Tucked into the heart of Deep Ellum like a secret with a bass drop, The Bomb Factory isn’t just a concert venue — it’s a shape-shifting time capsule that’s worn more hats than a 1920s haberdasher.
Over the last century, this unassuming brick beast at 2713 Canton Street has played everything from car doctor to bomb builder to rock-and-roll ringleader. It’s been a Ford Model T plant, a World War II munitions factory, a gritty 90s music mecca, and today? It’s a 4,300-person, state-of-the-art sound temple where legends (and locals) come to tear the roof off.
So how did this warehouse go from building Tin Lizzies to blasting Metallica? Let’s hit rewind.
🚗 Built in Texas by Texans: The Model T Era (1914–1920s)
In 1914, Henry Ford picked Deep Ellum to crank out his revolutionary Model T. Back then, this neighborhood was humming with industrial energy, immigrant grit, and jazz in the alleys. The Ford plant, designed by John Graham (yes, that John Graham), was a four-story, red-brick machine cranking out up to 5,000 cars a year — every one stamped with “Built in Texas by Texans.”
By the mid-1920s, Ford needed more elbow room and moved to a bigger space by Fair Park. But the Deep Ellum building didn’t retire — it moonlighted as a warehouse, showroom, and eventually, a hat factory (hello, Adam Hats, 1955). Oh, and it’s now swanky lofts. Because Deep Ellum.
💣 Boom Time: Bombs, Jeeps & the War Effort (1940s)
The name “Bomb Factory” isn’t a marketing stunt — it’s real history. When World War II rolled in, the factory swapped out fenders for firepower. Under Mayhew Machine and Engineering, it cranked out Jeeps, ammo, and practice bombs. Locals became munitions makers, and the building earned its wartime stripes — thick brick walls and all.
And those bombs? Not just folklore. A few decades-old dummy torpedoes were actually found inside the building years later — and at the 2015 reopening, a couple were on display. Talk about industrial-chic.
🎸 Turn It Up: The 90s Rock Revival (1990s)
Fast-forward to the grungy glory of 1993. Deep Ellum was getting its groove back, and The Bomb Factory was reborn — this time as a raw, sweaty, unapologetically loud concert venue. No A/C, no frills, just concrete, graffiti, and 48,000 square feet of pure sound.
From The Ramones to Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails to Phish’s legendary “Tweezerfest”, the acts that graced this gritty stage turned it into a cornerstone of Dallas’ alternative culture. And don’t forget: the very first Dallas Warped Tour in 1995? Yeah — it happened in the Bomb Factory parking lot.
But by the late ’90s, Deep Ellum hit another slump. Crime ticked up, clubs shut down, and by 1997, the music stopped. The Bomb Factory went dark again — just another sleeping giant with stories echoing in its rafters.
🔧 Rebuild & Rebirth: 2010s Comeback Tour
Cue the comeback.
In 2013, Dallas-based Westdale teamed up with Clint and Whitney Barlow (the music-loving couple behind Trees) to bring The Bomb Factory back — and better than ever. After a 19-week turbo renovation, the venue reopened in March 2015 as a world-class, fully climate-controlled, balcony-stacked, light-drenched, sound-pumping powerhouse.
Who got the honor of re-christening the stage? Erykah Badu, of course — Dallas royalty.
And she wasn’t the only one. Since reopening, the venue has welcomed Robert Plant, Lauryn Hill, Don Henley, Disclosure, The Lumineers, CHVRCHES, and dozens more, not to mention tattoo festivals, boxing matches, and corporate parties. (Only in Deep Ellum can you get inked, rock out, and talk shop in the same room.)
📸 Legacy & Loudness: The Bomb Factory Lives On
Today, The Bomb Factory is more than a music hall. It’s a Dallas cultural icon. A place where you can feel the history with every beat. Where car engines once purred, guitars now scream. Where practice bombs once rattled, bass lines now shake the walls.
Even the 2020 pandemic couldn’t keep it down for long. And yes — they briefly dropped “Bomb” from the name for sensitivity reasons, calling it “The Factory.” But fans weren’t having it. Artists weren’t either. So in March 2025, the name The Bomb Factory returned — loud and proud, just like the venue itself.
⚡️ Quick Hits: Bomb Factory Fun Facts
- 🚘 Built in 1914 as a Ford Model T assembly plant
- 💥 Produced bombs & Jeeps during WWII (some bombs still found on site!)
- 🎤 Hosted icons like The Ramones, Korn, Tool, Rage Against the Machine, and Erykah Badu
- 🎸 Phish’s “Tweezerfest” and the first Dallas Warped Tour happened right here
- 💡 2015 Reopening turned it into one of the most advanced venues in the country
- 🏙 A Deep Ellum anchor, helping revive Dallas’ most creative neighborhood
Whether you’re a music junkie, history buff, or just in love with the soul of Dallas, The Bomb Factory is proof that some buildings don’t just survive — they evolve, they amplify, and sometimes, they rock your face off.
