Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
local ensembles, students and instructors from the Berklee College of Music, and the
occasional local or international star, starts every night at 9pm. Monday is blues night.
Open daily until 2am.
Tip:
I can't promise anything, but big-name performers in
town to play bigger venues have been known to turn up at Wally's afterward.
427 Massa-
chusetts Ave.
&
617/424-1408.
www.wallyscafe.com. No cover; 1-drink minimum. T: Orange Line to
Mass. Ave.
ROCK
Bill's Bar
Long known as the only real hangout on Lansdowne Street, Bill's has a
friendly atmosphere and a great beer menu. It books lots of live performers, including
local favorites like the Dropkick Murphys, and reggae on Sunday. Open nightly from
9pm to 2am.
5
1
⁄
2
Lansdowne St.
&
617/421-9678.
www.billsbar.com. Cover $5-$15, usually $10 or
less. T: Green Line B, C, or D to Kenmore.
The Middle East
The best rock club in the area and one of the best in New
England, the Middle East books an impressive variety of progressive and alternative
artists in two rooms (upstairs and downstairs) every night. Showcasing top local tal-
ent as well as bands with local roots and international reputations, it's a popular
hangout that gets crowded, hot, and
loud.
The Middle East is the heart of a com-
plex that incorporates the
Corner,
a former bakery that features acoustic artists
most of the time and belly dancers on Sunday and Wednesday, and
ZuZu,
a Mid-
dle Eastern restaurant that has its own music schedule and gallery space with rotat-
ing art exhibits. Most shows are 18-plus (ZuZu is 21-plus); the age of the crowd
varies with the performer.
472-480 Massachusetts Ave., Central Sq., Cambridge.
&
617/864-
EAST
or 617/931-2000 (Ticketmaster). www.mideastclub.com. Cover $7-$15 (ZuZu cover $3 Fri-Sat
only). T: Red Line to Central.
Paradise Rock Club
Hard by the Boston University campus, the medium-size
Paradise draws enthusiastic, student-intensive crowds for top local rock and alterna-
tive performers. You might see national names who want a relatively small venue and
others who aren't ready to headline a big show on their own (lately, Fountains of
Wayne, the Donnas, and the Lemonheads). Most shows are 18-plus.
967-969 Common-
wealth Ave.
&
617/562-8800
or 617/423-NEXT for tickets. www.thedise.com. T: Green Line B to Pleas-
ant St.
Toad
Essentially a bar with a stage, this narrow, high-ceilinged space draws
a savvy three-generation clientele attracted by local big-name performers—rock, rock-
abilly, and sometimes blues—and the lack of a cover charge. Toad enjoys good acoustics
but not much elbow room—a plus when restless performers wander into the crowd.
1912 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge.
&
617/497-4950
(info line). www.toadcambridge.com. T: Red Line
to Porter.
Value
Rock of Ages
Bring your driver's license or passport when you go club-hopping, no matter
how old you think you look—you must be 21 to drink alcohol, and the law is
strictly enforced. Most bouncers won't risk a fine or license suspension, espe-
cially at 18-plus shows.
Tips
