Original House of Blues closed, too.

[Billy Claire]

Sunday was the last day for the Cambridge MA Original House of Blues. This is where it all started back in Nov 92... apparently the fact that it only held 180 people and they hadn't really made any money- had to charge more money for tickets, etc.

Friday night was the last show with Johnny A. doing the honors. A bittersweet experience for him since his instrumental thing really got its start there when he was doing a Monday night series there a few years back.... Great show too and sold out.

In theory, they are looking for a larger venue for Boston but I don't know of anything available that size or going to be in the near future. A shame, because it had such a fantastic collection of folk art and great food.

RIP HOB.

Billy

[Blueblood]

at least I got my memorabilia from there... :(

I guess now I'll have to settle for the Orlando HOB..a scad 90 minute drive..! :D

[Brutalblues]

"Monster" moniker to Mike Welch's name. Aint that right, Mike!? We'd love to hear your version of the story....at least, I would!

[eryque]

Well, if the Boston club was anything like the Chicago club it's not causing me any great heartache to see it go.

The Chicago club's too expensive and only seems to have blues acts when the blues fest is going, and similar food can be had three blocks in any direction for the same money or less. Better food, but similar.

This is what happens when you try to Disney-fy the blues, it turns out that nobody wants to pay too much for an imitation so you gotta make your money on something else.

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by eryque

Well, if the Boston club was anything like the Chicago club it's not causing me any great heartache to see it go.

It was cramped room with bad sight lines and stupid drink prices. But the loss of any club is bad news for musicians and the music scene. Even, I think a franchise like HOB.

Coming to a town near you. The Clear Channel Club-o-Rama Megaplex, with all bookings handled by Don King...

[Bluewolf]

I think what muscians need to do is band together, pool what money they have and start music venues of their own, even if its just a little coffee house! Atleast we can play for and support each other.

[openbar]

I used to trash-talk that place every time I was "forced" to see a band there (maybe 5 times in 10 years, let's see...Derailers, Wayne Hancock, Dale Watson, Los Straitjackets, Scotty Moore..yup, 5 times). But a local music guy shut me up by pointing out that they were one of the few clubs in town that would actually pay the bands what they deserved. And treated them well to boot, a lot more than you could say for any Lions brothers club or the Middle East. Kudos to them, but still thought it was a kinda cheesey place though.

['ol hank pank]

My understranding is that it was a Lyons venture w/ Aerosmith.
The goal was to book some bigger acts, but alsp provide local bands with a place to play with a great sound system, and walk with a good tape of the show.
Course, it;s been history for a few years now.
I thought it was a great club. Saw Dick Dale there.
I will miss the 1st floor ceiling @ HOB.

[DAK]

I was connected with the nationally syndicated House of Blues Radio Hour back in the mid-90s. Host Dan Aykroyd (as Elwood Blues) was an investor in the club, as were a number of other celebs. They and founder Isaac Tigret really did intend for the clubs to preserve and promote the Blues, but also recognized that showing a profit meant diversifying the line-up of artists they presented. So, you would see a variety of performers that ranged from blues legends like Buddy Guy and Bobby Bland to Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys Queen Ida, Brian Setzer, Ray Charles, Dr. John, The Nevilles, Steve Winwood, Blind Boys of Alabama, Emmylou Harris... Contemporary pop acts played, too, as did the occasional jazz artist. And, yeah, they did treat the performers with respect.

I visited the L.A. and New Orleans clubs often. Only saw Boston once... in the afternoon, when no one was performing. Haven't been to any of 'em since the big corporation took over a few years later, right about the time my connection with the program ended. My friends who have say it's just not the same. They say it's much more commercial now than it was originally. What isn't?

[detuned]

Pay was decent, but not fantastic.

The staff *was* fantastic, they really knew how to take care of you.

The load in 7 out (due to the location) was a BEAR, tho'.

One whole, I 'll miss it for the artists they booked & the fact that we are less one place to play in Boston.

RIP.

[Billy Claire]

Mama Kin was Aerosmith's version of an upscale, cleaned-up Rat (aka THE RAT aka The Rathskellar- Kenmore Square) for the people who would never go into The Rat but would to a club A-smith owned. It was run poorly (good intentions though) but all it did was kill The Rat and then go under taking both clubs with it. Such a crime...

[stantheman]

This is gonna take a while...my sister just sent me The
Boston Globe Obituary on H.O.B.
Unlike The BottomLine, The House Of Blues "in the beginning" was justice from the almighty to musicians:
A. They had the BEST Green Room in the city. I want the couch and I want "The Sinatra Chair".
B. Until Nigel left to get NewOrleans and LosAngeles up and running the buffet for the bands was like dying and going to heaven.
C. If any fool ever gave a player a hard time....just one word, "Tommy".....look out, better still RUN!
D. The handwriting was clearly on the wall when Rick Russell and The Cadillac Horns split. That was probably
sometime after Isaac split too.
E. The staff were The Greatest I consider it an honor to have been associated with those fine men and women.
F. Best sound men in the galaxy (along with Mr.Bill and
Exploding Puppy) I still find it incredible that Chris could make that room sound so good considering what the true acoustics were in that upstairs.

O.K. that very first night...oh my gosh was it COLD! (Junior Wells once told me that The Hub is a different kind
of cold, more chilling than Lake Michigan). Albert King's wife and daughter were there and they brought "The V",
Mike broke a string on it doin' a "Mike bend" and we all had a great time (almost like goin' to the prom or somethin' like that but with "the right music at the right time for the right people"). I heard it turned "plastic" but
the original concept was FABULOUS,FRIKKEN,FABULOUS!

[stantheman]

Maybe now with "The House" gone Harper's Ferry will start bookin' MUSIC again instead of this punk-garage-pathos-angst-low forehead noise...Beermeister's at Harper's must be foamin at the mouth "Yeah Baby, bring back the drinkers-bring back the tips!!!" (see Boston's a
"big college town" and if you're a beertendah at a local watering hole and its get taken over by students you will never get another tip again...ever.) Harper's would be the ideal location for the new House Of Blues.
In my opinion though as fond as the memories are about HOB the best room in the Hub is Johnny D's Uptown Lounge in beautiful Somerville in Davis Square.

[Joe Neri]

For years now, the Los Angeles House of Blues has had very little in the way of blues acts. Mostly rock (and beyond). And it's virtually impossible for a non-rock (i.e., blues) local band to book a gig there. It's become just another pay-to-play, 5-bands-a-night Sunset Strip venue.

They give a whole lotta lip service to the blues but do not support it in any meaningful way, especially in this 2003 "Year of the Blues."

[detuned]

One of the major things that killed the Rat was B.U.

They bought out (or already owned) the entire block so they could put that stupid hotel up there.

Mama Kin was great, but doomed.

Point #1 - How long did anyone think that the Aerosmith boys could stay focused or interested in a club? How long does your avarge club stay open anyway,?

Point #2 - I remember when Mama Kin first opened, great staff support & fantastic green room. The problem was, they started letting MUSICIANS use it! :D What a bunch of slobs!

Point #3 - Once the Aerosmith camp 7 the Lyons camp started to disagree about the "direction" the club was going, it was only a matter of time.

There are similar stories all over this town...Anyone remember Bunratty's?