What’s With The Abraham Chavez Theaters Crazy Shape?

The Abraham Chavez Theater in downtown El Paso was built in the early 1970's and, yes ... there's a reason it looks so weird.

You can see its frame being built in certain scenes during The Getaway which was partially filmed in El Paso at the time it was under construction.

It's home to the El Paso Symphony Orchestra (EPSO) which officially formed in 1931 but dates back to 1893. EPSO is the longest, continuously running symphony in Texas.

The theater was named in honor of Maestro Abraham Chavez who conducted the EPSO from 1975 - 1992. Chavez was a violin soloist, cultural leader and a professor at the University of Texas at El Paso which he also graduated from.

Before conducting the EPSO, he conducted in Colorado and once took the Santa Fe Orchestra to 6 different countries in Europe.

As for the theaters weird shape, it's supposed to be a big sombrero. Now that you know that, take another look at it the next time you're downtown.

After years and years of the KLAQ Downtown El Paso Street Fest, I know the entire building inside and out. My favorite part is the downstairs dressing room area and the upper level office areas where the hallways curve with the buildings contours.

You can see some of the lower level/dressing room area in this Geoff Tate video which features some Street Fest footage.

It's also said to be haunted AF and ... having been in there alone, at night, on many occasions ... I won't dispute that claim. The theater and the, unknown to most, upper level above the stage can be creepy in the daytime if you're in there by yourself.

In addition to the EPSO, "The Chavez" has also hosted performers like magician David Copperfield, the Russian Ballet and comedians like Jo Koy and Tom Segura.

The stage has been graced by musical artists of all genres including rockers like Alice In Chains, Sammy Hagar, Grand Funk, Queensryche and Ghost just to name a (very) few.

Not to mention all those Street Fest acts, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Three Days Grace, Weezer, Fozzy and loads more ... man, I miss that event.