and Gasoline.” SCOTS also invited a friend onto the stage to take Polaroid photos of crowd members.
The stream of attendees moving to and from the stage further blurred the distinction between artists and audience.
“It’s always fun playing here. I love that there’s very little stage, so the audience is right up on you,” said Miller, the Southern Culture on the Skids guitarist. “We’re honored to be one of the last shows at the Golden Pony. I’m sad it’s the last one.”
‘Pretty heartbroken’: The final weekend shows brought out the crowds (June 5 and 6)
Editor’s note: the following video has some strobing lights that might affect photosensitive viewers.
The Pony’s last two live events before it would shutter for good were a pair music showcases each featuring five bands and a DJ afterparty on Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6.
Tickets were available only at the door, and people lined up for hours outside to get a spot. Once inside, some were allowed into the main floor before the basement doors opened. Printed photos from past Pony shows were scattered across the restaurant tables, free for attendees to take as mementos.
“The Pony is what got me into the Harrisonburg music scene,” said Ruby Anderson, who came out for the final showcase that Saturday. “It’s such an important music venue in my mind that I can’t think of anywhere else I would rather be tonight than supporting the Pony.”
For Zora Hancock, who also attended the Saturday showcase, the Golden Pony was a key setting in her early adulthood.
“I started coming when I was young and 18, but not quite 21… to have grown up and become an adult at the Pony – it’s a good way to celebrate all of the fun things we’ve done in Harrisonburg and hope that we can keep doing something,” Hancock said.
Friday’s showcase was themed around hardcore with a lineup of five rock bands: Tan and Handsome, Ugabuga, Crab Action, Earthling, and Valkyrie.
“We’re just a bunch of fucked up punk rockers, hippies, metalheads, freaks, skateboarders, misfits, nayer do wells, criminals. But this is our place,” lead singer of Crab Action said during a mid-set speech. “This is our town. Even after the doors are closed, this is ours because of all of you. Stick together.”
Saturday saw a mix of genres with the experimental one-man-band Gull, alt-country Uncle Bengine and the Restraining Orders, eerie Buck Gooter, rock band Shagwuf and homegrown alternative band Illiterate Light.
Audience members moshed and climbed the basement’s ceiling beams one final time. While the crowd enjoyed the show, an air of melancholy was difficult to shake.
“We’re having fun right now, all being together… the fact that [the Pony is] not going to be here in two days, I think it’s going to hit really hard the first time we think of where to go, and then we can’t come here,” said Tan and Handsome singer Chris Oberholtzer.
That reality was setting in for audience members, as well.
“I’m pretty heartbroken. I think the Golden Pony has… hosted a lot of really important shows and been the backbone of the scene here. It’s a little bit nerve-wracking to think about where things might go from here and the slack that everyone will have to pick up,” Anderson said.
Still, the community holds out hope that live music will continue to flourish in Harrisonburg.
“[I’m] really sad and devastated, but also… life goes on… I’m 48, and I’ve learned a long time ago [that] you can’t depend on one thing,” said Primordial Kris, who was attending Saturday’s show. “Things come and go… You’ll find and do other things.”
During Illiterate Light’s final song – and the final band performance on the Golden Pony’s stage – Somers went around hugging people in the crowd.
“It’s just been a wonderful chance to get to talk to everybody from the community that’s shown up tonight, and get a lot of love from everybody and see everybody having a good time… The show has just been incredible,” Somers said. “The energy has been incredible, and [I] couldn’t have asked for a better night tonight.”
In the end, Somers thanked the community for sticking beside him.
“I really couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to do this with, and since day one there’s just been so many incredible people that have been attracted to the work that I wanted to do with the Golden Pony,” Somers said. “I’m the one owner, but there’s been countless people that have done as much as me. It feels like everybody together – it created and made the Golden Pony what it is, and I’m just forever appreciative of that and proud of all that we accomplished.”
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