Page 164 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

162  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

Music and Nightlife everywhere, little happens
until late at night; in Boston
Boston’s mix of young professionals and tens of thousands nothing gets going until at
of college students produces a lively nightlife scene, focused least 11pm. Housed in a
on live music, clubs, and bars. Ever since the 1920s, Boston centrally located boutique
has been especially hospitable to jazz, and it still has an hotel, the Emerald Lounge
attracts a mix of youngsters
interesting jazz scene, with Berklee College of Music playing and out-of-towners looking
an important part. Cambridge is an epicenter of folk and to groove on the dance floor.
acoustic music revivals and alt-rock, while Lansdowne Street The Grand Canal near North
near Fenway Park (see p166) is the main district for nightclubs. Station features techno and
Virtually every neighborhood has a selection of friendly house music for a youthful
clientele. Located in the heart
bars, often with live music.
of the Theater District, Whisky
Saigon attracts the city’s jet
set with pricey bottle service
Rock Music Square is a music lover’s delight, and the latest in dance and
The House of Blues chain of and features open mic sessions techno beats. Sleek Venu is
rock clubs was born in Greater on Mondays and bluegrass on the top spot where the young
Boston, and its return to the Tuesdays, while the weekends and chic go for post-midnight
city has spawned its largest and feature live blues, R&B, funk, and dancing. From its Back Bay
most successful club yet, on soul. The Cantab also runs subterranean home, Storyville
Lansdowne Street, near Fenway popular Wednesday night provides one the city’s most
Park. There are standing-room poetry “slams.” in-demand dance spots,
concerts on most nights. With filled with intimate nooks
four performance spaces, the Folk and World Music and crannies. Also popular
Middle East in Cambridge’s is the Royale in the Theater
Central Square leads the Harvard Square’s Club Passim is District, with classy touches
alternative rock scene, featuring a folk music legend, the hangout such as doormen instead of
both local bands and touring in the late 1950s and early 1960s bouncers, marble walls, and
newcomers. Larger rock concert for the likes of Joan Baez and a vast dance floor.
venues are the Orpheum Van Morrison, and still one
Theatre and the arena seating of of the United States’ key clubs
TD Garden, used at other times in the touring life of singer- Bars
for hockey and basketball games. songwriters. The Center for Arts The legal drinking age in
at the Armory, near Somerville’s Boston is 21, and you may
Union Square, houses studio be asked to show proof of
Jazz and Blues
spaces for artists, a café, galleries, identification (see p174).
The city’s largest concert and two performance areas in Boston has many bars
venue for jazz is the Berklee a historic armory. It attracts a (see also p151), but many,
Performance Center in Back wide variety of musical acts such as those listed below,
Bay, which draws on faculty and from unknown folk artists to are specifically themed, offer
students from Berklee College international world music acts. live entertainment, or place
of Music as well as touring Davis Square is a couple of Red a strong emphasis on being
performers. More intimate Line stops farther out from “party” venues. The bar at
settings include Scullers Jazz Harvard station, but well worth Mistral is typical of the
Club overlooking the Charles the trip for the bustling music increasingly upscale places
River in Brighton, the small scene in bars and periodic springing up in Boston, where
hall for aficionados at the performances by comedians, the young and the beautiful
Multicultural Arts Center in singer-songwriters, and even like to meet and play. More
East Cambridge, and the suave acoustic string bands at the down to earth are some of
elegance of the Regattabar just venerable Somerville Theatre. Boston’s Irish bars offering
off Harvard Square. No-frills, International acts ranging live music and the obligatory
neighborhood jazz thrives at from Afro-pop to ska play pints of Guinness. Among
Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge’s at many large venues across these are The Phoenix
Inman Square. The musical Boston in a concert series Landing, a welcoming Irish
parent of jazz, the blues, is also presented by the music pub in Central Square lined
alive and well. Wally’s in the promoters World Music. with mahogany and featuring
South End has an ambience English football on cable
that is pure 1940s juke joint, but Nightclubs and Discos television as well as lively
there’s no denying the veracity retro-themed dance nights;
of the jazz wailing from its Boston has a club for just The Burren that features
narrow confines. The Cantab about every type of dance some of the finest live Irish
Lounge in Cambridge’s Central music. Like club scenes music in the area, and the

162-163_EW_Boston.indd 162 09/01/17 12:15 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
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Date 5th March 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm