New Gainesville music venue, recording studio to open in spring

A new music venue focused on live recordings is set to open this spring.

At Heartwood Soundstage, which is to be built near Depot Park at 619 S. Main St., all performances will be filmed, recorded, live-streamed and later produced as videos, co-owner Dave Melosh said.

Melosh, the owner of the Gainesville recording studio Medusa Productions, said the venue will be the first of its kind in North Florida, and it will help showcase artists visiting the city.

“Our goal is to present the bands that play the stage in the light, as if they were a national act,” he said, “and treat them that way, and film them and produce them in such a way that showcases their talent.”

The venue, which will have a 150-person capacity, was inspired by now-defunct local venues like The Jam and Common Grounds, which were artist-focused and aimed to provide a holistic musical experience, Melosh said.

“Nothing will fill the hole left by The Jam — it was such a huge part of this community — but we certainly want to channel the love and sense of community they brought,” Melosh said.

Blake Briand, the former owner of The Jam, said while Heartwood won’t replace his former business, he expects patrons of The Jam will naturally migrate to Heartwood.

“I think it might function a lot differently but feel similar,” he said.