Clubs

Paradise regained?

by Mike Miliard

When city officials padlocked the Paradise rock club and the adjacent M-80 dance club last March, indie rockers and club hoppers alike were dealt a harsh blow. Those who wanted to rock out with a cold beer or shake Prada-clad asses to the hottest Euro beats were suddenly forced to go elsewhere. Rock fans were the most put out. Lansdowne Street clubs such as Axis and Karma took up the Paradise's extant bookings, but those clubs often shut down live music by 10 p.m. to make way for dancers.

Lansdowne Street congestion may soon be alleviated -- and not just by the clockwork-like end to the Red Sox' season. In other words, don't be surprised if the Paradise reopens soon, say with a concert by the Wallflowers on October 9. The new owner, nightlife maven Patrick Lyons, is mum. But Paradise dates posted on the online concert-industry magazine www.pollstar.com, including scheduled shows by hometown heroes C60 (October 19) and Buffalo Tom (November 2), would lead one to believe that its amps will be buzzing and its taps flowing very soon. And the fact that the Wallflowers gig is also listed on the band's official Web site further supports this theory.

Will the Hub become a Paradise city once again? Stay tuned.