Rhythms Live Music Hall, Durham’s Newest Nightlife Venue, Sets Grand Opening Date

DURHAM, NC – Durham’s Reuse Arts District will live up to its name when a 14,000 square foot renovated building in the District’s Lakewood Shopping Center officially opens as a nightlife venue. Rhythms Live Music Hall, at 2020 Chapel Hill Road, will hold its highly anticipated Grand Opening on January 18 – 19, Martin Luther King Holiday weekend. Performing on Friday night (Jan. 18) is Grammy Award nominated R&B artist Jeffrey Osborne. Multi-Grammy Award winning blues artist Delbert McClinton takes the stage on Saturday Jan. 19.

The live music venue features a large stage set in the center of the venue with seating for 600 – 1000 people on three sides affording optimum viewing from any seat in the room. Rhythms Live Music Hall proprietor Victor Graham says that great attention was paid to the details of creating this live music venue, including the selection of space.

“After a long search of looking in Raleigh, looking in Durham, we came across this space. I took a look at the space. I was impressed with the raw space that it had, the potential layout, and most importantly, the parking. We have approximately 500 parks, half to the front and half on the side. So it had all of those particulars. In addition to that, we talked to the owner and found out that this would be just the kind of thing that they were looking for to be the Arts part of their outfit. The ceilings are nice and high providing a nice acoustical value as wall,” says Graham.

Rhythms Live Music Hall has two full-service bars and a food component, to enhance what Graham calls “The Rhythms Live Experience” which allows patrons the “option to come sit down, have dinner, drink your favorite drink – be it Coca Cola or Chardonnay – and see your favorite artist in an up-close and intimate setting.”

An artist was commissioned who painted a mural that covers an entire wall that represents the City of Durham. Graham explains, “It represents the past, the present and future, all the good things that this city encompasses. I love this city, and we feel that we really want to be community-oriented. We want to do some special things. I want to embrace the community, embrace the non-profits. All of those things come into play as we try to establish and shape our brand and give people something worth looking forward to.”

Other anticipated upcoming shows include 4-time Grammy winner and all-time guitar great Larry Carlton on Jan. 25. R&B sensations Eric Benet & Will Downing Jr., originally scheduled for Dec. 16, will perform together on January 30. The supper club, as Graham refers to the venue, is planning an exciting Valentine’s Day. He says they plan to embrace some local performing artists as well.

All tickets purchased for any rescheduled shows will be accepted. If you purchased a ticket and can’t make the new date, full refunds are available by contacting the venue.

Graham is confident when he says “you really won’t get ‘The Rhythms Live Experience’ until you come to a show yourself. Get the real Rhythms Live experience!”

For more information about Rhythms Live Music Hall, upcoming shows, etc. visit www.rhythmslivenc.com

Jeffrey Osborne

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Jeffrey Osborne was the youngest of 12 children and was surrounded by music as he was growing up. It was only after receiving his mother’s encouragement that Jeffrey left for Los Angeles to play with Love Men Ltd., who later changed their name to L.T.D. Osborne was originally brought on as the drummer and eventually became the lead vocalist.  After more than ten years with the band, he decided to pursue a solo career, which produced such Top 40 hits as ” Really Don’t Need No Light”, Don’t You Get So Mad”, “Stay With Me Tonight”, “You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)” and a duet with Dionne Warwick, “Love Power.”

Osborne’s solo career has brought him four Grammy nominations, five gold and platinum albums, including his debut self entitled album “Jeffrey Osborne”, “Stay with Me Tonight” and “Only Human.” He scored an international hit with “On the Wings of Love” in 1982. After his six albums released on A&M during the ’80s, he moved to Arista for Only Human (1990), then switched to a series of independent labels. His releases during the 2000s included “That’s for Sure” (2000) and “Music Is Life” (2003), as well as cover albums “From the Soul”(2005) and “A Time for Love” (2013). His latest project entitled “Worth It All” was released in 2018 on Artistry Music. This project, inspired by the late great George Duke has taken Osborne back to his deep R&B roots. 

Currently Jeffrey Osborne is actively performing and touring around the world. In 2012 Osborne founded The Jeffrey Osborne Foundation and the Jeffrey Osborne Celebrity Classic. In the past six years through his Celebrity Golf Tournament the Jeffrey Osborne Foundation has donated over $750,000 to various charities in Rhode Island. 

Delbert McClinton

Rolling Stone calls Delbert McClinton “The Godfather of Americana Music.” No Depression calls him a “musician’s musician.”  The Austin Chronicle calls him “Texas’ greatest living embodiment of amorphous eclecticism,” and Billboard calls him “one of America’s richest artistic treasures.” 

The multi-Grammy Award winning artist is at the top of his game with his 19th studio album, Prick Of The Litter (Hot Shot Records/Thirty Tigers) released in 2018. The new offering blends Delbert’s signature rhythm and blues sound with a newer jazz-influence inspired by Johnny Mercer, Nat King Cole and other legendary crooners. McClinton’s road band, Self-Made Men provide a hard-driving rhythm section, powerful guitars and innovative piano, accented by punched-up horns. Delbert’s definitive vocals and distinct harmonica licks bring it all together.

Delbert McClinton has been a leading Americana artist since before the genre was established. He has won three Grammy Awards:  two awards in the blues category for Best Contemporary Blues Album; and one in the rock category (Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group), with Bonnie Raitt for “Good Man, Good Woman.”

Delbert grew up around Lubbock and Fort Worth, Texas and spent his early career in the desegregated roadhouses of Fort Worth’s Jacksboro Highway, leading the house bands for Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, and others, while making a local name for himself. Later, Delbert traveled to England where he headlined shows with Bruce Channel (“Hey Baby”) with a little-known Liverpool band [The Beatles] as the opening act. He then rolled into Los Angeles as songwriters began to take top billing, and headed back to Texas for the progressive movement and blues renaissance that helped kick off Austin’s role in American musical history.

If you’ve seen a live Delbert McClinton show, you will recognize the synchronized energy on Prick Of The Litter that comes from thousands of miles of playing together. Delbert believes that his current road band, Self-Made Men, is the best band he’s ever had.

For more information about Rhythms Live Music Hall, upcoming shows, etc. visit www.rhythmslivenc.com