Rock club on a roll: The Paradise nears 50 years

Citizens proudly supports the legacy of this iconic music venue — and offers Boston-area music lovers enhanced access to its trendsetting shows and performers through Citizens Live®.

For many, the word “paradise” conjures up dreamy visions of glistening seas, sun-drenched beaches, and gently blowing palm trees. But for Boston-area residents and students, past or present, who are passionate about live music, the word likely takes them somewhere else entirely — to 967 Commonwealth Avenue, just west of the Boston University campus. With its newly painted black façade, bulb-rimmed marquee, and dark, cavernous interior, the Paradise Rock Club Presented by Citizens may appear unremarkable to passersby and first-time patrons alike. Of course, looks can be deceiving.

Given the steady stream of performers who've taken the Paradise stage during the past four decades, this modest (933-capacity), general admission venue will always hold a venerable place in Boston's storied cultural pedigree, as well as in the memories of many audience members. For Jon Walsh, a local musician and frequent customer who grew up a few blocks from the club, “The Paradise has always had a mystique about it due to its incredible history.”

Origins of an institution

Located in the heart of Boston's former “Auto Mile” (now southwest of the city), the club's Comm. Ave. home was a car dealership until the mid-1970s, then several short-lived music venues. But that all changed in 1977 when BU grad turned powerhouse music promoter Don Law opened the Paradise Theater, eventually renamed the Paradise Rock Club.

With its close proximity to area colleges and universities, Law knew the club would attract the local student population and others for a regular fan base. What's more, the Boston metro area was both fertile ground for musical talent and a popular tour stop for out-of-town bands promoting new albums and seeking new audiences. Due more to strategy than serendipity, the stage was set for success.

Stepping stone to the stars

On Thursday, September 22, 1977, Boston-based singer-songwriter Livingston Taylor headlined the club's first show, with the Cambridge-based Pousette-Dart Band opening. But these were just the first of many homegrown acts who played the Paradise early in their careers, and helped build its popularity. According to Billy “Bud” McCarthy, the club’s former production manager who retired after more than 40 years: “Back in the day, there were a lot of little clubs around, but if you were a local band, you had to play the Paradise.” And they have — from The Cars, Aerosmith, J. Geils Band, and ‘Til Tuesday to the Dropkick Murphys, Guster, and the Pixies, just to name a notable few.

The Paradise has always been more than just a launch pad for locals — providing a decent-sized venue where hundreds of national and international (mostly British) musicians strutted their stuff before graduating to larger venues like the House of Blues. Looking back, 1978 was a benchmark year for the club, which welcomed an impressive roster of future music royalty, including Tom Petty, Blondie, Lou Reed, Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, and AC/DC.

The venue’s legacy deepened on Saturday, December 13, 1980, when a group of young Irishmen called U2 warmed up the room for the long-defunct, Detroit-based Barooga Bandit. In fact, U2 delivered such a compelling performance that most of the audience left before the headliner even took the stage. The following March, U2 returned to the Paradise as the “official” main event. It was a sort of homecoming — one that recurs each time the illustrious rockers play the Boston area.

Music and memories

“A place where things happened” is how McCarthy describes his beloved, former workplace. Turns out, he isn’t just referring to the major musical moments that took place there. “Everybody had a memory there. Over the years, people often said to me: I saw my favorite show or my favorite band at the Paradise or I met my wife or husband at the Paradise, he explains. “It’s a place where sustainable memories were made. Generic clubs don’t have that.” By many accounts, McCarthy is right on.

Asked about his own memories of the Paradise, Jon Walsh recalls a hot day in July 1978 when, as a teenager, he and a friend wandered down the alley behind the venue. “An up-and-coming band called Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was running a set of tunes with the double doors wide open,” he says, adding that he hung out there a lot after that. Years later, while playing in the WBCN Rock n’ Roll Rumble with a local band, he can remember feeling “the magic of the room.” And based on more recent visits, he says: “The Paradise remains an ideal place to see, hear, and play live music.”

Staying power

Beyond its legacy of local ownership and great management, McCarthy believes the club’s enduring ability to identify and book quality acts has always been the key to its longevity. “The talent they [the Don Law Company] booked here, they somehow knew — or they took a chance on people and they were right,” he says. “Everybody knew the Paradise because of the bands who played there, got famous there, or did a recording there.” Even now, whether you’re a patron or a performer, he adds: “they try to make you want to come back.”

Looking at the Paradise calendar over the years, it arguably reflects almost 50 years’ worth of music trends — highlighted by established, up-and-coming, and unknown artists across multiple generations and genres. Billy Joel, Guns N’ Roses, and Elvis Costello set the stage for acts like Father John Misty, Snow Patrol, and Hozier. Lisa Marie Presley and Alanis Morissette made way for Maren Morris and Grace Potter. Chief Keef helped lay the groundwork for GloRilla. And U2 blazed a decades-long trail for Fontaines D. C. The star-studded list goes on and on.

And the audiences do keep coming back. As far as trends go, that's good news for the Paradise Rock Club — and for those who love it.

Made for better access with Citizens Live®

As your live entertainment partner in Boston, we’re proud to offer Citizens Live — an exciting benefits program that helps our customers follow their passion for live music and entertainment. With exclusive perks like presale tickets and skip-the-line entry at general admission venues, Citizens debit and credit cardholders enjoy VIP access to tickets and shows at some of Live Nation’s hottest local spots, including the Paradise Rock Club, Citizens House of Blues Boston, Brighton Music Hall, MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Orpheum Theatre, and Citizens Opera House.