Nashville To Worcester: Off The Rails Opens Venue This Weekend

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester will feel a little like Nashville this weekend.

The downtown restaurant and bar Off The Rails will hold a grand opening celebration beginning Friday to christen its new music venue. The opening weekend will feature country rockers Sawyer Brown on Friday and Grafton native Ricky Duran on Saturday.

Off The Rails opened last summer along Commercial Street in the former Steel & Stir building. The restaurant has been hosting country-themed musicians ever since, but the new space — which partially took over a parking area behind the Worcester Palladium — will be a big upgrade.

The space has a full stage and room for over 500, plus an outdoor eating area and beer garden. Garage doors open onto the outdoor space, allowing for an al fresco concert experience.

The new venue will complete somewhat of a music hub downtown. Off The Rails is across the street from the DCU Center, where larger touring acts like Iron Maiden and Walker Hayes will visit later this year. And the country sounds at Off The Rails will compete with the alternative bands that typically play the Palladium — this weekend those include pop-punk bands Sum 41 and Simple Plan.

For future shows and tickets for the grand opening weekend, visit the Off The Rails website.