Revolution Bar and Café, more commonly known as Rev’s, is a hub for artistic talent in the BCS area.
Almost any night of the week one can head over to Rev’s to get a taste of local talent, whether it be poetry, music or comedy. The venue features an indoor bar and a large outdoor sitting area, strung over with lights and scattered with local artwork.
Rev’s was opened in November of 2003 by Rola Cerone, who is still the owner today.
When asked about Cerone, the staff members’ descriptions of her ranged from “a sweet lady”, to “a ninja”, to “the best boss I’ve ever had.” She comes to check on the bar every now and then, and will often trim the bushes or add pieces of artwork before being on her way.
One thing people are attracted to about Rev’s is its strong sense of community.
“It’s a family, a lot of people come here every day or every other day,” said Kylie Kinsolving, who does photography for the bar as a hobby.
Kinsolving formerly did photography in Austin on 6th Street, and after moving to Bryan for work quickly became a regular at Rev’s.
Jerome Riddle, a stencil artist whose art is featured at the bar, said, “You’ll see someone come, and then they’ll be here all the time, I don’t know what it is.” Riddle is also the owner of the dog Bubba, who is known to many of the regulars as the “Bar mascot”.
Glen Tate, who has been hosting the Wednesday open mic night for 7 years, said that the musicians who play at Rev’s are mostly students.
“We easily get the best talent at our open mic [in Bryan],” Tate said about the student musicians they attract. “I think it’s because the audience here is just so open to different random stuff.”
On the weekends, Rev’s typically has shows booked 2-3 months ahead of time. Often there will be shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
The weekend shows are mostly punk rock bands but other eclectic bands also play, Tate said. “They don’t get a lot of modern country type…so it’s kind of its own thing, it’s sort of the only place in town that’s sort of like that.”
Rev’s also has popular Sunday poetry nights, Monday trivia nights, and Tuesday comedy nights three Tuesdays per month.
An aspiring local musician, Zach Northcutt, is a regular at Rev’s even though he is not 21 yet (Rev’s is an 18 and older bar). He likes to order coke and mingle with the local artists.
“You can literally throw a rock anywhere on a busy night and hit an artist or a musician,” Northcutt said.
Cerone said she is happy that after 14 years the venue has continued to be what she envisioned.
“I love that it continues to occupy the niche it was designed for: support the arts, bring open minded people together, and serve as a safe and friendly community space, as much as a bar” Rola said. “The people, the music and the décor change constantly, but the spirit always remains.”