Heartwood Soundstage

From studio to venue

The building at 619 South Main Street once housed Mirror Image Studios. Dave Melosh of Medusa Productions, property owner Hoch Shitama and recording veteran Bob McPeek were partners in the project, and Paul Pavelka, a former Warner Brothers post production engineer, designed the interior soundstage. Heartwood opened on February 25, 2017, with the Heartwood Music Festival, an all ages bill of 24 acts. Later in 2017 it added an indoor acoustic stage and an outdoor stage.

By 2021 Melosh counted 17 Grammy winners who had played the place, John Paul White among them, and the booking had shifted from mostly local bands toward national tours. It doubles as a studio and video production house between shows.

Two ways to see a show

Indoors is a listening room for a small seated crowd, a couple hundred people at most. Outside, the stage can hold about 1,500. There are two bars. Outdoor shows can go on rain or shine, so check the sky in summer, when the afternoon storm tends to clear by evening, and pack a poncho.

The calendar runs wide, from songwriters and bluegrass to indie and alternative bands and the punk and rock that Gainesville is known for.

Parking near Depot Park

Heartwood sits in the South Main Station area beside Depot Park, a short trip from downtown. Parking is limited, and the venue shares a lot with the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre. On big nights, think about a ride share, or take a city bus to the Rosa Parks transfer station a block away. Accessible spaces are in the South Main Station lots.

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