Dallas Bands The Sutcliffes, The O’s and More Bid Mike Snider Farewell at Retirement Party

Concert promoter, former owner of AllGood Cafe and all-around Deep Ellum patron Mike Snider celebrated the end of his career at the Sons of Hermann Hall on Sunday. Musicians, music lovers and friends of Snider’s all came together for a night of good live music, good stories and to send their friend off on a retirement trip to Hawaii.

Opening AllGood Cafe in the summer of 2000, Snider has dedicated over 25 years to serving the Dallas community good food while listening to good music. In addition to keeping up his beloved cafe, Snider also worked as a concert promoter in Deep Ellum for years, helping to book shows for Sons of Hermann Hall and Gypsy Tea Room.

“Booking shows always felt like more of a hobby,” Snider said in a 2014 interview with the Observer. “I always considered myself different from other concert promoters. I am not really a money guy. I am not doing it to make a lot of money. I book acts that I want to see and that I want other people to see. Perhaps I am naïve in that. I want to turn people onto this stuff. I just want to make the show happen.”

With performances from members of The Sutcliffes, The O’s and more Dallas legends like members of Old 97’s and New Bohemians, there’s truly no better way to celebrate a life steeped in Dallas culture than Snider’s send-off. Donations to send Snider on a retirement trip to Hawaii were also being collected throughout the evening as attendees donned colorful leis and danced about the room.

As artists each hopped on stage to play a few songs, they also shared fond stories of Snider and the AllGood Cafe. Stories of people who have graced the AllGood halls, such as Ozzy Osbourne, Lance Armstrong and an Olympic Gold Medal team, who were excited for the chance to meet Snider.

Every corner of Sons of Hermann Hall was filled with people ready to celebrate Snider’s legacy. The atmosphere was joyful. People of all ages came together to celebrate a man whose presence in Deep Ellum and the Dallas music scene writ large will live on for many years to come. Loved ones, colleagues and friends gathered at random tables to write letters to Snider. People danced, sang and chatted with strangers over the thread that tied them all together that evening. The room itself radiated warmth and happiness that resonated with all the attendees. It was a true Dallas music gathering to its core.

We had the chance to ask John Pedigo, new co-owner of AllGood Cafe and member of The O’s, about what Snider did for his career.

John Pedigo on Mike Snider Booking The O’s

“He gave us a couple of our [The O’s] first big shows…we got on Old 97’s and because of that we became friends with [Old] 97’s and went on tours with them…really the whole thing started with Mike,” he told us over the sound of trains passing by and the bustling party in the background.

That story is one that many could tell about Snider. An advocate for the music he believed in, many credited Snider that night with launching their career and giving them a strong leg up. Whether he brought them in to perform at Sons of Hermann Hall or helped attach their name to a star-studded bill, Snider dedicated his career to launching local acts.

“I book bands because I like them and because I want other people to see them,” Snider told us in 2014, words that still hold meaning today. “Not because I think my restaurant is going to be full. We have incredible talent in there sometimes with a handful of people watching it.”

While each artist there had a story about Snider, it was clear that he meant something different to everyone. “Everyone has their own version of Mike they know,” says Pedigo. Whether he was a long-term business partner, the guy who booked your first show, or the owner of your favorite cafe, each version of Snider was present in every attendee.

And though everyone has their own version of Snider that they know, there seemed to be one common belief held among every attendee – Deep Ellum would not be what it is without Snider. From AllGood’s 25-year tenure on Main St. to the countless shows that Snider booked, there can be no doubt that Snider’s influence on Deep Ellum is immense. Many have credited Snider with bringing a whole new sound to the Dallas scene. A fan of Zydeco, rockabilly and Americana, Snider helped diversify the Dallas sound. Notably, Snider was also the first person to bring Wilco to Dallas.

For a man with such a storied and impactful career, Sunday’s celebration felt like the perfect close to this chapter. Friends, family, and those grateful for Snider’s work wished him Happy Trails on his new adventure in life, promising to carry on the legacy of his life’s work.