A Musical Tour of Harvard Square

Music has played a large part in the development of Harvard Square over the years, which is why this tour looks closely at its history and future in the area.

Stop 1: First Church Cambridge

When the Puritans first immigrated to the area, religious psalms played an “integral part of worship” and, in a highly religious society, an integral part of life. First Church was one of the original sites where this music would have been sung, and also played a part in the printing of the Bay Psalm Book in 1640, “the first book printed in the British colony” of Massachusetts.

Stop 2: Tulla’s Coffee Grinder

Next in the tour we skip ahead to the 1950s, when music began to explode and Harvard Square became a center of the blast.

Tulla’s Coffee Grinder, which once stood on 30 Dunster Street, was first opened by Tulla Cook in 1955. As it was the only coffee house in Cambridge at that time, it quickly became a meeting place for Harvard students, and performances began to take place within its unassuming and chill atmosphere. Though Tulla’s didn’t become a music club, “it hosted informal performances,” which often helped young performers go on to book gigs at the larger music clubs later on.

Stop 3: Nameless Coffeehouse

Perhaps inspired by the action happening at Tulla’s and other musical venues in town, in 1966 a group of Harvard students founded the Nameless Coffeehouse, and is today the oldest volunteer-only coffeehouse in New England. They hold these performances inside the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on 3 Church Street and it has been a place for many folk artists to gain momentum in their craft.

Stop 4: Club 47

However, none of the previously mentioned locations could compare to what Club 47 was at the height of the music scene in Harvard Square.

Club 47 “was an oasis of progressive jazz” around the same time as Tulla’s and Nameless were getting started. It opened in 1958 at 47 Mt. Auburn Street. It’s biggest claim to fame is being the place where Joan Baez first took to the stage and began her very successful folk music career. Club 47 holds a special place in the 1906s folk revival, and it was such a hotbed of musical talent that even Bob Dylan (before his fame of course) wasn’t able to get a headline spot.

“In 1969, it was reorganized as Passim and run…on Palmer Street.” We will come back to this point a little later…

Stop 5: The House of Blues

The House of Blues was first opened on Winthrop Street on Thanksgiving Day in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, the founder of the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a restaurant and performance venue, in wich Harvard was “an initial investor.” In 2003, they closed due to space constraints, and sought out a new location in downtown Boston where they now rock on. Prior to its closure it was the largest music venue in Harvard Square.

Stop 6: The Brattle Theater

While mostly known for its showing of movies and putting on theatrical shows, the Brattle Theater is also a modern day spot to see musical performances come to life.

Stop 7: Passim

“Incorporated as a nonprofit in 1994,” according to harvardsquare.com, “Passim in Harvard Square has been a cornerstone of the arts community of New England, fostering both performers and audiences alike.”

Carrying on the legacy of Club 47 for the past 50 years, Passim is now located 47 Palmer St and continues to offer live music, open mics, and a space for musical artists around Cambridge to gather in Harvard Square.

Stop 8: The Sinclair

For the modern Harvard Square resident, there is the most recent musical addition—the Sinclair—which opened in December 2012. Located at 52 Church St. it is the new hot spotf or the Friday night student crowd. I have often walked by a line waiting to get inside and see the up and coming musical artists performing.

Whether you choose to visit the Sinclair, or Passim, or the Brattle, it is clear that Harvard Square, while perhaps not what it once was at the height of the folk revival, is still offering a haven for musicians and live-music lovers alike.