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Categories: Dance Clubs, Bars, Music Venues, American (New)
Neighborhood: Allston/BrightonPleasant Street (Green)
Mon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"All I have to say is WOW... my food here was beyond amazing. The environment was pleasant well light with no overly loud sounds. My type…" read more »
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This is actually a great place to see a show. it's a smallish venue, but there are balconies for those who don't fancy being crammed into the crowd by the stage. I've seen a bunch of different types of music here, with varying crowd density, and it's always been accomodating. Never noticed any equipment or sound problems, and while it gets crowded, there are always lanes to get to the bar/bathroom.
Also, the bartenders are very efficient. Not that "2 PBRs" is a hard thing to remember, but when you are seeing a loud band, it is awesome to not have to shout your order to the bartender. last time i was here, for a pretty crowded show, every time i approached the bar, the bartender would immediately put up 2 fingers, i would nod, and i would leave with 2 PBRs in less than a minute. Totally efficient, totally awesome because it prevents people from having to yell over the band, and honestly, just really good service.
I just don't love it.
Mostly, I'm a fan of small, intimate venues. But I always get the sense no one ever thinks to clean this place between shows. I like places to feel cozy, not crowded. And for a concert venue, the acoustics aren't all that great. Sometimes I also get the impression that they put little to no alcohol in their mixed drinks.
But you know what? They get some really awesome shows. So I keep coming back. I just hope each time it'll be a little cleaner and cozier and drunker.
I'm writing specifically about the concert hall, as opposed to the connecting lounge (which, incidentally, is a great place to check out a Sox game).
I've been to a number of shows at the Dise, and for the most part it's a very solid venue, suitable for both intimate affairs and raucous dance parties. The acoustics aren't anything special, but it's a small enough space that you'll have no problem with sound no matter where you are.
The Dise consistently gets pretty good acts. Just looking over their upcoming schedule, we've got Lotus, Blind Pilot, Jesus Lizard, and Mew in the near future. They usually will have at least one band you'd be interested in seeing.
Beers are reasonably priced, 4-5 bucks for something in your hand, and the bar is tucked away in a place that it won't interfere with your concert experience.
My only beef with this place is those damned columns right in the middle of the floor. If you're going to a more popular act, do yourself a favor and get there early-ish. If not, you WILL be stuck behind those things, and it sucks.
I've been to this place as both an artist and audience, and it is one of my fav venues for both.
As an artist you have your backstage room, big enough to keep all your equipment and get ready.
For the audience, its not crazy small, nor too big, its a closed space so you dont need to deal with people smoking (if you are not a smoker) nor you have to deal with drunks, etc.
Tix are usually in the $30's range, but its totally worth it.
I went to see the Raveonettes last night at the Paradise Rock Club and thought both they and the venue were great!
They seem to be cracking down a bit on ID's as they rejected my NYS ID initially. After another employee looked at it I was in. I am 24, btw. The drinks seemed reasonably priced. I only had one at the lounge though so I'm not sure what the quality was at the bar in the club.
Doors opened a little later than posted but the first band, The Black Angels, went on right on schedule. My view from the balcony was great and unobstructed. I would advise to stand and not sit on the seats once the show starts as many people like to stand at the balcony.
After a technical difficulty The Raveonettes went on and put on a great show. I could see them just as well, although the flashing lights that were used while they performed were grating at times. The sound was great and I have no other complaints about the show or the venue.
On a side note the club is very accessible on the Green Line of the T. Take the B part of the Green Line to Pleasant Street and the club is right across the street.
I would definitely recommend going to the Paradise Rock Club to see your favorite band if you're in Boston.
I am totally unimpressed with this place. I've been in for a few shows and obviously because I liked the performers. The venue isn't that great and I literally had to turn back a friend's drink because it smelled like vomit. And why did it smell like vomit? Because someone booted near it the night before. I understand that these things can happen but if you know someone booted near something consumable, like, I don't know.. beer? Why wouldn't you AT LEAST hose that shit down with a bit of Dawn Dish Soap and some water? I was utterly disgusted and haven't returned since!
I have been to quite a few shows here over the last couple of years. It is a pretty good place to see a show. Easy to get to, not all that to hard to find parking at, reasonably priced beers and there are alot of good vantage points to watch the show from.
I've been to a handful of small venues for concerts in the Boston area, but hadn't been to the Paradise Rock Club until this past week to see Mark Lanegan. Man, I've been missing out! Bands big and small have come through here, and I'm kicking myself for missing so many of them. This is a great club to see a band up close and personal. I'll definitely be going back.
One side of the establishment is the poster-riddled hallway leading into the venue, and the other side is the lounge. I'd say the lounge is more ideal for grabbing a bite before a show rather than going there solely for dinner or drinks. The menu isn't that big - a few entrée and salad items, a few sandwiches, and a handful of appetizers. If you're like me and prefer tap over bottled beer, it's worth keeping in mind that you can't get beer on tap (only bottles) in the club, so get it from the bar in the lounge and bring it in with you. The staff is cool with it.
There's probably about twenty feet between the stage and the point at which you enter the club. The floor is plenty wide though, and there's a balcony level to observe from too. Other than getting stuck behind the big pole in the middle of the floor, there isn't a bad place to stand.
The only thing I questioned for the Mark Lanegan show was the stage lighting. It was dimmed red, which is the worst color for lighting. Also, not a single light was on Mark, and you'd think there would at least be one on the singer. I could barely see his face. Maybe that's what the band wanted, who knows? I'm not sure what the rules are for flash cameras in there, but people were using flash anyway. I only did it once and felt bad for the performers' sake.
I can't comment on the food as I've never eaten there, but since the place is hardly marketing up its role as a restaurant, I don't think it's necessary to review the food.
Paradise has great shows nearly every night. I've seen quite a few shows here, from chill indie pop bands to heavy hitters and metal. The crowd is always good! It's a mid-sized venue similar to the floor space of the Middle East, but with the addition of the cool balcony section up top.
Is it wrong that I secretly love this place because it reminds me of "The Bronze" in Buffy? It does. A lot. Also, I don't think it's just me because a friend of mine said to me on her first visit there, "Whoa, it's the Bronze! Where's Spike?"
They have cheap beer and cider and moderately priced mixed drinks, great music, affordable ticket prices, which can be purchased in person and without ridiculous service/convenience charges, and the bathroom is hilariously gross. Seriously, someone hurled in the bathroom during a sold-out show and the staff threw broken down cardboard boxes over it instead of cleaning it. Paradise, indeed!
Saw CKY there over the weekend, it was fine. Drinks aren't overpriced, bartenders/bouncers are fine.
In the show, the sound is alright and the floor is big enough to move around.
After reading a lot of these reviews I think that people just don't get what a true rock show experience is about.
You can buy tickets at the box office and avoid those stank Live Nation fees.
You can always find a really decent place to stand during the show.
They sell Pabst tallboys. $4 is better than $7 like a lot of places.
You can grab a snack at the lounge before the show.
The awesome sound system could blow your ears out!!
Multiple levels to stand on with bars on the top and bottom levels.
You have to take it for what it is. A no frills, gritty rock venue. So don't come here expecting fancy drinks, glamorous decor, and vip treatment. Don't expect to not get thrashed around a bit or covered in sweat. Just grab a beer and dive into the crowd head first. What's the point of going to a show if you don't want to feel the music all up in your face??!
I should preface this review by saying I used to frequent The Paradise when I was younger, and perhaps more generous in wasting my time. I have seen many a rock show, and the Paradise used to be solid. Used to being the operative point of that sentence. The set up is good acoustically, and it's easy to get a good view of the show.
Cara and I had tickets to see Peaches last Sunday, and the doors were to open at 7 P.M., and the opening band was to go on at 8 P.M. Doors were STILL closed at 10 P.M. when we gave up on waiting and went home. Why? I'd called twice and been had two crappy phone interaction with the staff. I was appalled at how rudely I was treated and that there was NO apology for the delay. At all. Nor were any of the staff accessible outside to ask what the hell was going on and why the show wasn't already going on. On my second phone call, I was told that the doors HAD opened, but I literally was standing outside and saw that the doors were not open. Um, hi, don't lie to people-didn't your momma teach you that?
As of writing this, Cara has had crappy interactions with both LiveNation and The Paradise in her complaints in regards to out experience. I don't care if you're a rock venue, a bar, a salon-you NEED to give a damn about the complaints and concerns of your customers. So far they haven't expressed any concern at all. I'm to the point in my life where I am not really okay with standing in line for three hours, regardless of what band it's for. I am sure that many a 21 year old will, but I am past that point and will think twice in buying tickets to any show at any venue, and I certainly will avoid The Paradise.
The Paradise is definitely the best room in town for seeing your favorite band up close and personal. There are no tough guy bouncers or barricades in your way, just rock n' roll and good vibes. If you really wanted to, you could literally stand a foot away from the artist singing the song that's been bouncing around in your head all year. There's also a nice balcony section where you can get a great view of the stage if you want to avoid the crowd on the floor. Combine all this awesomeness with $4.00 PBR tall boys and you're definitely in for a fun, memorable night. I saw The Weakerthans rock The Paradise last night and I just remember thinking to myself, "Sometimes everything just rules. Sometimes everything is just good."
This is kind of a review for both the rock club and the lounge but my most recent experience was for Simian Mobile Disco(!) at the Rock Club. My friend and I got drinks at the Lounge pre-show, which seemed a little pricey for the atmosphere and location plus the bartender girl appeared to be in her own world a bit. Either way, I already had a good buzz on so walking into the club part to see the openers JDH and Dave P was bound to pleasurable. Not being on drugs or hardcore fans, we moved to the upstairs part to bounce along until Simian came on at 10ish. The biggest reason its 3 stars, not 4, is that for a solid 10 minutes there were technical issues. (Simian guys foul? Paradise's bad? For whichever reason, it was unnecessarily lame.)
In the club, its cash only - Beneficial when you are a "Put it on my tab" kind of girl. PBR and Narragansett for 4 bucks is a bit wack but any place that maintains tall boys on the bar menu is OK by me. Sound and danceability were pretty good, even after we made it to ground level so we could bounce around and throw our hands in the air. It was pretty packed and several vertically un-challenged boys were in front of us but when you have loud music and crazy strobe lights, the priority is not seeing the stage. I might be slightly critical but after walking past this place at least a thousand times while at BU, it has a certain image to live up to.
No worries Paradise, I'll be back.
This review is just for the lounge. For my review of the rock club, see the listing for Paradise Rock Club. My experience at the Paradise Lounge was not stellar - it had maybe one waitress working a fairly large crowd not very quickly - she wandered around, took some people's food and drink orders, then disappeared, meaning I had to wait like 20 minutes just to get my order in. I ordered a panini, which then took a very long time to arrive, and was dry, burnt and cold when it did arrive. Tasted like it had been premade, reheated in a microwave, then sat around geting cold and stale waiting for the slow poke waitress. Came with cold potato chips not fries. Yuck all around. Contrast this to the food you get at oh say the 9:30 in DC where they whip up your order from a little window, have it to you in 15 minutes, it's hot...no contest.
Beer selection was really meh for a place as well known as this, and in Boston yet. I was expecting much more.
I gave two stars and not one because the place is spacious and has a lot of padded seats, although as someone else noted my table was not exactly stable. But overall I expected better. On further visits I wll probably confine myself to the rock club.
I've been here twice and it's pretty much your standard rock club. The club part of the venue is… Read more »
I like seeing shows at Paradise. I've seen a few amazing ones (Liam Finn, Joshua Radin, etc.). It's a neat venue and unbelievably intimate.
Here are the things I like about Paradise:
- Convenient to the T. The Green Line (B) drops you off right in front.
- There is a bar outside the concert area so it's easy to meet friends before the show.
- The sound/acoustics are decent.
- Tickets are usually reasonably priced.
- Decent beer selection and less expensive than most concert venues (plus good service at the bars).
And now for what could do without:
- There is a giant pole in the middle of the room that the musicians play out to. It's a little awkward and can obstruct your view.
- The crowd does back right up into the bar which is kind of annoying.
- The influx of obnoxious college students (I actually almost had a drunk girl try to beat me up after I said that her boyfriend was rude for yelling a nasty anti-gay slur at the artist on stage).
I still give Paradise 4 stars, though, since I do think it's one of the better venues in the Boston area.
The thing I love about this place is that the lounge that serves food. It's very convenient for grabbing a bite to eat before a show. Some of the waitresses have a great sense of humor.
Me: *sits with plate of mostly buffalo wing bones
Her: would you like a to go box?
Me: *not paying much attention say... oh no i'm all set
Her: i know. i was joking.
I made sure that I cleared up this obvious gaffe, and acknowledged that she indeed was funny.
Very strange though, that you can pay with CC at the lounge, but inside the venue accepts cash only. I either get to shows before or during doors, and have never found the lounge crowded*. I've also found that if you go inside the venue by the last opening act before the headliner that you can get a good spot on the floor*.
* There are exceptions. For example, OK GO. WTF? Wanted to see Oppenheimer, who was opening for OK GO. Fn tickets sold out almost 2 months in advance.
I had never been to the Paradise before. Which is absurd because I've been to 300+ shows in my life and never one there. The venue is small, has a crappily designed layout (huge pole in the middle of the floor? kind of a buzzkill), and yet has so much potential. The sound was good. I felt for the band because the stage is pretty small and they had little room to move.
Also, $4 PBR tallboys? Kinda pricey.
The Paradise is a great club for a lot of reasons, but one huge factor are the amazing bands that play here. I had a great experience seeing Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys.
The venue is easy to get to on the T, (green line B train Pleasant st. stop) has a lot of space for Boston, and even has coat check. The bar is separate from the club/stage area, and even the bathrooms are decent. I highly recommend PRC for any event. They even have PBR in tall boy cans, now that is special!
Great place to see anyone...small venue (which I prefer) that has character.
My only complaint would be where the stage is located compared to where you would sit, but who gets to sit at concerts anymore...
Can't wait to see till October to see my next show there...
I've been seeing and working shows here since 1992. I find it funny how people review a club based on a single band's performance / stage show. It's not the club that makes bands late or soundcheck forever (Peaches review below) and a lot of times bands travel with their own sound or lighting crew so don't blame the club for bad sound or lighting when it's the band's people (or the band themselves) responsible. That being said- the current state of the Paradise is about the best it's ever been. Friendly staff, good sound and lighting system for a club it's size, affordable drinks and good (enough) pre-show food in the lounge. They even have a TV in the lounge that has a live feed of the show in the back room so you don't miss a thing if you want to wait until the headliner goes on. Tickets are pretty affordable considering you're seeing a national (or international) act. Where else can you see almost every genre of music live? Rock, metal, indie, hip-hop, punk, alternative, country... you gotta love the Paradise!
Ok...ok. Went last weekend for Sara Bareillis. Didn't bother getting there too early, since I am 26 now, and beyond my waiting-out-in-the-cold-to-get-up-close days.. but.. I kind of wish I had.
Got there around showtime. It was packed everywhere, the only place we could find to stand was in the back by the bar, and between the large pole in the middle of the floor and the tall guys in front of me, I think I saw her face maybe 5 times the whole night... (this sucks...). Also, the entire venue has a pretty grimy feel to it. Trust me, I get the whole rock n roll thing, but it is no longer the grunge era, and cleaning is cool now that its 2009 and not 1996....
The bar downstairs doesn't take credit cards, only the one upstairs, but I didn't want to go upstairs, so mooching off friend for beer. Bar is in a terrible spot, right where people need to walk by, because the crowd was backed all the way up to it.
The bathrooms are too far away from the main venue area.. maybe they were trying to get it halfway between that and the front, I don't know.
Coat check at the end of the night ends up with everyone in a line like you are waiting for Space Mountain at peak tourist season at Disney, and the last leg of the coat check line is by the exit, so you are standing there freezing while waiting to get your coat. The memorabilia table (tees, cds, etc) is also CRAMMED next to the coat check line, so if i had wanted to purchase anything, it would have been a huge project-slash-disaster.
Having made all these complaints... the sound in there is great, and I am in love with the intimacy of it, and how much the artists seem to like playing it, as well. I will definitely be back just because of the artists they pull and how much I enjoyed the show.
The Paradise is one of my favorite places to see a show. It would be perfect if not for the recent setup change (which brought on the beer price jack-up) and the huge pillar in the center of the floor. Other than that, the atmosphere is great and they always manage to book great shows.
I especially like that there are multi-levels - so there's always somewhere to stand with a decent view of the stage.
We caught the Jonathan Coulton show last night at the Paradise and were pleasantly surprised. The space is indeed "weird", but makes sense for the small amount of space they have to work with in there. We headed for the top balcony and grabbed a table, moving forward to catch a glimpse of the show every now and then. (With a show with more visuals, I could see wanting to see more, but a solo act with acoustic guitar doesn't have a lot of visual.) If the Green Line wasn't so damn slow, we might have gotten in earlier and tried for a spot in one of the lower balconies where there was seating, but that's a lesson learned for next time - allow at least two hours to get from Alewife to anywhere on the B line past the Green Line split.
Overall, it's a good venue - nothing fancy, intimate rock club sort of vibe. It was much cleaner than I expected as well, given the reviews here and other places, but I suppose that most of the yuck factor of the bathrooms comes from the audience, and at a Jonathan Coulton concert, the crowd is pretty tame.
We decided to grab a bite to eat before the Jonathan Coulton show last night and since the Paradise… Read more »
I've also never had a bad time here. The crowd is mixed definitely but people are generally pretty friendly. I went there Saturday night before the Kings of Leon show. We got really quick service and stood by the bar and the bartender always watched to make sure we were full. I would give 4 stars but the extra star is for the 3 hot lady bartenders who rocked our world. Thanks girls for getting us good and faced before the show. : )
I saw Liam Finn here Sept 13th.
I unfortunately forget who the opening band was.
But it was Awesome
Hanging out at the balcony was cool, as long as your not over 6'2". The ceilings a very low. They do have a 'lounge' area where there are table and booths.
I for one think the venue is great. With the balcony you can see the performer from different areas and not have to complain about someone taller than you in your way. Since it is a small place, the music may seem louder then it really is, so in fear of hearing damage, bring ear plugs.
It's so close to the Green Line you never have to even think about parking.
A legend on the Boston scene, I have seen countless amazing concerts here. I believe U2 had their first ever American show here in the early 80's.
I have seen so many awesome bands here such as: The Dandy Warhols, Nada Surf, Dear Leader, Poe, The Sheila Divine, Living Coulor, Drive-By Truckers, The Whigs, G Love & Special Sauce, Ben Harper, Thinking of England, God Lives Underwater and more.
Legendary acts like REM, INXS, Billy Joel, Rage Against The Machine, Tom Petty, The Police, Coldplay, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and Blondie all played here early in their careers.
It's a modern dive with class and style. Their is a small floor area and balcony around the upper perimeter to accomodate a number of fans. Large PBR cans are a hit with the beer drinkers. A great rock n' roll experience!
As you may expect from the name, this place has a steady stream of decent rock bands, a nice booze selection, and moderate prices, as well as lots of seats and room to stand. For a place that caters to bands coming in and out, you would think it would have better acoustics than it does, which makes hearing lyrics to songs difficult. But then again, if you just want to listen to the same chord over and again, you might find this as the place to visit.
My first concert at the Dise was in September of 2001 for John Mayer (hehe), about two weeks after starting my education at BU. Most recent show was two nights ago for Mates of State, and I'll say I've been to about two dozen shows in between, give or take. I love live music, and I'm fairly certain the Dise is my favorite venue to partake in this love.
Besides the fact that they show soooo many awesome artists here, the actual venue itself is well-suited for your viewing pleasure: it is pretty difficult to find a bad spot in this joint. I could take away some points for the downstairs women's bathroom, which does often have major stall door problems, but I've seen worse, it doesn't really bother me. I have never had a problem getting served, especially at the lesser-used upstairs bar. Final note: I have wandered in here before for a concert I knew nothing about (Femi Kuti, July 2005) and it was the best live music experience of my life.
Oh one more thing....they have decent box office hours, and that's how I buy a bulk of my tickets....DON'T USE TICKETMASTER!!!!
What is with all the hating on Paradise? Seriously, this is one of the most low-key, down-to-earth, honest-to-god, rock-n-roll clubs in Boston! I'm sorry if it was too "stuffy" for some of you, but if you don't go to a rock show to sweat like an animal and groove to music, then please, just stay home and TiVo the Live 8 concert for the third time. This is not the place you go to look cool drinking overpriced martinis and to meet beefcake bartenders with foreign accents, that's what Lansdowne Street is for, mmmkay? If you want to rock, THIS is the place for THAT.
The folks running this place (when I lived right around the corner a few years back) were chill and decent human beings (not like some of the club nazis out here in San Francisco where I live now). The acts are varied from ho-hum to zomg amazing!!, but LEGENDS have played here in their infancy, and probably many more will. So if you want to be apart of rock history, grab $15 and your ID and get on down to Paradise.
I've been to Paradise a few times before for drinks and general shenanigans, which have always been solid three-star affairs. Nothing special; it's a general boring hipster joint, but alcohol always equals three stars, at least. Additional stars get tagged on as I steadily grow more and more intoxicated until I'm having a 12-star time, and then suddenly I'm in a hotel room trying to pay a bartender to unzip his pants, but I barf all over my money and he leaves.
However, last night I had my first concert-going experience at Paradise, and if I had to describe it in prom night terms, it would have been A Night To Remember. According to Liz, only fools write 5-star-reviews, but she is bitter in her old age, whereas I am young and sassy and tend to throw stars around like a ninja (throwing stars, get it? oh, shut up). Robyn made her eponymous debut here in Boston (even though I think she played New York first, but fuck New York, amiright?), and for $15 bucks I was serenaded by the Swedish pixie no less than four times. Chloe claims I had sex with her after the show, which is something I will neither confirm nor refute. Let's just say we had a connection, and that connection may or may not have been at the loins. Who can say? I was totally wasted off one $27 thimble-sized rum and coke, and things became a little fuzzy toward her encore.
In reality, this whole ordeal was actually a four-and-a-half star affair, as every horrifically coiffed queerling in the city crawled out of the sewers to gyrate around to the tune of "Konichiwa Bitches," but nothing so severe that I couldn't focus on making doe-eyes at Robyn. If the tabloids start reporting her to be pregnant, you can thank me. We're gonna have awesome kids.
I like the Paradise a lot as a venue for shows . It's laid out so no matter where you are, you can enjoy the show, but it's also really easy to get close to the front - I've never come here and not been in the second or third row, and it's not like I arrive obscenely early. Usually people are pretty friendly (probably because they're also pretty drunk).
They like to pretend to be strict about underage drinking -- last night when I went, they X'd my hands and then lectured me about how I must NOT wash them and or hold drinks or have sex until marriage but ... they don't check bags. I've snuck in water bottles filled with vodka before with no hitches whatsoever. LOL IRONY.
So far I've seen Tokyo Police Club and MGMT here. Unfortunately, the audience for MGMT was rife with preppy girls who wanted to sleep with the band, but it was still a good show and I enjoyed it as much as I could given the, erm, circumstances. And that had nothing to do with the venue.
UPDATE: I saw Wolf Parade here a few weeks ago and it was one of the best shows I've been to. I officially love this venue -- it's the crowd that can make or break it on any given visit, though.
Ok Paradise, your bathroom stall door was hanging upside down and your paint is peeling but, you're a ROCK club and that's ok. In fact, we should all be thankful that we're not trudging through piles of vom, dirty needles, and broken glass. I bought my ticket to see Robyn for a measley $15 ($26 after taxes, etc) which was more than worth it. What I didn't notice immediately was that I had purchased tickets for an 18+ show. What's a girl to do? My experience @ Girl Talk earlier last year had left a putrid vommy taste in my mouth. But this worked out ok, we roosted stage left and then saw more gays here than one normally would even outside Club Cafe.
Drink prices were "eh", far cheaper than Avalon but when I'm getting a meds cup sized portion of vodka and soda water for $7, it leaves a little to be desired (and by little, I mean a lot because I desire MORE). We were let in without any harassment from the bouncers (Middle East, I'm looking in your direction) and took a spot on one of the side boxes adjoining the stage. The sound was pretty great here and it didn't seem as if there were a bad seat in the house. Robyn sounded phenomenal, we even had to question whether or not she was lip syncing because the sound quality of her voice was so dead on in comparison to her album. She engaged the crowd quite a bit, even locking eyes with us for uncomfortable amounts of time. And then Adam had sex with her. The end.
Ive never had a bad time here. Best place in boston to see a show. depending on the show you can usually mingle with the band if they are wondering around. Bartenders are ridiculously nice so tip them well. Bathrooms are pretty disgusting but standing in piss while talking with the drummer of your favorite band is an unforgettable experience
I've been to Paradise on exactly four occasions:
1) Mission of Burma, July 2006
2) Rick Webb's Barbarian Party, December 2007
3) Yelp Elite event, February 2008
4) Tapes 'N Tapes, April 2008
Oh, and I went to Paradise Lounge right next door a couple of years ago for Boston Babydolls' amateur burlesque night. I don't go to shows all that much (can you tell?), but all of the shows @ Paradise were extremely decently priced and rocked my box each time.
The setup is optimal for checking out the act no matter where you happen to be. At Mission of Burma I was in front of the stage, whereas at Tapes 'N Tapes I was off to the side, in front of the seats. The latter was pretty sweet because it gave me the option of a) standing or sitting and being able to still see the stage, and b) ridiculing those who only knew that one Tapes 'N Tapes song and decided to rock out.
The bathrooms? Not so amazing, but it is indeed a "rock club". In my opinionhas a long way to go before it resembles that bathroom in Trainspotting. I've seen much, much worse (bathroom @ Rumor, anyone?) To date I have not seen any of the following: dirty needles, hepatitis, broken glass, or despair. However, I have seen some suspicious-looking puddles of water (?), but no vom. Yay?
The bar is nothing to write home about. I tend to stay away from ordering drinks at venues like Paradise (except for that time I was parked right in front of the bar @ Avalon during the Rilo Kiley show and managed to rack up a $60 bar bill all by myself, but I digress), the two exceptions being the Barbarian party and the Yelp event, when the drinks were free. See a pattern forming?
At any rate, I'm sure I'll be back @ Paradise the next time a band I fancy is coming to play and I feel like congregating with dirty indie kids.
Ever since the close of Avalon, I hasn't been to a concert venue that I really enjoyed. Until Paradise.
Came here for the Sara Bareilles concert with fellow Yelper Trish. They were letting people in through the lounge, because, we were informed that there is new management and there are no longer any shows being played in the lounge. I thought for a minute Trish was going to cry. lol She spent a good 20 minutes lamenting the demise of the Paradise Lounge, and owed to start a petition to get acts back into it. Bless her.
Anyway, cut to about 30 minutes later, we go to the bathroom. Trish informs me that there are doors on the bathrooms stalls again. Hooray? Although, her stalls door was on upside down.
Anyway, cut to us going back into the lounge area. A line has formed....wha? Oh well, we had been there until before those bastards. So we just kind of waited on the side. There was a group of some other girls waiting as well. Well, this douche to the right of us decides to make a scene about how we're cutting the line, and called one of the other girls the "C" word. (Mind you, this asshole was arguing about getting prime seating to a SARA BAREILLES concert....yeah, and he was with his GF btw). Anyway, after that battle we decide to hit the balcony. I had never been on the balcony before.
Sitting on the balcony made me realize there really isn't a bad seat in the house (Unless you get stuck behind the two poles). You can see the stage from almost anywhere. I think next time I'll go for the bench seats on the side. There are booths in the balcony, but I was afraid of losing my area on the balcony. Drinks are expensive, and while I SAW the bartender pour a lot of booze into my cup, I really didn't notice....
The concert was awesome, except, when Rachel Yamaguta was on, they screwed up the sound and we couldn't hear her half the time. When Sara was up, they kept everything so DARK. I don't know if they were trying to create a "mood" but it made my eyes hurt from squinting.
Even with those minor glitches, I had a great time at the concert. I look forward to a few more shows there. And hopefully Trish's influence will bring back the Lounge to its former glory.
For someone such as myself who spent the better part of 15 years chasing bands around the country to grab a live music fix any chance I got, I've seen a lot of venues. And while the Paradise will never be my first choice in a venue, it certainly holds its own.
I think the key to enjoying yourself at the Paradise is making sure you go with friends, and also being knowledgeable about the band you are going to see. I wouldn't wander in to the Paradise randomly one evening to see music I wasn't familiar with, because I think I'd find it to be uncomfortable and grimy. However, if I am going to see a band I dig, and I have some buddies with me, I can concentrate on the good stuff and then the grimy stuff doesn't seem so bad.
You can easily view the stage from most of the floor, which is great; most venues this size don't have that luxury. There are some tables here and there, though don't depend on being able to snag one. If it's cold out and you're coming with a coat or sweater or have a bag or something with you, make sure you keep your things close to you; there's no real central and safe location to stow them away for the night.
Sometimes getting served at the bar can be tricky. Women who are used to being served quicker than their male counterparts will find that the bias is reversed there. So it goes.
There are couches on the balconies and there's rarely a bad spot in the house to see the music so you're likely to be all set wherever you wind up. Just come early and have your pick of the place and you should be good to go.
The Paradise Rock Club is one of the best venues to catch local and national acts in Boston. Though it is small, the club is very versatile - the space is suited to the hushed academic wordplay of The Decemberists' frontman Colin Meloy as much as the stomping energy of Mute Math or Band of Horses.
If you arrive early enough, you can get up front, which is a completely surreal experience considering some of the acts that stop here will go on to play much larger venues. The beer prices are very reasonable and the staff is typically very friendly.
One thing I always hated before I was able to legally purchase "adult sodas" was the enormous X's that are drawn on both hands by the doorstaff. It took the better part of a week to get those off.
Though I prefer to be right up front, the balconies do offer a cool perspective. Just be wary of the ceiling support poles - they can obstruct the view.
One of the poles used to have a sign (facing the stage) that said "Paradise Rock Club. Boston, MA." I think it was Matt Nathanson who commented on how unnecessarily hilarious that was - and how indicative of the touring lifestyle it is that a sign would be necessary to cue performers as to where the hell they are. "Good evening.......Boston......Glad to....be here?"
The drinks are pretty cheap but not to strong. The security guards are not intimidating at all and too stupid to realize that half of the people I was with were using fakes. Its got a really cool lounge with food that will fill you and most likely you'll be too drunk of $ 4 PBR tallboys to realize that its not that good.
You're probably wondering why I gave this place four stars. The thing is I'm under 21 nd this is one of the few places in Boston that I can get into so I find myself here on a reg and I love it. Cool amotsphrere and most people are pretty legit... except from those few people that come out and for bands that havent been around since the 90s and they are bald with goatee or other weird facial hair and thick rimmed glasses with their girlfriends with retro 'cool' haircuts and polka dot dresses.
okay a lot more negative than I intended but I still love this place!
So, my first adventure at Paradise Rock Club started wonderfully. I heard a bit late that Apocalyptica would be in town, and by the time I tried to get a ticket, they were already sold out. Determined to see the show, I braved the rain, and took along a sign that said "I need a ticket please!" and stood outside holding it.
Not ten minutes went by, and a kind gentleman (who must have taken pity on me standing there drenched with no umbrella) asked if I needed a ticket to Apocalyptica. I nodded and he reached into his pocket and handed me a ticket. I went to give him some money, but he told me it wasn't necessary. Awwwwwwwww! Already liking this place because of the cool patrons.
Anyhow, got into the lounge area and had a Cape Cod (w/Grey Goose). It's my usual drink when I go to clubs, and it was good. Not too strong, but not too weak, and $8. Usually pay around $9, so a bit cheaper than normal. The poor girl next to me got a Red Bull sans alcohol, and had to pay the steep price tag of $4. Ouch!
I am really happy to say that they were fine with me bringing a camera. More and more venues seem to be pretty picky about that these days.
Once the doors to the club opened, I headed in pretty much immediately and got an awesome standing spot to the right of the stage, in the front. I stayed here the entire time, and it was a perfect view. My biggest complaint, which could be faulted to the band, was the time on the ticket. Initially I heard doors were at 9pm. But they turned out to be 8pm. The band didn't get on the stage until around 2 hours after... so I was standing for quite a while. Chatted with the girl next to me, but... it was boring to say the least. I would say that it would be safe to get there late, but if you want to be close, you're going to have to go early. Make sure you wear a comfy pair of shoes.
The stage looked great, and the sound was decent... for most of the show. Somewhere in the middle the drums seemed to get extremely loud, drowning out the vocals and cellos. So... yeah... that's the main reason I'm dinging them a star.
PARKING: There is a lot near the club, around the block, with a steep $25 price tag. However, I was determined not to spend that much, so I drove around a bit. If you pass the club, and make a left onto the next street (you'll pass T. Anthony's pizza), and go to the residential area, you will find street parking for free after 6pm. Before that it's two-hour parking. So don't waste your money, it's not much further to walk.
I would go back again happily, especially to see a favorite band.
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