Club Passim is located underground at 47 Palmer St.

If you’re taking “Sound, Noise, and Music” as your Expos class you have learned a little bit about Club Passim and the important role it has played in the history of American music.  If not, you may not be aware that one of folk’s most legendary venues is less than 200 yards from the Yard.  The club, opened in 1958, was first known as Club 47 and was located at 47 Mt. Auburn St. (currently Daedalus Restaurant).  It moved to its current location at 47 Palmer St. in 1963 and eventually changed its name to Club Passim.

In the 1960s, the venue was a starting point for many folk stars including Joan Baez who began playing the club as an unknown seventeen year-old singer.  She also convinced relatively unknown Bob Dylan to play shows at the club.  Dylan played songs between others’ sets, but never had his own headlining show.  Others who played at Club Passim, many of whom had their starts at club, include Muddy Waters, Tom Rush, Jackie Washington, Peter Wolf, Taj Mahal, Patty Larkin, Geoff & Maria Muldaur, Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega, Nanci Griffith, and Judy Collins (though not Bruce Springsteen who was refused the opportunity to play at Club Passim).

Though the club rarely attracts artists of that level today, it still offers an opportunity to see some of folk’s greatest acts in an intimate environment.  When we say intimate, we mean intimate.  The club is a mere 30 feet by 40 feet and seats only 125 concertgoers.  Good luck finagling yourself into your chair.  You’ll be getting to know your neighbors very well, especially if you choose dining seating.

The seating is a mixture of dining tables of four spread throughout the room, and non-dining seating along the edges and in the back of the room.  Dining seating means that you are required to buy at least $5 of Veggie Planet food, the restaurant that shares the space with Club Passim.  You’ll want to spend at least $5 here.  The vegetarian and vegan pizzas are superb.  I ordered one with roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, rosemary & sage, goat cheese, asiago cheese, spinach, and fried garlic. Yum.

Glen Phillips of WPA sings mere feet from my seat at Club Passim

The band we saw, Works Progress Administration (WPA), played a show worthy of the venue.  The recently formed folk/bluegrass supergroup is focused around the trio Glen Phillips, the lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek, and Luke Bella who had previously played with the Jerry Douglas Band and Lyle Lovett’s band.  Others play on the recently released album, WPA, including Tom Petty’s pianist, Benmont Tench, and members of Elvis Costello and the Imposters.  A drummer and bassist joined the aforementioned trio at the Club Passim show.  The five put on a great show, mostly playing numbers from the recent album, very grateful for the crowd’s support.  Upcoming acts at Club Passim include:

Mark Erelli – 12/17
Lori McKenna – 12/18 & 12/19
Antje Duvekot – 12/20
Stephen Keller And The Sixers – 12/29
Ellis Paul – 12/30 & 12/31

Genres: Folk, Indie-Folk, Folk-Rock, Bluegrass-Folk, Country-Folk, Old Folk, Young Folk, Red Folk, Blue Folk, etc (oh, and some blues)
Typical Ticket Prices: $15-$25
Rating: ****/5

But don’t stay sad for long.  November is full of great music in the city.  Click on the date for ticket info, the band name for band website, and the venue name for venue website.

Beautiful Grace Potter will be rocking the House of Blues on 11/19.

11/3: Monsters of Folk, Orpheum Theatre:

This supergroup is made up of Conor Oberst (aka Bright Eyes), M. Ward, and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James.  Those three have been doing the occasional show or recording together for years, but finally have an album out and an official tour.

11/4: Ray LaMontagne, Citi Performing Arts Center:

This raspy singer-songwriter from Maine is probably best known for his single, “You Are the Best Thing.”

11/5 & 11/6: Lotus, Paradise Rock Club:

Lotus is a quntessential jamtronica band, meaning that they fuse live instrumental jam rock with the sounds of dance and electronica.  This show is sure to be a party.

11/7: Girls, Great Scott:

This Pitchfork darling will warm up this dark, intimate bar with its fresh sounds from San Francisco.

11/8: Dan Deacon, Pozen Center (MassArt):

Hipster-favorite known almost as much for this YouTube video as his music meets art school: fun ensues.

11/9: Miley Cyrus, TD Garden:

14-year-old girls watching a 16-year-old girl dance provocatively…I’d steer clear.

11/10: Neko Case, The Wilbur Theatre:

This Canadian country-rock singer with a beautiful voice is sure to put on a show to remember.

11/12:  The Low Anthem | Blind Pilot, Paradise Rock Club:

Two great bands from opposite sides of the country unite for a tour of some of the greatest modern folk-rock.  This is a show you do not want to miss.

11/13: Works Progress Administration, Club Passim:

This musical collective will be touring in the form of Glen Phillips, Sean Watkins, and Luke Bulla in what is by far, the closest venue to Harvard (save for the Yard).  This blogger thinks it could prove to be the best show of the night, though it has quite a bit of competition.

11/13, 11/14, & 11/15: Bob Dylan, Citi Performing Arts Center:

The greatest singer-songwriter of all time continues the Never Ending Tour.

11/13: Mike Doughty, Regattabar:

Another venue close to Harvard located in the Charles Hotel hosts this alternative singer-songwriter.

11/13: The Cranberries, Orpheum Theatre:

The Irish band from the 1990’s reunites, adding another great show to this Friday of music.

11/14: Super Mash Bros, Sigma Alpha Mu, Boston University:

Self-described as “Girl Talk’s hot cousin,” this is your best bet for overcoming the pain of missing last night’s show.  Some (including me) would claim the duo is better than Girl Talk.  Problem: good luck finding a BU student to win you the remaining tickets form this sold out show.

11/18: Surprise Me Mr. Davis, The Middle East Downstairs:

A older music fan at a show last spring told me this was a band made up of members of the Slip that I had to check out for their jammin’ folk-rock and lively shows.  Wikipedia tells me that they formed during a blizzard in which frontman Nathan Moore and the Slip were snowed in at a recording studio and created a new band.

11/19: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals | Brett Dennen, House of Blues:

Two of the best young artists on the scene.  Grace Potter is one hot rocker from Vermont who can really sing.  Brett Dennen sings fun, light songs often with deep, heavy lyrics.

11/19: The Felice Brothers, Paradise Rock Club:

Fun, energy, rock, accordion.  These brothers from upstate New York folkin’ rock.

11/21: Pretty Lights, House of Blues:

If you’re backing form the Game the same day, there is no better way to stretch out your day of partying than with Pretty Lights.  Live, Pretty Lights is DJ Derek Vincent Smith and drummer Cory Eberhard.  The energy of live drumming with crazy electronic music may be overwhelming.  Prepare yourself with the free downloads from the Pretty Lights website.

11/22 & 11/23: Sonic Youth, The Wilbur Theatre:

One of the most important and influential bands for alternative rock, experimental rock, indie rock, and punk comes to Boston for two nights of shows.

11/25: Fuck Buttons, Great Scott:

Their MySpace says they are “Experimental/Progressive/Other.”  Their live show will be appreciated by jam rock and electronic fans alike.

11/27 & 11/28: The Pixies, Citi Performing Arts Center:

If you are staying at Harvard for Thanksgiving break and need something interesting to do, look no further.

11/30: Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Paradise Rock Club:

Like the Low Anthem and Deer Tick, Elvis Perkins is a solid folk-rock performer from Providence, RI, quickly gaining fame.  He is the son of Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates).