Along with the legendary Luckenbach, TX just west of Austin, and Gruene Hall just south of Austin, The Coupland Dancehall in Coupland, TX about 25 miles east of Austin is one of the legendary spots where so much Texas music history has been made. Though it’s a short drive from the Live Music Capital, it’s a world away in the rural town of Coupland with a population less than 300, sitting just beyond the expanding sprawl of A-Town.
It’s not just a dance hall. For many years the property also housed a restaurant, along with a bed and breakfast, and has a history going all the way back to 1904. Open on Saturday nights, Coupland Dancehall has been a mainstay of Texas music for decades. But that legacy is about to come to a close as the current owner Abbey Road is donating the property to a non-profit after years of dwindling revenue, sagging interest, skyrocketing costs, and insurmountable challenges brought on by major shifts in the music business.
For fans and friends of the dance hall, the announcement on August 7th came as a shock. For the next 10 weeks—from August 9th to Oct 11th—Coupland would be celebrating what it’s calling the final season of the dance hall’s legacy. “It’s the end of an ERA, or two or three… A true-blue Texas honky tonk. A two-step back in time. After decades of boots, beer, heartbreak, and hell-raising, Coupland Dancehall is calling it ‘Last Call,’” the announcement said…