This Saturday and Sunday, February 14th-15th, The Woodshop Listening Room will be hosting a Stranger Things-themed Upside Down Bash for Valentine’s Day weekend.
The two-night event is set to be a unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, with the venue promising it to be a weekend full of bloody fun, Snowball ’84 prom vibes, and all the nostalgia-soaked weirdness you can handle.
There will be live music from the prog rock band Voyag3r, pronounced Voyager 3, which hails from Detroit. The synth-driven power trio will be performing a set inspired by vintage horror, action, and sci-fi soundtracks.
There will also be a themed food, dessert, and cocktail menu, highlighting the characters and plot of Stranger Things. Food items listed include Hopper’s BBQ Brisket Eggo Stack, Demogorgon Ribs, Mr. What’s-It Baked Potato, and The Byers Family Feast. Dessert options are The Mind Flayer Sundae and Mrs. Driscoll's Chocolate Pudding.
Featured cocktails and mocktails for the evening are as follows: Eleven’s Eggo-tini, The Demogorg-arita, The Upside Down Old Fashioned, Vecna’s Curse, and Papa’s Shot. Also, anyone who brings a cassette gets a free drink.
In speaking with Callie Sioux, co-owner of The Woodshop Listening Room, about the Upside Down Bash, she gave an idea of what people can expect that is not listed online and how she and Jhett originally came up with the Stranger Things-themed party.
“Jhett and I were thinking about what kind of special show we could put on for Valentine's and thought of what our perfect date would look like: good food, original music, and, of course, to top it off, monster slaying. In all seriousness, we wanted something that the whole family could come to, or just friends. The TV show was a lot of fun, and having an 80s horror-themed night is a blast.
People are going to be blown away by the band and the decor. We have some Woodshop regulars who are great artists and craftswomen who have gone all out to make the Woodshop feel like the Upside Down. The band is stellar, and I think our ticket buyers have no idea what kind of killer show they are about to be a part of.”
The Woodshop is known for putting on original and creative shows, with programming that offers something different for music and story lovers of all shapes and sizes. Costumes are also encouraged for the two-night celebration, as The Woodshop prepares to flip St. Elmo upside down. People are encouraged to dress up, have fun, and get strange.
When talking to Callie about the Upside Down Bash, she suggested that at its core, the event is about bringing people together over love of song, TV, and film on Valentine’s Day weekend.
“If you are into classic films from the 80s and 90s, specifically in the action or horror genres, this night is for you. Stranger Things captured so many cool elements about those eras that we love, and recycled IPs (like Star Wars, LOTR, DND, Indiana Jones, Carrie, etc.) that we all grew up on, but for a younger audience, it felt like a fun theme to pull everyone together, even if they aren’t a die-hard Stranger Things fan.
Like our Bilbo’s Birthday Bash in September, which we will be doing again this year, it's about including everyone those stories have touched and about having a large time in a small space.”
When asked how this event reflects The Woodshop’s identity as a venue, Callie mentioned that it is almost always about the concert experience.
“We are always going to be focused on original music, bringing people together, and these three things: elevated food, elevated cocktails, and an excellent show. For us, The Woodshop is about putting on concert experiences every time, even for our weekday events. It’s dinner and a show.”
Upside Down Bash
- 7 p.m. Saturday; 6 p.m. Sunday; February 14-15.
- The Woodshop Listening Room, 5500 Saint Elmo Ave.
- $20-$100.
- thewoodshoplisteningroom.com