Over the Moon for Julie: The heart behind Tallahassee's favorite stage

Anyone in Tallahassee who listens to live music — scratch that — anyone with ears and a pulse — knows The Moon. And anyone who knows The Moon knows Scott Carswell: the man, the myth, the tour manager to the stars, the master of the backstage firmament.

Step into the smaller rooms at The Moon and you’ll find walls papered with proof: a constellation of signed photos from the likes of Joe Cocker, George Clinton, Willie Nelson, and Hall & Oates, all thanking Scott for a great night in Tallahassee. It’s like a rock-and-roll yearbook with better lighting and more mullets.

The Moon marked it's 40th anniversary on April 24, 2025, and the Carswell family was recognized by Bill Proctor for the County and Mayor Dailey for the City for their contributions to the arts and nonprofits. Scott was honored with a proclamation from the County Commissioners on May 13 and the Key to the City from the Mayor on May 14.

Scott and Julie Carswell, proprietors of The Moon, with County Commissioner Bill Proctor after being recognized with a proclamation from County Commissioners on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. The Moon marked its 40th anniversary on April 24, 2025

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Scott has stories, too — ask him about the time Joey Ramone disappeared before a show. An APB went out. People scattered across town. Panic rose. Then, with five minutes to curtain, Scott lifted a banquet table’s tablecloth and found Joey napping underneath, dead to the world and snoring like a baby in leather pants. The show, naturally, went on.

But here’s the thing: The Moon may have been Carswell’s dream, but he didn’t build it alone. The one who keeps the dream orbiting smoothly is his wife, Julie Carswell.

Scott handles artist booking, production, and headliner wrangling, but Julie has quietly — and fiercely — become the real gravitational force behind The Moon.

The Moon has undergone a $400,000 renovation that includes new floors, revamped bathrooms and an upgraded production booth.

Officially, she’s the director of operations. Unofficially? She’s everything else.

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Need front-of-house staff? Julie’s got it covered. Private event rental contracts? She’s on it. Accounting? Check. If a bartender calls in sick, Julie will jump behind the bar, mix a perfect cocktail, and probably remember your birthday. If your wedding at The Moon needs a little something extra, she’ll head into her backyard and handpick palms, flowers, moss, and whatever else grows within reach — all in heels and a flawless shade of lipstick.

She doesn’t just run the show — she moonlights in every department. Literally.

Her ability to shift from management to manual labor is legendary. There’s a good chance the napkins were folded by her, the tablecloths ironed with her own two hands, and the bartender’s playlist curated by Julie herself — likely while holding a clipboard in one hand and a bouquet of homegrown hibiscus in the other.

People say she makes it happen — and they’re right. If Scott is the stage, Julie is the spotlight. If Scott’s the rocket, Julie is Mission Control.

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Case in point: Just last month, when the Carswells received the Key to the City of Tallahassee — a rare and meaningful honor — the plaque only had Scott’s name on it, but in true Tallahassee fashion, Mayor John Dailey made it clear: “It would not have happened without Julie.” Everyone nodded. Everyone knew.

Scott and Julie Carswell and family with Mayor John Dailey and Diane Williams Cox after getting the Key to the City from the Mayor on Wednesday, May 14. 2025. The Moon marked the 40th anniversary of its opening on April 24, 2025,

Their story isn’t just about running a venue. It’s a Tallahassee love story with deep roots. Julie and Scott were both born at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

Julie’s grandparents were best friends with Scott’s parents after returning from World War II. Their lives have long orbited each other, eventually colliding in a match made not just in heaven, but in Leon County.

Scott’s lineage runs deep — his great-grandfather founded Elberta Crate and Box Company here in the late 1800s, formally opening it in 1920. His father served as a federal judge; his mother raised the family. And somehow, in this lineage of precision and protocol, Scott emerged with a backstage pass and a killer ear for a hook.

Scott and Julie Carswell with family and DJ Demp after getting the Key to the City from Mayor John Dailey on Wednesday, May 14. April 24, 2025, marked the 40th anniversary of the opening of The Moon.

Julie? She brought the polish, the presence, and the pulse. The Moon was already glowing — but she made it shine.

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Ask anyone who’s planned an event at The Moon—corporate galas, weddings, fundraisers, sweaty dance nights, you name it—and they’ll say the same thing: Julie handled it. Calmly, cleverly, and with grace. She’s the person who gets it done while making you feel like it’s no trouble at all. (Spoiler: it is trouble. She just hides it really well.)

The Moon marked its 40th anniversary of its opening on April 25, 2025.

So this one’s for Julie — the woman who makes The Moon spin, the force behind the curtain, the one who never misses a beat, even when the music stops. We don’t always see her in the spotlight, but without her, the lights wouldn’t come on at all.

From all of us who’ve danced under your spinning lights, toasted beneath your table settings, and fallen in love up in your balconies — thank you. You’ve turned a music venue into something cosmic.

NYC native James Alexander Bond is the Artistic Director of the Southern Shakespeare Company and is more than halfway towards his personal goal of directing all 37 works in the Bard of Avon's canon. Visit his website at nycDirector.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Over the Moon for Julie: The heart behind Tallahassee's favorite stage