Worth the Drive: New England's Great Rooms Beyond Boston
Photo: US Route 302 through Crawford Notch, New Hampshire — photo by Ken Gallager, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Gas up. From Worcester's metal temple to Portland's buzzing clubs, these venues are worth every mile.
Boston doesn't have a monopoly on great nights. A short drive — or a train ride — opens up rooms with serious character and tours that skip the city entirely.
“Some of the best nights in New England music happen an hour up the highway.”
Worcester
The Palladium has been a cathedral of heavy music for years, hosting metal and hardcore tours in a big historic theater with an upstairs room for smaller bills. When it's arena-sized, it's the DCU Center.
The Berkshires
Tanglewood in Lenox has been the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home since the 1930s. A lawn ticket, a blanket and a picnic under the trees is peak New England summer — and the season brings popular artists and the Boston Pops too.
Portland, Maine
Portland punches miles above its weight, with clubs, theaters and a summer outdoor series that pull national tours. It's about two hours from Boston, and the Amtrak Downeaster gets you there without a car.
The coast and Providence
Seaside spots like Blue Ocean Music Hall on Salisbury Beach, near the New Hampshire line, plus the clubs and theaters of Providence, often mean easier tickets than the same artist's Boston date. Riff Boston covers shows across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine.
