The Court Tavern is a long-standing live music venue and bar located in

New Brunswick, New Jersey New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

, indie, and hardcore, it temporarily stood closed at 124 Church Street between 2019 and 2024. The venue reopened as a 100% vegan restaurant, bar, and live music venue called Veganica and SPACE Lounge at Court Tavern in 2024.

History and venue

In 1961, Bob Albert Sr. bought the Court Tavern, then at 149 Church Street with a partner. He told a reporter in 1977 that the bar dated to 1902, having operated illegally through the

Prohibition era Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacturing, manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption ...

. In 1981, upon being forced to move on the building of a parking deck, the tavern moved across the street to its present location. From 1981 to 2012, the venue, run by Albert Sr. prior to his passing in 1997 alongside his son, Bobby Albert Jr., became a notable location for live music in New Brunswick. The venue ran into financial trouble, and

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, author, and photographer. Her 1975 debut album '' Horses'' made her an influential member of the New York City-based punk rock movement. Smith has fu ...

and her band as well as

The Smithereens The Smithereens are an American rock music, rock band from Carteret, New Jersey. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio lead vocals, (vocals and guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar and backing vocals, vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar and bac ...

played a fundraiser for the venue in 2010 at the State Theatre. Bobby Albert Jr. closed the venue in 2012. It was purchased by Michael Barrood at a sheriff's auction in March 2012 and opened in November 2012 after completion of renovations. The club saw closures in 2015 and 2017 before closing indefinitely in 2019. While DIY underground all-ages live music shows continued, no live rock music venues akin to the Court remained open in the city as of 2024. The Court Tavern was the last venue of its kind following the closure of other popular New Brunswick live indie and punk rock clubs of recent decades, such as the Melody Bar, the Roxy, the Budapest Cocktail Lounge, Patrix and Bowl-o-Drome. In 2024, the venue reopened as a 100%-

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...

establishment, Veganica at Court Tavern. The venue also offers a vegan "speakeasy" bar called SPACE Lounge and hosts nightly live music.

Notable acts

Pavement delivered its first show at the Court, and the bar was home to touring acts like the

Butthole Surfers Butthole Surfers are an American rock band formed in San Antonio, Texas, by singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has ...

Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, on January 1, 1988, following the demise of Green River (band), Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner (guitari ...

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar wh ...

, and

The Jesus Lizard The Jesus Lizard is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas by vocalist David Yow, guitarist Duane Denison and bassist David Wm. Sims. They relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in 1989, where they found kindred spirits in ...

. During a tour stop in New Brunswick, The Replacements did an interview with MTV at the venue.

The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, vocals), Derek Brown ...

Sadat X Derek W. Murphy (born December 29, 1968), better known as Sadat X, is an American rapper, best known as a member of alternative hip hop group Brand Nubian. Originally known as Derek X, Sadat takes his name from former Egyptian president Anwar ...

Brand Nubian Brand Nubian is an American hip hop group from New Rochelle, New York, composed of three emcees ( Grand Puba, Sadat X and Lord Jamar), and formerly three DJs ( DJ Alamo, DJ Sincere, and DJ Stud Doogie). Their debut studio album, '' One for Al ...

, Ween, NJ Bloodline, X and

Henry Rollins Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally as Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, comedian, and presenter. After performing in the short-lived hardcore punk band State of Alert in 1 ...

also played the venue. A number of bands from New Brunswick got their start at the venue, the Smithereens considered it their home venue, and it was seminal according to a number of commentators on the New Brunswick, New Jersey music scene.Kalet, Hank
"The List: 10 Best Places to See Indie Bands in the Garden State"
NJ Spotlight, July 21, 2014. Accessed January 11, 2015.

References

{{reflist Music venues in New Jersey New Brunswick, New Jersey Nightclubs in New Jersey Punk rock venues

History and venue

Notable acts

See also

References