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The Rathskeller (known as The Rat) was a 
The "locus of boston rock and roll," the Rat was noted for the artists who performed there before their commercial breakthroughs and the local bands and scenes it helped to develop. In 1976, the album ''Live at The Rat'' was released; it documented the music of the time as well as the importance of the club in the development of Boston rock and roll. The WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble was held at the Rat for its first three years and was originally referred to as "The Rumble at the Rat."
The Rat was also considered important for its contribution to the Hardcore movement. In a 2010 interview,
"The Rat Remembered: 8 True (and Terrifying) Stories from Boston’s Legendary Rock Club" - Rockerzine.com 2016
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rathskeller, The Culture of Boston Music venues in Boston Nightclubs in Massachusetts Former music venues in the United States Demolished music venues in the United States Punk rock venues Drinking establishments in Boston 1974 establishments in Massachusetts 1997 disestablishments in Massachusetts Buildings and structures demolished in 2000 Demolished buildings and structures in Massachusetts
live music
A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...
venue in Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
that was open from 1974 to 1997. It was considered the "granddaddy" of Boston rock venues.
During its heyday, the Rat hosted such acts as the Cars
The Cars were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the New wave music, new wave Subculture, scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek (rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass guitar), Elliot Easton (l ...
, the Pixies
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band from Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986 by Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals) and David Lovering (drums).
The Pi ...
, Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
, Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk bands during its initial eight-year run.
Initially consisting of lead guitarist East Bay Ray, bassist Klaus Fl ...
, the Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of t ...
, Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads
, R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...
, Dinosaur Jr., The Replacements, the Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Within a few months of their first gig, the line-up settled as Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussi ...
, and Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially ...
. From 1980 to 1987, The Hoodoo BBQ, which ''Esquire
Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
'' called one of the "100 Best Restaurants in America"—was located at The Rat.
In the 1960s the Rat was a restaurant and bar catering to college students. At the time, it offered live music in a back room, featuring local bands such as the Remains
Remains or The Remains may refer to:
Music
* The Remains (band), a 1960s American rock band
* The Ramainz, originally The Remains, a Ramones tribute band
Albums
* ''Remains'' (Alkaline Trio album), 2007
* ''Remains'' (Annihilator album), 1997
* ...
(who opened for the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
on their final tour), the Lost (with future Boston punk legend Willie "Loco" Alexander) and The Mods (whose drummer Harry Sandler went on to play with " Boston Sound" hitmakers Orpheus
In Greek mythology, Orpheus (; , classical pronunciation: ) was a Thracians, Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet. He was also a renowned Ancient Greek poetry, poet and, according to legend, travelled with Jason and the Argonauts in se ...
). The Remains were so popular in 1965 the owner of the Rathskeller was forced to open up the basement for the overflow crowds that the Remains attracted. Live music was phased out in the late 1960s, returning in 1974.
The "locus of boston rock and roll," the Rat was noted for the artists who performed there before their commercial breakthroughs and the local bands and scenes it helped to develop. In 1976, the album ''Live at The Rat'' was released; it documented the music of the time as well as the importance of the club in the development of Boston rock and roll. The WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble was held at the Rat for its first three years and was originally referred to as "The Rumble at the Rat."
The Rat was also considered important for its contribution to the Hardcore movement. In a 2010 interview, Ken Casey
Kenneth William Casey Jr. (born April 15, 1969) is an American musician who is the primary songwriter, one of the lead singers and bassist of the Boston Celtic punk group the Dropkick Murphys. Casey was one of the original members, starting ...
of the Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The current lineup consists of co-lead vocalist and bassist Ken Casey, drummer Matt Kelly, co-lead vocalist Al Barr (on hiatus from the band since 202 ...
said: "(The Rat) afforded us the opportunity to have a place to play and develop our fan base, and it was just amazing to us. And the reason I credit it with all of our success, was this is how we started to tour. The hardcore punk scene in the mid-’90s was huge in Boston."
References to the Rat's cultural impact can be found in the book '' All Souls'', ''The Sound of Our Town'', the film '' All Ages: The Boston Hardcore Film,'' and in both ''Guitar Hero II
''Guitar Hero II'' is a 2006 rhythm game developed by Harmonix and published by RedOctane for the PlayStation 2 and Activision for the Xbox 360. It is the sequel to ''Guitar Hero (video game), Guitar Hero'' (2005) and the second installment in t ...
'' and '' Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s''.
The Rathskeller closed in November 1997, and was torn down in October 2000 to make way for the Hotel Commonwealth, a 148-room luxury hotel of which Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
is a limited partner.
The band Camper Van Beethoven, pejoratively referred to the club in their 1988 song "Never Go Back" ("Never going to go back to the Rat and play another mafia show again").
In 2002, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (informally referred to as The Bosstones and often stylized as The Mighty Mighty BossToneS) were an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. From the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky ...
released a song on their album '' A Jackknife to a Swan'' lamenting the loss of the Rat titled "I Want My City Back."
References
External links
"The Rat Remembered: 8 True (and Terrifying) Stories from Boston’s Legendary Rock Club" - Rockerzine.com 2016
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rathskeller, The Culture of Boston Music venues in Boston Nightclubs in Massachusetts Former music venues in the United States Demolished music venues in the United States Punk rock venues Drinking establishments in Boston 1974 establishments in Massachusetts 1997 disestablishments in Massachusetts Buildings and structures demolished in 2000 Demolished buildings and structures in Massachusetts