Dale Brisby Reminisces About Amarillo’s Midnight Rodeo

Amarillo has seen its share of famous people. We even have many former residents who have hit it big in movies, music, sports, and even politics. However, it's always fun to hear stories of what these folks loved about Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle.

Dale Brisby’s Clarendon College Days

I was scrolling through TikTok the other day and ran across a video. In the video, Dale Brisby talked about his time in the Texas Panhandle. He was joking about how he attended Clarendon College for a semester. When asked what he studied, he couldn't recall, and the topic soon switched to his nightlife, not college.

Midnight Rodeo: Amarillo’s Nightlife Icon

That nightlife centered around the now-defunct Midnight Rodeo and Piranha Room. That was the place to be in Amarillo. It was a collision of cowboys, college kids, and chaos, and boy, was there chaos around every corner. They talked about the Piranha Room.

The Piranha Room Experience

Dude, the Piranha room was where it was at.  I was the only one in there with a cowboy hat on.

One of the guys on the video talked about being in the cages, but Brisby never climbed into one. Brisby started to explain what Midnight Rodeo was, and then stopped to ask if it was still around. To which the response was, "It's a church now."

When Midnight Rodeo Became a Church

Midnight Rodeo officially closed its doors in September 2017. The Loft Church opened in that location two years later, in 2019. I guess that's one way to cleanse the sins of that long-standing bar.

Read More: Wait They Are Selling Off the Best Parts of Midnight Rodeo?

Late Nights Always End at Waffle House in Amarillo

So Dale Brisby would come to Amarillo, enjoy his nights at Midnight Rodeo, and then do what most of us did: end up at the Waffle House next door.

Read More: Here's Why Texans Are Still Obsessed with Pancho’s Mexican Buffet

Check out the full video below:

Here's a fun fact: Dale Brisby is featured in a HooDoo Mural in Downtown Amarillo.  It is located at 104 6th Ave. Artist Drew Merritt painted the mural as a part of the 2021 HooDoo Mural Festival.