Nestled under the Mississippi River Bridge on the fringes of downtown Baton Rouge sits a squat, lonely beige building. The sign above the door used to read “Mud and Water,” but now it says nothing.
That doesn’t mean Mud and Water is getting washed out of Baton Rouge.
Jeremy Woolsey, Mud and Water’s co-owner and promoter, said he plans to relocate the bar and music venue from 174 South Blvd. because of a failed “verbal partnership” with leaseholder Robert McClaren.
“I had to make a very tough decision for my brand, my reputation and my staff,” Woolsey said. “I had to make a decision to introduce things a certain way or we’d have to look for another location.
Unfortunately, it came down to that, but I made the call.”
Woolsey pulled the Mud and Water brand on June 1 and rebooked the venue’s upcoming shows at several local clubs. Though he’s already been contacted about potential locations, Woolsey said he will shop for a new residence throughout the summer and hopes to reopen Mud and Water in late fall of this year.
Woolsey redesigned the L Bar, which McClaren owned, and in October 2012 reopened under the name Mud and Water. Woolsey — who was a freelance promoter for venues like The Spanish Moon when he attended LSU in the late ’90s — experienced rapid success after Mud and Water hosted its first concert in December 2012.
“My vision for [Mud and Water] was kind of what it became – and intimate, smoke-free place with a little outdoor patio and a diverse and very eclectic booking schedule,” Woolsey said. “It really became what I wanted it to be. It made an impact.”
Mud and Water quickly gained popularity, rivaling Baton Rouge’s other top-tier venues like Chelsea’s Cafe and the Varsity Theatre. Woolsey said he emphasized booking local bands because he knew the club’s success would ultimately come via live music.
“We came into market that was already filled with five really strong venues,” Woolsey said. “For us to come in and actually compete with these venues for the same acts in less than a year and a half was really remarkable.”
Woolsey strove to create an intimate setting for local bands, which created a unique atmosphere for Mud and Water.
Chris Hochkeppel, a music education senior and frontman of local alternative rock band Burris, said Mud and Water’s close-knit crowds made the venue his favorite to play. Hochkeppel recalled the warm crowd at a show Burris played with local acts Alexandra McCullough and Hazy
Ray.
“When [McCullough] was playing, just her with her guitar, there were a bunch of people in there,” Hochkeppel said. “There were probably like 70 people in there, but no one was talking. Everyone was just listening
to her.”
That supportive relationship between Mud and Water and local artists like Burris benefitted both parties. What Woolsey called “growing the scene together” resulted in more press for bands and more business for the venue, which was named one of its top 100 reasons to love Baton Rouge by 225 Magazine in February.
Hochkeppel was informed about Mud and Water shutting down following a performance in Lafayette. Not only was Hochkeppel disappointed about scrambling to reschedule Burris’s concert on June 6, but he lamented the temporary loss of a Baton Rouge venue supporting local music.
“You never went there expecting a bad show,” Hochkeppel said. “You always knew people were going to be there, ready to dance or ready or drink and listen to music.”
Woolsey, whose filmmaking career allows him the freedom to run and promote his Mud and Water brand, said he always dreamed of operating a music venue. Though Mud and Water will reopen at a new location, Woolsey is adamant the atmosphere won’t be any different.
“What made that room special was not the building, necessarily,” Woolsey said. “I can recreate a vibe. It was about our music, our staff and our fans and customers. That’s what made the whole thing.”

Gallery • 1 Photos

Sam Karlin

The once revered Baton Rouge music venue, Mud and Water, is looking to relocate and open it's doors in late fall.