Photo Credit: Breonny Lee
BY Taylor Adams Cogan
In 2009, just a handful of spots brought people to Elm Street in Deep Ellum. And a few people wanted to add in one more, reopening a spot that had thrived in the 1990s.
Clint and Whitney Barlow reopened the legendary music venue Trees that year, along with Eric Bradford. They’d revive it into a destination for Dallasites and music lovers from beyond city limits, and Eric would dive into his lifelong passion for music.
Born and raised in Richardson, Eric became a Dallasite after attending the University of Oklahoma. He stepped into the bar business, then watched the neighborhood’s resurgence lift off.
“I’ve literally done the bar business my whole life,” he says. “I opened the Bomb Factory, now I run it. I’ve worked for Westdale since COVID. But what I love most is watching people experience live music – especially their first concert. Seeing kids walk in for their first show, that’s one of the best things.”
Despite his role in running some of the biggest live music venues in Dallas, Bradford describes himself as “a man of few words.” But his experience speaks volumes. Over the years, he’s worked in venues ranging from 750-capacity rooms to 4,300-seat halls. He’s seen bands on their way up, on their way down, and everywhere in between.
“There’s no wrong way to see a band, but there’s nothing like seeing them in a small room,” he says. “If you catch them there before they hit an arena, it’s just not the same show. It’s intimate. Even in a huge space, it can feel like an intimate experience.”
He recalls hosting artists like Tyler, the Creator, years before he became a festival headliner.
“Not everybody knew who he was back then. Now he’s headlining Coachella,” Eric says.
Eric has also witnessed another side of the industry – the way artists change over time.
“It’s fun to see them on their way down, too. They’re more humble. They’re different artists than when they were at the top,” he says. “We had Teddy Swims play in our small room twice. We won’t get him back until he’s on his way down.”
With nearly 15 years in the music industry and 25 in the restaurant and bar business, Eric has worked his way up from bar manager at Trees to general manager. He now serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Bomb Factory.
“Most people don’t even know who I am,” he says.
And that’s only because he has a diverse range of interests, talent, and dedication.
“Every day is different. Every show is different. New challenges every day. But I have an awesome team – most of my managers have been with me for 10 years. We all work well together.”
Even after seeing 150 to 200 shows a year, he’s like one of us: Eric still has those awakening moments when a band surprises him with their music.
“You get a little jaded, but then you hear a song and think, ‘Who is this opener? Wow, this is awesome.’ That’s still my favorite part,” he says.
And for him, live music is about more than listening on your wireless headphones.
“My wife wasn’t a fan of Coldplay. In the early 2000s, a friend begged me to go see them, and I became a lifelong fan. In 2007, I begged her to go, and now she’s a huge fan. Coldplay puts on a rock show,” he says. “If you just listen to their music, you’re not a fan. You have to see them live.”
That’s why, for Eric, small venues are essential.
“We want people to come to shows, but at the end of the day, it’s a business,” he says. “And that’s where the smaller places come in. That’s where the magic happens.”
