In the cozy, dimly lit space of the Red Dragon Listening Room, there is only one thing asked of you: to listen. The unique Baton Rouge music venue started as a fun side project for owner Chris Maxwell and has evolved into both an impressively graced stage and an innovative concept. Without the distraction of a bar or food vendors or all the typical chitchat of most venues, Maxwell’s little room off of Florida Boulevard invites the audience to place all of their attention solely on the artist.

“It’s about the music—not a festival, not a bar,” says Red Dragon regular JR Whaley. “It’s really just about the music, and there is a unique camaraderie there.”

Over the years, the notion of a listening room has attracted high-caliber artists including Guy Clark, Joan Baez, Roseanne Cash, Rodney Crowell and more.

To learn more about the Red Dragon Listening Room and writer Jordan LaHaye’s recent evening in the audience, read this story from inRegister’s August issue, on newsstands now.