Comments on: Nightlife in Salem

By: Jor-El

Jor-El — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:58:38 +0000

Well, I start grad school at Salem State College (night classes), so *hope* there is some semblance of a night life in Salem….Some have told me the city only comes alive during October during ‘Halloween season’, and is a ghost town the rest of the year. (No pun intended).

By: admin

admin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:00:18 +0000

Ken,

The nightlife in Salem has been on the rise. I know people from Cambridge and Boston who are now coming up to Salem for club nights. With the recently opened Murphy’s and Tavern In The Square Salem is seeing a big spike in night time revelers. This is good and bad at the same time, but hopefully things will all work out for the best.

By: Ken Mooer

Ken Mooer — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:06:24 +0000

I lived and worked in Salem for 5 years in recent years..Gorgous town, but gets a bit overwelming in October with the countless throngs of Halloween tourists..That seems to bring out the drunken townies, who harass and at times mug the tourists……
As for a night life in salem…I didnt’t know there was one..I thought all the interestring things to do and see were open in the day- Most people I knew who lived in salem hopped the train for Boston if they wanted to hit the clubs…

By: Roseanne Flannery

Roseanne Flannery — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:20:37 +0000

Four irish girls coming over in june!!!! CANNOT WAIT WOO!!!!!!

By: Top 8 of 2008 | The Salem Insider

Top 8 of 2008 | The Salem Insider — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:36:36 +0000

[...] Nightlife in Salem – One of the great things about Salem is the abundance of nightlife. This past year we have seen the good and bad side of having a thriving scene. Hopefully 2009 sees none of the uglyness that made national headlines. [...]

By: DJ Cee Block

DJ Cee Block — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 03:05:33 +0000

……..and Forrest, please email me in regards to photography, your work is amazing….

Cblock1@live.com

By: DJ Cee Block

DJ Cee Block — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:53:21 +0000

Forrest, I whole heartedly agree on everything except that a mini Avalon wouldn’t work. …I’m talking a venue with capacity of 500 max.,(Avalons capacity is 1500 legally i think) great sound system and the ability to book big, mainstream acts…. If people will drive an hour and a half for a concert in Foxboro. People will drive to Salem for a show… and im not talking about this venue right smack in the middle of town. it would have in an area that would accommodate all the factors you discussed, parking etc etc.

and your key statement is “The right person would surround themselves with the right people to build up the club”………

By: Forrest

Forrest — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:46:17 +0000

I’ve worked in the nightclub industry for about 15 years and I can’t see anyone putting in a “mini Avalon” in Salem. The location is too out of the way, and I couldn’t see the city approving zoning and licenses for a club of that size (1000 people). Ever since the Station nightclub fire capacities have been tightly monitored, in order to have a large scale club you need not only the space but parking and neighborhood approval.

I haven’t worked in any Salem venues but knowing about the city I would suggest that if BayBridge could open with a decent staff and management they could set their sights higher than small local bands (maybe larger local bands like Bang Camarro or DKM) and do well.

I’m sure the club owner like most club owners has limited knowledge of who to book, what to charge and how to promote. They are owners and its not their job. The right person would surround themselves with the right people to build up the club.

By: DJ Cee Block

DJ Cee Block — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:58:29 +0000

Being a regular at Bay Bridge a long time ago, I dont ever see it being even close to the caliber of half a mini avalon. they are good for booking small local bands, thats all……. DJ’s never survive over there… .i have myself turned down many an opportunity to play there. just for the simple fact that there is a local crowd there that would never appreciate what i do…

I’m talking on a bigger scale, nationally toured bands, international DJ’s, same kind of line up that Avalon used to schedule….

I hope you’re right, but i wouldn’t hold my breathe. I know the owner John, doesnt have any intentions of being a “mainstream nightclub” he would rather book small local bands and thats all….. he’s not going to shell out a 5 grand to bring in an internationally toured DJ.

By: Glen Hughes

Glen Hughes — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:22:07 +0000

DJ Cee Block

I heard from the Bay Bridge the other day. Apparently they have been doing work over there and are trying to open back up by June. While I realize this is far from a mini Avalon it might just give a bump to the night life scene if they book the right bands and DJs.

By: DJ Cee Block

DJ Cee Block — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:32:00 +0000

I myself, being somewhat if not entirely responsible(on Saturdays) for the nightclub appeal of Oneills, would like to see a dedicated nightclub. one with an amazing sound system, huge dance floor , great bars, all for the awaiting clientèle…..I am the biggest advocate for Salem nightlife for obvious reasons…..i see a mini version of Avalon here as a great fit. offering a great venu for live performance by bands and musicians, and DJ’s alike……

come down and see me, Saturday nights at Oneills.

By: Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts

Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:18:41 +0000

[...] http://www.thesaleminsider.com/2008/04/07/nightlife-in-salem/ Published in: [...]

By: Glen Hughes

Glen Hughes — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:26:17 +0000

Joey,

O’Neills isn’t a nightclub, its a restaurant that does a couple of good club nights- for musicians and entertainers that is a huge difference. I wouldn’t suggest a big club in the down town area but if something popped up on the outskirts of downtown that could hold a decent number of people the possibility of getting better bands in Salem would increase.

By: Glen Hughes

Glen Hughes — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:21:28 +0000

Matt,

I couldn’t agree with you more. If I had the bankroll I’d open up a mini manray in Salem where locals and toursist could get their goth on. Other cultures are geting exposure here. Reggae/world bands like Mamadu and experimental music like RSVP are finding gigs. Openings in existing venues are available for those that go after them.

By: Joey T

Joey T — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:51:05 +0000

Well, it’s about time. I’ve been around Salem for long enought know that every 4-5 years the nightlife gets good, then goes under, then comes back in some form or another.

I just hope the the bars that are doing bookings will be artist friendly and want to book more local, original bands. For the past few years the only real place to see music has been Dodge Street.

And, the last thing Salem needs is a nightclub. Isn’t O’Neils enough?

By: vudu:dj

vudu:dj — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:41:35 +0000

Unfortunately, Salem is no Cambridge. With no real music hall, except for Dodge Street, (which is on the decline0, there’s no where for the real rock demographic to go, and very few people will come here when they can go to Boston, which has its arms wide open. When tourists come to town, they’re forced to choose the overpriced drinks and jazz clique-ness at Rockafellas or post-mallrat crowd at O’Neills. Without a set nightclub of any kind, do we as a town really have a any real entertainment draw? I’m a goth-industrial DJ/promoter, and I run into many tourists asking me where they can go to listen to their Bauhaus, Cure, and Nine Inch Nails when they visit our town. I always have to give them the same discouraging reply. What they were hoping for isn’t a reality. Even my New England friends overlook Salem due to this cultural absence. There goes a few patrons…
With Lynn being forced to have last call earlier, Salem establishments can make a few more dollars, but if we accommodated a few more cutlures, reggae, freestyle techno, goth-industrial, Salem would be more marketable and have a more attractive performing arts-image.

Matt Richard