ROB BECK | 10.24.2007
AFTER MONTHS WITHOUT A home, Atlanta’s gay country-western fans finally have a place to hang their hats, thanks to owner Brad Williams’ transformation of former dance club Jungle into the boot scootin’ haven known as the Wild Mustang.
The bar opened its doors as simply “Country Bar Atlanta” in September as part of a soft opening to spread the word that there was a new two-steppin’ kid in town. Williams and Co. officially celebrated the Wild Mustang’s Grand Opening and new name to much fanfare and riding of mechanical bulls on Oct. 19.
“We’re full of energy and ready to go,” Williams says of his staff’s excitement to get into the swing of things as Atlanta’s only gay country-western bar.
The bar is much larger than previous Atlanta country bar incarnations, but it still has an intimate feel, thanks to the new down-home decor and inviting all-country-all-the-time music philosophy.
“It’s more of a pub atmosphere in a very large, large space,” Williams says. “Where pubs and little bars are usually smaller, it’s like a big scale of that. That atmosphere is the biggest thing that is different, where it still has kind of the fun little pub feel but a lot of space.”
PATRONS APPRECIATE the neighborhood feel combined with the space to spread out comfortably, but the loyal contingent only has eyes for one main thing: the bar’s expansive wooden dance floor.
“I very much appreciate all of the effort that Brad has put into putting in a quality, huge dance floor suitable for country western dance,” says Leigh Broschat, who along with her partner Pam Simmons heads up the bar’s regular dance instruction and is a major voice on Atlanta’s country western dance scene.
“I also appreciate the décor changes,” she continues. “He’s put a lot of thought into it and talked to a lot of people in the community and took lots of notes to find out what’s going to make people happy.”
Williams says there was no major guiding principle to conceiving the new bar, aside from bending an ear to his would-be patrons.
“I just kind of listened to a lot of the guys that frequented Hoedowns,” he says.
THE WILD MUSTANG MAINTAINS the expansive feel of Jungle — and even one of the old dance club’s signature painted jungle animals for posterity. But now, split-rail fences, pool tables and cowboy hats dot the landscape where once shirtless muscle queens held court at smoking tables and on dance floor podiums.
It’s a change Williams himself takes to heart, even daring to take the plunge into the world of country dancing and mechanical bull riding, which made a guest appearance at the grand opening. Williams promises the bull will be back for special events.
“I’ve never really two-stepped, but I’ve done a little bit of the line dances,” says Williams, who is a country fan whose easy southern drawl assures patrons that he’ll be right at home in his own bar. “I’ve started taking the classes, which I'm having a blast with. Pam and Leigh are fantastic.”
Broschat sums up the feeling of GayTL’s country western fans and the Wild Mustang’s much-anticipated presence in the scene.
“We have quite a few people that we’ve taught in the past that were waiting for a new venue to open,” she says. “Now the Wild Mustang is finally open with a beautiful dance floor. It’s just marvelous.”
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