News Summary
The new live music venue FIVE has opened its doors in Jacksonville’s historic Five Points area. Its grand opening concert featured artist BoyWithUke and will focus on providing diverse music experiences. With a capacity of 1,250, the venue aims to revitalize the community and support both emerging and established artists, offering a variety of performances across genres. Despite facing delays, FIVE is set to become a key player in the local music scene and contribute to the neighborhood’s economic growth.
Jacksonville, Florida – The new live music venue, FIVE, has officially opened its doors in the historic Five Points area, revitalizing a beloved neighborhood landmark. Located in the building that once housed the Sun-Ray Cinema, which ceased operations in July 2024, FIVE aims to offer a diverse range of live performances and serve as a key community asset.
The grand opening concert features BoyWithUke, a 22-year-old Korean-American artist who has gained significant traction through social media platform TikTok. He will be performing alongside opening act Ethan Bortnick, a renowned PBS star, marking an exciting debut for the venue.
Originally slated to open in January 2025, FIVE’s launch faced a series of delays stemming from construction and permit challenges, resulting in the cancellation or postponement of at least 17 scheduled shows. The venue’s operators, Marathon Live, invested approximately $1.4 million in renovations that sought to preserve the historic aspects of the building, such as the original glass, plasterwork, and wood, while enhancing the facilities with modern lighting and sound systems.
With a capacity of 1,250 attendees, FIVE includes an expanded balcony space, which aims to enhance the audience experience. Venue organizers have indicated plans for another larger site in Jacksonville’s Rail Yard district, further expanding the local live music landscape.
FIVE has a mission to provide diverse and unique music experiences, booking a variety of artists across genres, including house, folk, Latin, emo punk, and many others. The venue intends to be more than just a concert space, engaging with local businesses and even incorporating creative promotions, such as hiding concert tickets in nearby record stores for music enthusiasts to discover.
Jeremy Hicks, communications director for Marathon Live, has noted the venue’s commitment to showcasing both emerging artists and established acts, ensuring that there is something for all age groups and musical tastes. This dual focus is part of a broader effort to create a welcoming environment for music lovers in the community.
FIVE’s opening has sparked a renewed sense of hope for the Five Points neighborhood, which has recently faced a number of business closures. The addition of a vibrant live music venue is seen as a potential catalyst for local economic growth and revitalization.
The venue features a general-admission viewing area, as well as accommodations for audience members needing seating, although no fully seated shows are scheduled at this time. Community sentiment towards the venue has been mixed; while some residents expressed frustration over the delays in opening, others are enthusiastic about the enhanced music scene that FIVE promises to bring.
The Five Points location possesses a rich history that spans almost a century. Prior to its closure as Sun-Ray Cinema, the building hosted various performing arts, transitioning from live performances to cinema screenings. The opening of FIVE marks a significant step towards returning this historic space to its roots as a hub for live entertainment.
As Jacksonville embraces FIVE, the venue is poised to play an important role in the city’s cultural fabric, connecting residents with a dynamic roster of artists and performances while contributing to the growth of the local music community.
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Additional Resources
- First Coast News: Five Jacksonville’s Newest Live Music Venue
- News4JAX: Jacksonville’s New Music Venue Aims to Revitalize Riverside
- Jacksonville.com: FIVE New Jacksonville Music Venue Opens
- Action News Jax: New Music Venue FIVE Delays Opening
- Folio Weekly: FIVE 4-3-2-1
- Wikipedia: Five Points, Jacksonville
- Google Search: Jacksonville Live Music Venue
- Google Scholar: Live Music Venues Impact Community
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Live Music
- Google News: Five Jacksonville