Great Scott, the historic Boston music venue and dive bar that was a necessary a part of town’s musical lifeblood, is ready to reopen at a brand new location. After the Allston neighborhood staple abruptly shuttered in 2020 as a result of pandemic and lease difficulties, booker Carl Lavin took over the membership’s identify, mental property, and liquor license to seek for a brand new house. Now, with assist from Redefined CEO Paul Armstrong and the Noannet Group’s Jordan Warshaw, he’s secured a constructing at 1 Harvard Avenue—simply two blocks from its authentic location—and building will begin subsequent 12 months. Nice Scott is concentrating on a 2026 opening.
The redevelopment will function two separate venues on the road stage—the 300-person capability Nice Scott, and the 75-person capability O’Brien’s Pub, its longtime sister membership that has remained open—and performance as a mixed-use constructing. Designed by native architects CambridgeSeven, it is going to additionally embody further retail house and rental housing, with an anticipated 100 items to be added. Nice Scott is within the midst of its design and allowing part, but it surely has the backing of the Mayor’s Workplace of Arts and Tradition and stakeholders. As soon as these plans are accepted, building will final roughly 18 months.
“Since Nice Scott closed 4 years in the past, there was such an outpouring of help for its reopening, however we dwell in a tough financial local weather the place up to now few years extra small venues have closed than have opened,” stated Lavin in a press release. “This partnership with Paul [Armstrong] and Jordan [Warshaw] has enabled us to create an financial mannequin that won’t solely enable a brand new Nice Scott to be constructed, however for it to achieve success for a lot of extra years.”
After opening in 1976, Nice Scott slowly established itself as an important a part of Boston’s music scene and a welcoming house for touring artists nationwide. Numerous artists used the Allston spot as a launching pad early of their careers, together with Charli XCX, Phoebe Bridgers, MGMT, and Grimes. For native acts, nonetheless, it was a reliable venue for passionate followers, sold-out reveals, and freewheeling residencies, with acts like Pile, Clairo, and Speedy Ortiz fostering a loyal neighborhood. Nice Scott beforehand hosted themed DJ nights that have been catered in the direction of town’s queer, indie-rock, and dance communities, in addition to comedy occasions, drag reveals, and extra.
