The Moon

In May of 1984, Scott Carswell purchased the closed A&P grocery store located at 1105
East Lafayette St. and began funding, design, and development.

Less than a year later, Scott opened The Musical Moon on April 24, 1985.

Scott and Julie married in 1988 and have managed the business as general managers and co-owners. Their children, Scott Jr and Jack, are also involved in the family business by assisting with promotions and event management.

The Moon is Tallahassee’s premier variety showcase for entertainment and community events. It was designed for event diversity and flexibility and is truly Tallahassee’s Community Arts Center.

In 1984, having a venue switch genres within the same week was unheard of, much less on the same night. The Moon has produced various back-to-back events, quickly moving from a private event or banquet to a country, hip-hop, jazz, or rock concert. The Moon opened with a pop-rock group, The Producers, and within three weeks hosted Top 40 Dance Nights, a classical performance by Leonidas Lipovetsky, jazz with Spyro Gyra, country with John Anderson, R&B with The Manhattans, and Big Band by Guy Lombardo.  

The Moon continues to present all genres of entertainment and community benefits.

The Moon has been home to some of Tallahassee’s favorite local talents, including Tom and the Cats, The Brothers Vanlandingham, Tallahassee Nights Live, Combat Night, the Tallahassee Symphony, the Southern Shakespeare Company, and many more.

The Moon has produced many national acts and headliners such as George Clinton, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffet, BB King, T-Pain, Tab Benoit, Derek Trucks with Susan Tedeschi (first show together April 2, 2000), Dionne Warwick, Hall & Oats, The Temptations, Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Joe Cocker, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, The Judds, Billy Dean,  Skrillex, Gregg Allman, Jeezy, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Widespread Panic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, KC and the Sunshine Band, Melissa Etheridge, JJ Grey and Mofro, The Ramones, and hundreds more.  

Florida State University Student Campus Entertainment, now Union Productions, Opening Nights, and FSU and FAMU Fraternity and Sororities have presented over 500 concerts and events at The Moon over the past 40 years.

In addition to our diverse programming of events, hundreds of benefits have been hosted at The Moon, including fundraisers, galas, and events for worthy causes throughout our region. Some of the long-running charitable organizations that hosted their benefit events at The Moon include Springtime Tallahassee, The Governor’s Inaugural Ball, The Black Expo, The Tallahassee Ballet, Demp Week, The Best of Tallahassee, The Pyramid Players, Big Bend Cares, Big Bend Hospice, Boys Town, Boys and Girls Club, K-9 for Warriors, Alzheimer’s Benefit, City Church, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Tallahassee Memorial Cards for a Cure, Word of South Festival, Village Square, The Urban League Gala, Capital City Press Skits, The Rotary Clubs Daddy Daughter Dance and the Mother Son Dance, Legislative Black Caucus, Habitat for Humanity, Fraternal Order of Police, FAMU Annual Homecoming Alumni Galas,  and many more.