Rock stars, VIP seating, backstage access and high-quality sound — all right in your backyard. The Georgia 120 Tavern & Music Hall at 1440 Roswell Road in Marietta offers a live music experience — with more than a few extras — and removes the hassle of traveling downtown for entertainment. With records and posters of legendary artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones decking the walls, this place is all about the music — and so much more.

Owners Sam Ivey and Joe Ivey are cousins with business in their blood. Their grandfather, George Ivey, 91, was a real estate developer after World War II and left his mark on facilities such as local hospitals and Air Force bases. By trade, Sam is a real estate broker, and Joe is a lawyer and CPA. However, this undertaking is a first for both.

The multipurpose facility is the former location of Sidelines, which closed in April. The Iveys took over the operations in November 2011 and ran the business under its former name until April.

Sam said, “Over the years, even though they had bands in there, a lot of people didn’t even know what it was in there and what was going on. It has been underutilized and undermarketed. One of the things we wanted to do was bring bigger acts and bigger bands in here and expand the capacity of the music venue.”

Now, approximately 300 people can enjoy concerts in the music hall by bands and artists such as Fuel, Mark Chesnutt, Drivin N Cryin, all of which have performed there. In the future, the Iveys aim to have national headliner at least once a month, but regional and local bands play weekly

Performer amenities include dressing rooms for lead singers and musicians, a VIP area and rear parking for tour buses. Meet-and-greets also take place in a reserved area. Two garage doors bearing the 120 Tavern logo separate the music room from the bar/restaurant area but can be raised so fans can enjoy the show from any spot in the venue.

A smaller stage is located outside, complete with Tiki Bar and volleyball court, which has several tons of sand for a real beach experience. Space is also available for rent for special events.

Additional events include weekly poker, karaoke and trivia nights. 120 Tavern also operates as a full-service restaurant and bar.

HD TVs and projectors line the walls, making for an ultimate sports experience with college football approaching. Joe said this technology is unmatched in this area and others in Atlanta.

Both said having a 15,000-square-foot facility is advantageous to this area. “Marietta residents can see top-quality music up to national acts and don’t have drive to Atlanta,” Joe said. “To get (high-quality) music that you would see at similar-sized venues down in the city — you can have it here.”

Although people think of the place as a sports bar, Sam said, “We really also want to brand ourselves as a legitimate music venue, somewhere for folks in Marietta and surrounding areas can come through and see top-quality music.”

Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. For more information, visit www.120tavern.com or call (770) 509-3320.