Dallas may be the hot spot for national touring acts, but nearby suburbia could possibly gain a foothold in providing premier musical entertainment for the swaths of socialites who could be looking for convenience with their evening plans.

Enter the Box Garden located in Plano's Legacy Hall, which is under the creative direction of Gavin Mulloy, the man responsible for The Bomb Factory and Trees being established as destination concert halls.

This past Saturday night, concert-goers and outdoor grub eaters enjoyed a stacked lineup with the Polyphonic Spree headlining a bill that included Noah Jackson & Friends and Medicine Man Revival. The venue hasn't been afraid to showcase top-tier north Texas talent, with it only being a few weeks since the grand opening featured Sarah Jaffe and TOMKAT.

Essentially a huge patio (and it's really huge), the Box Garden was created as a destination beer garden and entertainment venue. With ample seating for 400 and space for another 1,200, the venue was quickly crowded with attendees munching and sipping from about 25 different artisan food stalls, each with more enticing options than the last, and a handful of specialty bars featuring the Unlawful Assembly Brewery which takes residence on the third floor of Legacy Hall.

There are plenty of other drink options on the first level with a numerous enough selection of craft beers, cocktails, and wine. Plus, there's a dedicated tequila bar.

Noah Jackson & Friends began the evening’s show to the already-overflowing food hall. A local four piece, Jackson fronted the group on keys and was accompanied by bassist, drummer, and supplemental keys to create easy, singable folk rock with an flair.

Carrying along the exceptionally hot evening was Medicine Man Revival, the Dallas-based duo of Keite Young and Jason Robert Burt. Their brand of soulful, funky blues engaged the audience and got them dancing (read: swaying), a perfect segway for the big, visually and sononically enthralling set by Polyphonic Spree.

The near 20-piece of Dallas-area musicians delivered two full hours of symphonic pop-rock with elevated wind flourishes and grooving brass harmonies. The stellar group of players included Denton's own Leoncarlo, who was playing with the Spree for the first time.

Anchored by orchestral strings, drums, choir, keys, and guitars, Polyphonic Spree entertained with a collection of hits, and deep cuts from their 5 studio and 4 live albums — with a few crowd-pleasing covers sprinkled in. Tim DeLaughter — founder and frontman with a glossy voice that begs to be sung with — led a dance party with a standing-room-only crowd of sweaty fans that filled the three-story dining court.

Legacy Hall Box Garden hosts unique and exciting events almost every day. Concerts, yoga, parties, and other special events find their space to occupy in Plano, with a free Mario Kart tournament and show by the Bodark’s already scheduled for this week. Find more information on the event calendar on Legacy Hall's website.

Click here to see the extended photoset by James Coreas.

Photos by James Coreas
Header image layout designed by Mateo Granados

The Box Garden Changes the Game For Concert Halls