RAGNAR’S

RAGNAR’S WHERE LEGENDS COME TO PLAY

Ragnar’s on The Compound branches into comedy, stays true to metal roots

JESSICA L. JAMES CONTRIBUTOR

On the way to Wimberley on Roach Road 12, there’s a place where comedians, musicians, barn animals and Viking flair coalesce to create an eclectic venue called Ragnar’s on The Compound , or as the sign says, the ROTC.

In Norse language, the word berserk was used to describe a Viking warrior who entered battles wearing nothing but animal skin for armor. But the modern translation is often used to describe frenzied or uncontrollable excitement.

That’s the feeling patrons take away after visiting Ragnar’s, a six-acre Nordic-themed music compound located at 6900 Ranch Road 12 between San Marcos and Wimberley. The establishment is equipped with goats, chickens and rabbits who neighbor the 2,000 square foot entertainment venue. But despite the novelty, attendees said Ragnar’s has the feel of an underground L.A. music club from the 90s.

“It’s unique. ... It’s captivating,” said comedian Ryan Shields, who performed at ROTC Saturday night. “If you’ve been to Ragnar’s and somebody else has been to Ragnar’s, then they’ll know.

It’s going to be one of those places you remember.”

Co-headliner Paul Rosenberry carried that sentiment, and said he came from L.A. that day just to perform comedy at Ragnar’s.

“This place is set up,” Rosenberry said. “If this were in L.A., there would be a line down the street. This would be the Viper Room. This would be the Roxy. This would be on Sunset.”

Rosenberry and Shields headlined a comedy show Saturday night to a full house of ROTC attendees, curious to check out the business known traditionally as a metal and hard rock venue. But Ragnar’s is hoping to diversify its entertainment by adding a star-studded comedy lineup starting in May and running until the end of summer.

ROTC owner “Stat” said they’ve partnered with Bonkerz Comedy Club to bring in recognizable acts, many who have opened for some of the biggest names in the business. He said the idea was to fill a void that existed in San Marcos, all while trying to diversify their entertainment offerings.

“Bonkerz starts in May, and they’ll be providing us with all the comics,” Stat said. “All the comedians have credits, television credits, network credits, HBO, Showtime, Netflix. They’re going to be people you recognize from TV.”

Stat is no stranger to the entertainment industry. The Central Texas musician had big dreams in the 90s, moving to L.A. to start a music career. He said his band lost two record deals to a few smallknown acts, namely Stone Temple Pilots, Disturbed and Tool.

“I wanted to be Ozzy’s guitar player, and I got there (to L.A.) and figured out that’s not going to happen,” Stat said. “You know, I’m just a kid from Texas, so I came back home. We started talking about doing a rehearsal facility.”

In 2019, Stat and his mother Lucy Key Price, co-owner of ROTC, opened the business. Named after Stat’s deceased, all white German shepherd, Ragnar’s was originally pitched as a recording studio for young up-and-coming artists, but the pandemic had other ideas.

“Well, the pandemic hurt us, and we were just barely getting going,” Key Price said. “We had the grand opening of the bar at the end of June of 2019. I mean, we had a buzz going. ... It was starting to really pick up, and then COVID happened. We were fortunate we didn’t have high rentals.”

Stat said despite the setback, his original vision was to provide a space where he could help mentor early career musicians looking for a place to showcase their talents.

“I built this place so that kids could go and not go through a lot of the things that I went through,” Stat said. “There are a lot of unscrupulous people in the music industry. I have a recording studio, so I want to help them and be a mentor. You know, further their careers. That’s what the goal was, to help upcoming bands have a place.”

Behind the compound sits the Samson Stage for larger shows, with a capacity for 300 people. The next acts to perform on the Samson Stage will be the Raise Your Frequency Fest on April 20. Ragnar’s will be hosting West coast comedian Erik Knowles on March 9, and for many, comedy acts coupled with alternative music is exactly what makes the compound so unique.

“I came here tonight, because I’m a fan of alternative and metal, and I’ve been to some shows here,” said Meta Kural, of Kyle. “It’s a great spot, but it also has a mom-and-pop feel. Ragnar’s is right between Austin and San Antonio, so you got to do something different. Comedy at a metal club is different, so I wanted to check it out.”

For more information on ROTC, visit their website at ragnarsotc.com.