Surely one of the more intriguing aspects of Houston's new Meow Wolf installation is Cowboix Hevvven, the venue’s honky tonk-inspired dive bar.
Part of what makes Cowboix Hevvven so intriguing is that it’s the first time Meow Wolf has integrated its food and beverage offering into the venue’s overall aesthetic. Visitors will find characters, a pool table, and a jukebox of songs recorded for Meow Wolf as well as a full menu of dive bar-style dishes that fit the exhibit's theme of a radio station from the '70s.
Cole Wilson, the lead artist for Cowboix Hevvven, tells CultureMap he sees the bar as a sort of interdimensional purgatory. The bar’s characters are the same sort of figures someone might encounter before ascending to heaven.
“What is more parallel to purgatory than a dive,” Wilson tells CultureMap. “It kind of hit me at once. I was in a hot tub in Vegas when the universe struck me with lighting and I knew what I wanted to do next.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be a dive bar without a little food. Options include a fried bologna sandwich called the “Fried Malarky Sandwich,” Frito pie that’s called “Hot Slop;” and its vegan version called “Healthy Hot Slop.” Three hot dogs will be available: The Pickle Puppy (mustard, pickle spear, fried onions), The Greyhound, and The Dirty Dog, which is topped with chili and cheese.
“I love the idea of bringing some levity to the names of things,” Wilson says. “We’ve got a fried bologna sandwich. What’s another name for baloney, ‘malarkey,’ which is also a colloquialism in Texas.”
Beverage options include classic cocktails — listed on the menu “Hooch” — like a whiskey and cola (named Wiskey Cola), a “Vodka Soduh,” a gin and tonic, and a ranch water. Non-alcoholic, “Not Hooch” options include “Lemnade,” “Red Punch,” sodas, and iced tea (sweetened and unsweetened). In keeping with the dive bar theme, the bar will serve Lone Star, Miller High Life in pony bottles, and Saint Arnold’s Art Car IPA.
“The success to this menu is collaborative,” explains Justin Rink, Meow Wolf’s national director for food and beverage. “Same as art. Art is a collaboration in expression. When you’re planning the wedding of the century, you have a board with all these visions on there. We made a board of what makes a dive bar a dive bar. From that point, we talked through each specific thing. What could fit, what could work for the operational team.”
Cowboix Hevvven has a jukebox stocked with songs written by lead artist Cole Wilson. Photo by Kate Russell
Wilson also collaborated with Texas musicians to stock Cowboix Hevvven’s jukebox. In addition to songs by both national and regional artists, Wilson wrote 30 originals that are inspired by a number of eras and genres. Working with a team of musicians, he wrote songs in the style of Hank Williams, 80s legends like Dolly Parton, and event alt-country favorites like Wilco.
“The vivacious, levity-loving dude that I am, I just cannot help but write stuff that’s total sad bastard music,” Wilson says. “I love Townes Van Zandt and John Prine, real songwriters’ songwriters. It was fun to go through the exercise of trying to write something through that filter.”
As Meow Wolf revealed last month, the Houston installation will be called Radio Tave — a riff on “radio wave.” Described in press materials as a radio station that’s been transported to another dimension, Meow Wolf visitors will be able to explore dozens of rooms filled with interactive elements such as hidden doors, paths, and portals.
Ahead of its opening on October 31, Meow Wolf released a preview commercial starring Houston hip hop artist Fat Tony. For tickets and more information, visit the Meow Wolf website.
