Something Something With the Radio On: The Best Live Music Venues in Boston

Great Scott seems synonymous with the stereotype I illustrated above. It is probably where this week’s big internet sensation is going to play next time they come around, but they manage to snag as many shows of substance as anyone else does. There’s nothing trendy about friendly staff, good beer, and the occasional free afternoon barbecue.

I’ve only been to the Midway a handful of times, but they recently (as in, within the last week or so) have gotten a new booking person and have already begun stepping up their game. The Midway’s kind of a dive, but considering the fact that, in this case “dive” basically means cheap drinks and very little natural light, you might as well go ahead and count me in.

TT’s is all right. Some of my fondest Boston show memories took place here (The Wrens!), but the mid-2000’s rise of Great Scott as a venue seems to have all but killed off its live music prospects, with only the occasional high-profile show. Many would say good riddance to the venue with the worst sound in the city. Maybe I’m among them, maybe I’m not. There’s still the occasional worthwhile show here, though, so maybe TT’s isn’t out of the fight yet.

I’ve never set foot in Harper’s Ferry, but I’ve come mighty close a handful of times. Maybe I’ll have twenty-five dollars burning a whole in my pocket next time Dr. Octagon/Kool Keith comes to town, and there I’ll be. Harper’s does exist, though, and it seems to carry a lot of music that caters to people other than myself, so I assume it warrants mentioning.

The Plough and Stars has been an on-again-off-again Central Square institution for quite some time. Many of the shows they host are folkier or bluesier offerings, but I heard the singer from Urge Overkill played there solo not too long ago and that it was hilarious. The Plough’s secret weapon is its tremendously awesome staff and the fact that it’s secretly one of the best restaurants in the Boston area. I also DJ at the Plough and Stars once a month. Hooray.

I guess the Middle East qualifies as the quintessential Boston music venue. It’s what most people outside the city have heard of, and what most of Boston’s classic musical exports cite as their sort of home base. I’m well aware that I got into the game late, but I’ve never known anything particularly homey about this place. The bigger, downstairs room is a fine place to see a band, however, and the worse-sounding, smaller upstairs room has a neat habit of booking bands that could probably play larger venues if they wanted to.

Following what is now a tradition of mentioning pizza places for no reason, I feel like I’d be remiss in talking about the Mideast and TT’s without mentioning Hi-Fi, the awful pizza place across the street that is the perfect place to go when the second band is unwatchable.

The paradise is a large, cavernous-sounding, utilitarian room with a giant pole located about five feet in front of the center of the stage. The Paradise is a real B-minus place to see a show, but my favorite part about it is the hilarious way they’ve attempted to gussy up the stupid pole that ruins the entire room with fancy, swirly paint. One of the great jokes of Boston is that there is a gay club named the Paradise in Cambridge.