Photo courtesy of Moon Peak Productions.
It seems like a lifetime ago, but the Abbey Bar was once one of the hottest places in Harrisburg for live music.
The large space, above Appalachian Brewing Co. on N. Cameron Street, hosted numerous bands a week—local, regional and even national.
Thanks to one emerging production company, those good times are back on the bill.
Moon Peak Productions, spearheaded by the husband-and-wife duo of Pat and Sarah Combs, struck up a partnership with ABC last year after the regional brewery started exploring ways to bring music back. The first set of collaborative concerts began in February with a show by one of Harrisburg’s favorite funk bands, The Dirty Sweet.
“We started reaching out to different people in different music production companies in the Harrisburg area who would want to work with us, and what that would look like,” said Samantha Brenner, director of communications at ABC. “We met [Sarah and Pat] through our head brewer [Bruce Tanner], who works with them on the side.”
The venue, long considered a stronghold for bluegrass and jam bands, will continue to serve as a destination for the music community in those genres while adding a greater variety of acts, said Danny McCoy, Moon Peak’s talent buyer and creative director.
Those new types of shows might include “electronic and DJ shows… psychedelic rock and jazz fusion,” McCoy said. Brenner described the planned band schedule as “eclectic.”
“We’re trying to stay true to people who know the Abbey Bar for what it is, and was before, but we also want to get to the current vibe in Harrisburg,” Brenner said.
McCoy also emphasized the organization’s commitment to giving back to the community.
Moon Peak Productions is dedicated to putting together shows and experiences that are produced as sustainably as possible and with charitable components whenever possible, he said. For instance, the company has committed to donating $1 per ticket sold to an area nonprofit, according to McCoy.
“Having a positive impact every way that we can is a huge part of our mission,” said Sarah Combs. “[We’ll] continually switch it up and circle back. So many groups out there could use a little boost.”
For now, the organization has been choosing different nonprofits to partner with nearly every quarter, with more than $400 raised for Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties in 2023. In 2024, the organization plans to make donations to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Valley Youth House, Special Olympics Pennsylvania and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Coming Back
Physically, attendees will find that the space looks a bit different, as the team has removed all of the pool tables and the venue is standing room only, now capable of holding as many as 400 people.
Lighting and sound have been improved to state-of-the-art designs, and the stage has been modified to make it an easier, better experience for performers, Brenner said.
But don’t worry about the most important aspect. This reporter confirmed that the space’s beloved giant disco ball still hovers over the middle of the room.
The Combses, who also are the team behind Mountain Laurel Catering, are taking control of the rental operations of the venue, as well, to keep logistics organized between performances and private parties. The staff working behind the bar during shows will still be ABC employees, though.
“Coming back to this room has significant meaning to me,” Sarah Combs said, adding that it’s held a special place in her heart for 20 years. “We’re very, very excited to be a part of this reopening.”
Brenner said that the Abbey Bar’s comeback has brought new excitement to ABC itself, which, in 1997, opened as Harrisburg’s first brewpub.
The whole restaurant is buzzing, the staff are excited, and we’ve had so many people reach out about how wonderful it is,” Brenner said. “We really feel grateful that the community is rallying behind us with this.”
The Abbey Bar is located on the second floor of Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. For a show schedule and more information, visit www.moonpeakproductions.com.
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