Duling Hall

Living in Jackson, MS, you learn to live without certain things. Fact of the matter is, we just don’t get the big-​name concerts and performers here in lil’ olé’ Jackson. I’ve grown to accept it, but I think it’s a damn shame because I bet tons of performers would love a chance to play at Duling Hall– one of the coolest venues you can check out in the Southeast.
Located inside an old, converted elementary school, Duling Hall is host to several different businesses, including the most popular concert venue in town. Also inside Duling, you’ll find Saltine and Babalu (AMAZING food, you can check out my reviews of them!) and my favorite salon in town, Smoak.
The concert venue is a really, really neat atmosphere. It’s split into two sections, with one being a bit higher up than the other. The lower level is usually standing room during big concerts, while the upper area will often have tables and chairs. The upper area is where the bar is too! During some shows I’ve seen here, like the burlesque shows that come through occasionally. The stage is relatively low to the ground, so during shows like that, it’s easy for the performers to interact with the audience which is super fun.
As far as showmanship and technicalities, Duling does an amaaazing job with the concerts. The lights are always on point. The acoustics are fantastic. It’s a very spacious venue with crazy high ceilings and some huge windows, so you won’t feel too claustrophobic. Ardenland, a local entertainment company, handles all the bookings for Duling and they get some really high-​quality, awesome acts here. Even if you’ve never heard of who’s playing, it’s always a fun time to head down to Duling and listen to some live music. The best part is that after the show, you’re within super-​close walking distance of some of Fondren’s best bars (The Apothecary, Fondren Public, Caet) so the night can keep going and you can keep jamming!

Fondren is luck to have many wonderful attractions. This is one of the best assets in my opinion. This beautifully restored school now houses shopping, restaurants and an event space. Duling Hall hosts many wonderful events each week. From stand up comics, to church services. We are luck to have Ardenland booking the acts for this space.
If you have not attended a concert or other event here you really need to. It is an intimate setting with an open bar (the bar is converted to a coffee bar for church services). If you want to find out what is going on here check out
You will probably be surprised at the number of events that take place in Duling Hall each week.

I’ve seen several performances here. The acoustics are great. The whole place is nice and there are restaurants all around the area

I REALLY liked this venue.
I saw Fred Eaglesmith here in January — I’ve seen him several times before and this was by far my favorite venue. As others have said, it is intimate and great for showcasing good music without the distractions of people sucking on barbecue ribs or what have you.
This venue is in one of the trendier neighborhoods of Jackson. Tickets for my particular show were very affordable and the staff was easy to deal with.
The bathrooms are down the hall and possibly shared with an adjacent restaurant, but they were small & clean.
There are numerous restaurants (including a couple Unilocal top-​ranked) and at least one decent coffee shop within walking distance. I’m not sure how parking shakes out normally. Because I got confused about the time, we got to Duling Hall an hour early and had no trouble getting street parking. We walked to a nearby coffee shop to kill time (Sneaky Beans).
Bottom-​line: I highly recommend checking this spot out if an act you like happens to come into town.

Duling Hall is an absolutely fabulous place to hear live music in an intimate venue. Duling is the auditorium of a former school building that has been repurposed quite ingeniously into a number of stores, salons and restaurants. One of my favorite restaurants, Babalu’s, is also housed in the former school building that is located in the heart of the regentrified and artsy Fondren neighborhood.
Duling Hall has been completely redone to provide a groovy little stage with professional sound and lighting. The seating has been divided into two sections. The front section is on a sloping floor toward the stage and is either open or set up with tables and chairs depending on the event. The back section is elevated a few steps above the first and houses a bar in the rear.
I’ve heard several acts here and also performed for a variety of events as well. The stage is also very nice for the musician as well. For a list of events coming to Duling Hall, check out
.

We love this place for concerts. It’s not to big and has a great bar. Babalau’s is right next door so it’s good to go get a drink before if needed. They also hold a church service here on Sunday’s but we’ve not been to that.
I appreciate the fact that this building can be used for multiple things. I just wish it more girl bathrooms but then can you ever have to many of those?