I saw a show here last night and it was my first time staying for more than an hour at TTs. The lineup was amazing, and the venue is great as a small and intimate setting for live music.
However, there was some electronica/dance music happening at the Middle East at the same time and the loud, heavy bass was impossible to ignore. It should've been very embarrassing for TTs, as all the artists onstage were performing soft, acoustic sets and they had to joke about/address how ridiculous it was to try to perform while the bass from the next room was shaking the floor.
Also, my bartender sucked and it was very painful to tip her. I work in customer service so I usually have sympathy, but she was asking for too much. Â
I'll only come again if there's an artist I like performing, and even then I'll check the calendar for the Middle East first.
so look, i'm not always super into TTs. Â i think heroes is kind of creepy with meth spice and pop-and-lock cutting it up in the dark, and i don't like going to see shows and feeling the middle east downstairs vibrations seep through the floor. Â
i *will* say, tho, that TTs houses some pretty sick events. Â i mean, the rock 'n roll rumble?! Â that jam is awesome! Â one of the most community-fostering series of shows in the boston area. Â and the fact that they donated the space following the april 15th explosions for a flash benefit concert - well, that's just all kinds of awesome.
result? Â TTs is solid, yo.
quicktip: the ladies room finally got a lock put on it, i'm told. Â so there's that, anyhow.
I wish, really I do, that I could give TTs more stars. The place is a GREAT place to see music, which should be what matters and honestly if it wasn't for that this would only be one star.
I have been going to TTs for years, not a destination, but if someone I like plays here I am happy. But over the last 6 mos I have been here 3-4 times, early shows on the weekends and weeknights. Again, everyone sounds great, I cannot stress that enough.
But GOD could everyone who works here be less happy? The door people, the person selling me a ticket to a future show, the bartenders, EVERYONE acts like I am putting them out by asking them to DO THEIR JOB. I am sorry I have to give you my id and ticket, I am sorry I want a beer while in your club, I wouldn't want you to actually have to interact with me or GOD FORBID MAKE EYE CONTACT OR OTHER SUCH PLEASANTRIES.
I am an easy customer, I know people have off nights. The staff here is always having an off night. Â
I will still come to shows here but I am more apt to see if there is a stop on tour elsewhere I can go to (RI, CT, NYC are not THAT far away) or to do my drinking before or after and just come for the act I want to see and not stay the night.
The dinginess, expense, and next door noise aside, TTs can still be a great place to see emerging acts. It is maybe one-quarter the size of a place like the Paradise, but then again the cover is also less($12 this night). That makes this venue as intimate as one could ask for. Even while staying at the bar, we were no more than 15 feet from the stage. The small crowd of maybe 35-40 could casually get to the bar for a drink, or saunter up to within 5 feet of the performers.
The only sure parking is in the city garage, and although it is only a block away, there's an additional expense. The cover may be cheaper than a place like the Paradise, but it is not cheap. The drinks are expensive, and the place dingy in the extreme. The noise leakage from the Middle East is annoying, and in the case of quieter acoustic acts, outright intrusive. That said, there is no reason to get there until the act you want to see is about to go on, and no reason to stay more than 30 seconds after they are done.
The bar is cash only.
I've been to 80's night and to goth night (pretty much the same crowd at both), and have had a good time: the music is varied, there are nooks in which to get away from the crowd if you need to, there are 2 bars, self-service water, and pool tables. The beer selection on draft is limited but they have your basics and a couple of good surprises (Harpoon Dark, anyone?). The proximity to the Central station on the red line is also a perk. Overall, not a bad setup.
Money: I'm never a fan of cover fees at the door, but the $5 charged here isn't outrageous. The coat check is another $2. Beers will run around-ish $5 (depending on what you get). One of my friends got a (tiny) mixed drink and it cost her $12.
Which brings us back to the cash only policy. There is no ability to open up a tab, no incentive to have 2 beers instead of 1 for the evening, no choice but to ferret away cash in your tight pants or in your corset instead of ferreting away a more compact and sturdy debit/credit card with your ID. Ultimately, no attempt to make visiting this club a more pleasant experience for the patrons.
Pretty cool little club. Â Sound was good, but the Mid East Downstairs is directly underneath the bar so with another show going on down there it was a bit distracting. Â Shakes the whole venue. Â Beer prices seemed to be a bit steep, $4 for a draught PBR. Â All in all I liked it there and would be more than happy going back.
Review Source:Came here on a Saturday - 80's night. More like a cliche 80's movie.
It was like all the kids who didn't have high school prom dates got together and had their own prom. You don't have to know how to dance, or even wear matching clothes. The video ambiance seemed heavy on androgyny and drag queens.
I'm angry. So angry that i'm telling everyone and their mother not to come here. Sadly this is the only 80's night in central square - I have a hard time believing the harvard and MIT crowd can't put together a better night than this.
After being in the ocean club/underbar/royale/cure/ and langham/bond circuits for quite a bit of time, I decided that I should stop being such a pretentious a-hole and give old fashioned 80's nights a try. I figured - cheap drinks, friendly ladies that aren't jersey shored' out with boob jobs, intelligent conversation and just non-pretentious all around fun for people who don't take themselves too seriously. I was looking for a place to relax. Â Boy was I mistaken.
This place made me miss the 300 lb steroidal bouncers you see at every other club and the hot little numbers that are trolling for millionaires at langham hotel. At least they try to be professional and maintain a consistent and predictable image.
For starters, my friend was EJECTED after paying a $10 cover for saying he no longer wanted the beer he had ordered, because he did not realize how much it was going to be. THAT'S it...the only reason. My friend is somewhat of a shy anti-social person that isn't good with communication - but not rude or hostile by any means...more of a harmless giant.
The only redeeming quality about this place is that occasionally some people in the crowd at friendly and are genuinly out to have a good time - but overall this is a place for people who "don't go out much". Rather than being a place that strives to be 'different' from the other nightlife spots with its own vibe, sense of mutual respect and energy, this club feels basically like a bunch of people from Six Flags got together, and started a nightclub just so they could be bitter and jaded somewhere in peace. Don't come here unless you came with a posse and are out to ignore everyone around you - due to the fact that these people lead an 'alternative' lifestyle that have become bitter and hostile to anybody that isn't really 'their type of people'.
Lastly, when i was here yesterday I decided in my drunken stupor to take a 'to go' cup of water from the establishment. Now I know taking drinks outside and anything in general is a big no no in clubs, but to be honest there was a huge water cooler with plastic cups in the club and it was JUST WATER.
As I was walking out, a 130 lb skinny little 'bouncer' shouted "hey dickhead" to me, and bolted after me, and tried to grab away my cup of water by force. I shrugged him off and he started shouting profanities and threatening me while I laughed in his face. Highly unprofessional - why would you call a patron a 'dickhead'? Suddenly he was reinforced with a bigger gentleman with a beard who snatched my cup away and dissappeared into the club, but not after telling me I was "DONE" for the night.
My friend who likes to pick up hipster girls who feel vulnerable because they're totally under-serviced swears by this place, however I personally would NEVER  come here again and subject myself to this trainwreck. Try Naga/Moska  down the street. The staff there is derived from old skool Avalon/Axis and have a lifetime of professionalism behind them.
Decent sound and a good amount of space!
I came here for a rescheduled show a week and a half ago and it was a fun time. After moshing I lost an ear plug, and for a buck the bar gave me a new pair.
Any venue who is game for ear protection gets two thumbs up in my book.
And, also while moshing, my carabiner snapped and my keys spilled all over the floor. End of the night: I was able to collect them all (either by checking the floor or at the bar). That is something special, and surprising.
If they get more artists I follow, I'll be back.
Wow, color me pleasantly surprised.
I don't go dancing as regularly as I used to. Too busy and, Boston being a college town, I assumed everyone would be a good ten years younger than me...and the last thing I need right now is to feel even older than I already do. So, we went to TT the Bear's with reservation since it's an 18+ club. The last time I went to an 18+ club was when I too was under 21...and I kept getting what the girls and I refer to as "dance raped." Really, don't make me explain.
That said, the 80's night at TT the Bear's had a surprising mix of ages. Better than The Pill at Great Scott (which also includes dance raping, I may add). They even had folks older than me...you know, people who actually remember 80's music during the 80's. Though someone at the bar kept BLOWING on the back of my neck to get my attention (Is that how kids hit on each other now? What is Facebook doing to today's youth?), I didn't get dance raped. Leered at a little, not dance raped. So, bonus. I was additionally impressed with the crowd. It ranged from frat boys to emo kids to the guy in the leather and a tutu (he was the best dancer), a woman with a shaved head, a Malcom Young in pants, a few folks in suits, some glitterey people, the one goth guy, and us. So, that was pretty sweet.
I was mostly impressed with their music selection. You ever go to 80's nights and they're always playing the same crappy New Wave compilation CD that you find at 7-11 and it gets old quickly? Yeah, me too. However, the DJ they had last night really spanned the 80's music decade and actually played the 80's music that I LIKE...so in addition to their crappy New Wave requirements, they played my Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banchees, Iggy Pop, and The Pixies. Yay! They almost made it flawless...they had a few 2007-ish techno flubs though. I'm older than Lady Gaga and The Ting Tings, so they don't belong in an 80's night rotation. However, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I whipped out my phone's Shazaam app a few times...and the sound's even clear enough for my phone to pick up the song.
I'm torn with what to say about the drinks. The main bar takes plastic, but with a $15 minimum. The minimum adds up with two mixed drinks because, despite being in small-ish cups, the Jack n' Cokes are $7.50. They're at least kinda strong though. However, I kinda feel that if you're charging a cover (which is $7, which isn't terribly steep), you should lighten your drink prices a bit. That could just be my complaint though.
My biggest complaint is the bathroom. Yeah yeah yeah, I know I cannot expect too much from a dingy downstairs club. But I can expect a door that closes properly by even the drunkest and most dysfunctional club goer. The door to the bathroom stall (yes, only one...but it's a small place) is visible from the main club. The door doesn't always lock. It's not a tough fix folks. I'm actually good with tools like drills and screw drivers, I'll even fix the damn door for you if I can get in free a few times.
Parking's a pain, but that's not TT's fault. The spaces within blocks of the place are permit only. Come on, NIMBYs, let other folks provide your neighborhood with business.
We'll be back though. Probably regularly. Don't blow on my neck to get my attention though.
Did you hear - Philip Cohen's CD just dropped!
Came here for the CD release party and was pleased by the low cover ($7) and the friendly and casual atmosphere. I was expecting something kind of divey and I got it. However, the floors weren't crazy sticky, the room was big enough to make it feel like a concert, but intimate enough for it to realistically host new bands.
Carry on, TT the Bear's Place!
Two words for you: Heroes Saturdays. Dare I say this night of dancing and debauchery is better than The Pill at Great Scott? Shhh don't tell anyone I just said that.
I freakin' LOVE Heroes night at TT's. I feel like I can dance however the F I want and I won't be judged by a single soul. And it's so damn liberating! This is the place to go if you wanna rock out with the most eclectic mix of people you'll ever see in a bar, period.
Music is a mix of 80s/new wave/ indie pop. Drinks are standard prices, but dude, they have a special where you can get a shot of whiskey and pickle juice as a chaser!!! I dunno if this is a standard shot/chaser combo but this is the only place I've ever seen it in Boston and it's delicious!
Ok, so who wants to go to TT's next weekend?
Key points:
Man at the door's hand stamp
Coat check's handlebar mustache
Bartender's red deaths
The secret to this place is the people. Â Whenever I come here, I enjoy myself. Â Dancing in this crowd allows me to feel connected and free in a way I have never experienced before. Â It is why people can make absolute fools of themselves and come back on a regular basis.
i am reasonably sure that every show i've seen at TT the Bear's has been way too big for it. Â Not in the sense of the popularity or fame of the performers, but rather that they seem to fill the uniquely tiny place and make it seem like no matter how obscure they might be, the place is bursting with their music. Â Standouts include an unhinged (and wasted) British Sea Power parading through the room with drums and climbing the speaker stacks, and more recently, the Danish seven-piece band Efterklang, who piled the stage high with instruments and ended the show in the crowd with a foot-stomping singalong. Â
TT's is a great place to turn a band you kinda like into a new favorite.
Great, super small, very intimate venue to see some loud as hell music. Because of the close quarters, the sign that reads "no slamdancing" is kind of funny; I'm not even sure there is a way to jump around in this place that doesn't result in violence of sorts. While I wouldn't classify what goes on as moshing--more like a bunch of people smashing into each other because they have .125 inches of space to call their own--I will say this: prepare to get hot, sweaty, up close and personal, and a little beat up if you're going to stand in the middle of the action. Truth be told, if you're chilling by the bar, you're safe.
Does the sound suck, as so many have said? I don't really know on a technical level. But it will blast your face off, and you are pretty much crazy (or already deaf and just don't care) if you're not wearing ear plugs.
WTF for one stall in the women's room (it makes the Middle East downstairs' bathroom feel luxurious). Beware ladies!
The shows are seriously cheap--all in the $10 range--and you can't help but be close to the stage, which rocks. You really can't go wrong here.
(PS: Don't stand in the street after the show lets out. The cops hate it, and don't care that you're hot, dehydrated, and spacing out.)
I always have a good time at TT's. Â The variety of shows that come through this place is really impressive! Â I adored the Japan Night tour (that was a seriously surreal and kickass experience)! Â Heroes is pretty consistently fun. Â I also ran an event here and it went off incredibly successfully!
I like having close proximity to the stage when seeing a show, so there's no shortage of that here. Â The space is really great, offering three levels of "involvement;" you can be right in the face of all the action, or off at the bar for a little respite, or, you can play pool in the pool room and be off in your own little world. Â I think the sound is perfectly fine.
Not quite sure what people mean when they say they're too old to go here...the crowds I always see are definitely late 20's - late 30's. Â Haven't run into an overabundance of teens and early 20-somethings, but then, maybe I'm not hitting up the right nights (which is fortuitous).
The staff is really chill and attentive; you can't ask for more, really.
Come here for the bands, not the beers.
Awesome little venue to catch a show. Â TT the Bear's has a really intimate feel so you can get up close or rock out or both. Â The bar area is also seperated off to the side, so you're not really tripping over people left and right while trying to get your drink on, though you won't be able to see much from there.
My big gripe is with the drinks. Â Last time I went, I ordered a Newcastle, which was definitely watered down. Â It's one of my favorite beers and I know what it's supposed to taste like. Â Well, I ordered a PBR and they tasted almost the same. Â From the $5.50 price tag, which is typical of Boston, I would like my typical beer not watered down. Â Might as well have gone for the cheaper PBR from the get go.
Go for the goth nights if you're into that scene... notsomuch the bands.
I must echo the popular sentiment here that their sound really, really sucks. It's good that they're there for local indie acts to get a start, but I personally will only go if I know the band playing. AKA don't drop in and expect to hear good music... or if it is good, the sound guy will ruin it.
The drinks on the band nights are OK, cheaply priced for the most part, but nothing to write home about. Probably wouldn't even merit an e-mail home.
I was lucky to catch Semi Precious Weapons, a fantabulastic garage glam band from NYC at TT's recently, and I also enjoyed the local band Honest Thomas' show a few months back. Both of those bands were awesome, and the sound was bearable. But the bands preceding and following the bands I was there to see... notsomuch. Especially the 'glam' acts... oh my dear, dear lord. So yeah, again... go if you know the band =)
I mainly go there for club nights, two of which are produced by Latex Lily, a gorgeous and charming lady. Her nights are XMortis, a beginner-friendly goth/industrial/fetish night, and Night of the Dolls which is mainly fetish, with an emphasis on vinyl. I also  occasionally go to Heroes, the glam/ new wave night.
Basically, TT's has become the new Manray. For those of you who never went to Manray, it was a long-standing goth, industrial, and fetish club that also hosted an amazing gay night, Campus. Manray closed a few years ago, and may it rest in dark, PVC-clad, homoerotic peace. But Terri, the awesomest goth bartender in all of Boston, pours the drinks on these nights with her characteristic grumpy charm. And the  amazing DJ Chris Ewen spins, just like it was Manray.
Even if you never got to go to Manray, these nights are still tres cool. The lights are low and there's interesting videoograhy being broadcast on stage. At tonight's Night of the Dolls, there will be a vintage-inspired latex fashion show- fabulous. Nights like these make the trashy dive bar aspects of TT's much more bearable.
I saw the most amazing band (Mucca Pazza) here. Â Now, you need to understand that this is a 30 piece "circus marching band" and capacity of TT the Bear's is what, 35? 40? Â The band was everywhere, on the bar, the stage, in the crowd (they took up half the room), in your face. Â It was awesome and if you ever get the chance to see them go post haste.
I tell you this first because they are the major reason I ended up liking this place. Â It's minuscule, rather dirty, the and when there's a DJ downstairs you can hear it muffled through the floor. Â The first few bands were hard to enjoy for the constant thumpa thumpa coming from below so we grew restless and left coming back just in time for Mucca Pazza to tear it up. Â I left glowing, partially deaf, and a bit in love with TT the Bear's. Â What an awesome, random little place.
I'm glad they sealed the deal for me on this place. Â I will come back for the cheap tickets, cheap drinks, and fast bar service. Â This is a great way to get up close with a great band at an affordable price. Â I just pray that there's not a DJ the next time I'm here.
I had a blast seeing my favorite band OURS at TT the Bear's! I didn't really know how it would be, considering the complaints in several reviews about their sound being sub-par. We could hear blaring disco from Middle East Downstairs every-so-often between songs, but it didn't drown out the music. The singer even joked about it, saying, "I love disco... just not right now!"
Anyhow, I got to the show a bit early and wandered in, hoping to get a cup of water while waiting for the venue to officially open. I asked the bartendress, and she handed me a bottled water on the house, awesome! I guess she noticed that I had a bit of a cold still and felt sorry for me. In any case, it was much appreciated.
They don't care at all if you bring cameras, and they seem to be one of the few places lately that is untouched by "the man." So many venues these days have such hardcore policies, and you get felt up before they even let you in the door. None of that nonsense with TT the Bear's.
The music was loud, but not overly so. It could be better, but then again, pretty much every place you go to these days could improve a little bit. I had an awesome first impression, and I will rave about this intimate club, with super-nice staff, and pool table in the back to all my friends. I will gladly go back when any band I like is playing there, and I hope they are in business for many years to come.
Be careful parking on the streets, as there are a lot of restrictions. I ended up in a lot that was $7, a couple blocks away. (**Have since discovered that there is plentiful *free* street parking on the other side of Mass Ave.**)
I just saw Slaraffenland, Efterklang, and two lame other bands play here last night for $10. Maybe it was the amazing show, or chilling with some great kids, or the delicious frappe I had at Toscanini's because the black X's on my hands meant I couldn't slip into any bars around, but I really enjoyed this place. The ticket woman gave me hell because my license is expired, but after threatening a few times not to let me in if I didn't listen to her aging hipster lecture about the necessity of ID (typical paranoid Cambridge liberal BS) she stamped my hand and we became BFFLs. Otherwise the place was very clean, staff stayed out of the way, and I even felt a breeze of fresh air.
My only complaint is that you can hear the band playing at the Middle East Downstairs through the floor. WTF. The last thing I wanted to hear during Efterklang was some local shitty punk band.
This is a great little venue. Pretty spacious, also. I really like that there are tables in the back behind the bar. It's nice to have a place to sit besides bar stools.
The sound is kind of fickle. The earlier the show, the better the sound. They start out with a good volume level, but then turn everything up as the night goes on. This is probably common practice at many places, but in my opinion it really detracts from later acts when you can't discern vocals from the guitars.
The drink selection was alright and the employees were pretty personable also.
I go to T.T's. occasionally if a band I really want to see is playing. Â I've seen a few shows here that were excellent and a bunch of shows that were disappointing. Â I'm one of those guys who goes to a club specifically to see a band, so if I pay a cover at the door to see a band, I actually shut my mouth and pay attention to the band. Â It's not an attitude I've encountered too much at T.T.'s. Â There's always a cacophony of sound coming from the crowd which is distracting from the show, plus the sound there is not so hot. Â There's also something about T.T.'s, I always encounter the weirdest people there...
So if you're someone who enjoys paying a cover to hang out at bar where you don't actually care about listening to the music, then give it a try.
Talk about a random Saturday night!
I've never been to this place, but have obviously heard the name. Â Looking for something to do on a chill night, ended up wondering into TT the Bear's. Â There was a band playing and the guy at the door let us know that it was a Mardi Gras party. Â While standing there trying to decide if we want to pay the $12 cover or not. I peak inside....
I see people dressed up in all sorts of outfits, with purple top hats that  have feathers in them, with women wearing funky dresses or ball gowns, with single colored hair or florescent, and beads, beads everywhere! The music sounded good and one could see that the crowd was totally mesmerized by the band, so we paid the cover and went in.
There were people of all ages, in there 20's, 30's 40's and up. The place was busy, but not the uncomfortable busy where you can't move. Â As much as I'm sure it's a reflection of this particular night only, but this was one of those rare places where I didn't feel like the shortest person in the room. In fact I was average hight at 5'2. I'm not saying that everyone was short, there were people that definitely towered over me, but I was just struck by the diversity of the crowd. Short, tall, young, old, all dressed up or not at all, young professionals and punks. I don't think it happened very often where you find this many different people in one place in Boston.
Standing there and taking in the crowd and music the announcer introduces the next "singer", or so I thought, onto the stage. A girl comes up and the music starts to play. The girl starts to dance slowly. Then she starts taking off her gloves. "hmmm" I think, "when is she going to start singing?" Then she starts unbuttoning her vest. "Ok", i think to myself  "she definitely going to start singing now, she must just be a little warm". Low and behold she refuses to stop. April, as I found out her name to be later, keeps dancing round and round and starts unbuttoning her shirt, then pants, until she's left dancing around on stage with nothing more then a thong and pasties!  Well this was definately an interesting surprise. This is one thing I did not expect to see in a bar in Cambridge. I walk in for the music and a few drinks and end up watching a burlesque show.
Over all, with the music and the dancing it was a fun night out. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on TT the Bears in the future.
I was at TT's on a Thursday night to see my friend's band play. They sound great, but TT's is too small for the volume level. Call me old fashioned, but I think any place too small to play a decent game of dodgeball in is too small for a mic on the drums.
The crowd was awkward. It was a major sausage fest. But it was like... sausage wearing all black and lots of trench coats. And the sausage wasn't even in the middle of the performance-area, they were hugging the walls and hiding in the shadows in corners. Weird.
I think this place is hit or miss, I've been there on more crowded nights, with more friends, but last night was just so weird... too much leather...
Bring earplugs and mace.
Heroes -
I got home at 4 covered in GUO (gltter of unknown origin). I danced for 5 hours straight. I may never walk again. Â I had hell of fun. I haven't been out dancing in YEARS. Until Heroes, last night, at TT's.
YEEEESSSSSSSSSSS.
____________
Great mixed crowd, wide age range, great music - good functional place with 2 bars, places to escape the dance floor and play pool.Not that I ever did that. Stage that hosts musical acts, also is a good place to dance on Heroes night when you are being an attention whore and dancing exhibitionist. :)
What do I love most about TT's? What qualities keep me coming back time and time again? Well no, it's not the sound system, or the awkward bathroom, or the itty bitty coat closet where I get to work during Xmortis or Night of the Dolls or Heroes. No, I spend plenty of my non-working hours at TT's because I love it just that much.
In fact, what it is I love about TT's is totally indefinable, and is just a crazy mix of good feelings, great memories, awesome employees, and feeling like I'm part of a "community" every time I walk through the door. Even before I sort-of-kind-of worked there.
This place gets three stars because of the amount of smoke that used to fill this place when smoking was still allowed.....it was outrageous to the point that I'd need to go outside half way through a show and my eyes would be red and blood shot to hell by the time I left. Â It was super unventilated, and probably still is but it's not really important now that it's not smoky. Â
Those were the old days, though, and now Boston is cleaned up and smoking isn't allowed, so I don't feel like I am getting cancer when I see a show. Â I rarely see shows here anymore, but I have seen some amazing ones through the years (Strokes, BRMC, Dandy Warhols, Damn Personals, and Sloan, to name a few) and I have been very drunk here while barely 21. Â Definitely good times, and this place holds a special place in my heart for my scenester days that have long since passed. Â If they ever existed.
Richard Lloyd: Thanks for coming ladies. It's such a crotch fest.
Friend 'o' Trish: We're here to see my friend's band play.
Me: Err.. Crotch fest?
Richard Lloyd: You know.. guys checking what each other is packing. There should be more girls at rock shows.
Me: Yes. Right. Err. Sorry I can't talk and hit balls at the same time. Err.. pool balls.
I love TT's. I'm a huge fan of Cambridge's venues. Small enough that the main act walks around comfortably (Lloyd is from the 70s band Television.. but I didn't stay to see him.. whoops) but well known enough that national acts swing through. Be careful of their publicists and entourages though, they can really clog up the place.
There's no need to really stake out territory on the floor hours in advance since you'll be able to see from wherever you stand (with the exception of behind the poles.. and that tall dude that's always lurking). The bathroom, the bathroom is somewhat heinous. One handicap stall that has a hole in the latch. Otherwise, I've never had issues with the door people or anyone at the bar. I usually play some pool with friends if the openers aren't floatin' my boat. Cheap tickets for bands I've seen go on to play the pavilion or the Orpheum. 4.5 stars!
The sound here can definitely blow but it's just overall one of the best places to see a great show in the Greater Boston area, hands down. Â It's nothing but you and the stage, baby, and the acts that come through to TT's are great, great, great. Â From indies electronica to Swedish glam rock, I've seen all kinds of awesome shows here and the energy has always been electric -- thanks in part to, yes, the "intimate" size of the stage.
The bar also serves some mighty stiff drinks here, which I love.
You can't go wrong with TT's. Â You can take the T right to Central or park at the Green Street garage just a street away. Â TT's forever!
Oh, how I love TT los Osos.
Great place to see bands, and to play, if you're in one (we've played there a few times). Â The sound's decent, the room's big enough but not too big. Â
The staff is very friendly and pours a good drink. Â The pool tables usually have all the required balls and don't often eat your quarters.
It's across the street from HiFi, so when you're loaded after a show, you can go get some greasy pizza and sober up, or go hit Zuzu's around the corner for one last drink.
Having just moved to Allston, I heard a lot about the music scene in Cambridge and was eager to check it out. A lot of that talk came up with TT the Bear's as a great little bar with good music.
Just went there last Sunday to watch a friend's band perform, and although the genre of music for the entire night was not really up my alley, there was a sizable crowd that made it exciting to watch/mill around.
Beers are $4.00, malternatives are $4.75 (or the reverse - i don't remember). There is an area behind the bar with tables & chairs in a small bistro-type setting, which seems out-of-place. They're not super-comfortable, and not clean. Tablecloths are plastic and ugly. I would recommend sofas/armchairs instead. Who's eating at this bar anyway? There's no need for tables, since there is a ledge around the room where you can put your glass down.
Another small section in the back holds two pool tables, $1 each to play, which is actually pretty good! Cues, and tables are all in good shape and though the room is a bit too small to accomodate both tables at play at the same time, it's still a pretty great corner to hang out in. You can still hear the music, but lively conversation is possible. This pistachio machine in the corner is scary, though.
Decor is, in a word, schizophrenic. A few gargoyles, Christmas lights, some paintings of random chicks?? And large, blank walls as well. Where does the Bear come in? This was the weirdest part for me. I expected the place to have more personality!
All in all, it was ok. Not great. Staff was friendly. $8 cover to see my friend play is ok. I'd go again if someone else I knew was playing.
I used to have a thing for wanna be rock stars so I can say I have spent a LOT of time at TT's. Â
Likes: relatively cheap beer (they even serve Wachusett Blueberry in the summer), small intimate size, Â back pool room.
Dislikes: The sound quality is usually not very good. All of my musician friends complain about the mix. There is ONE stall in the ladies room, which leads to long lines and often a sudden "suprise attack" on the men's room.Also I have found the staff can sometimes be quite rude - I guess it's the rock n roll attitude.
The ticket box office opens at 6 but you can also buy tickets online for a convenient extra 3$ charge. Overall they get some pretty good bands  and some interesting bills.
The sound leak from the Middle East sucks, so the soundlevels can reach earsplitting levels, I recommend carrying earplugs, in case you like your hearing.
But most everything else about this place is cool. The audience tends to be pretty casual/creative. There are some catcallers for the more crowded shows, but they're pretty chill for the smaller acts.
The venue is intimate, there's a good bar area in the back if you need to get away from the earsplitting noise of the dancefloor. And the green room is HUGE, which I imagine must be comforting for the bands who play there.
How have I not reviewed TT's yet? Something is probably wrong with me...don't comment, please.
anyway, there's not much more I can add to what other reviewers have said--I think TT's is a really great small venue, and I love the acts it attracts (that would be you Cold War Kids)...also like that the staff are generally friendly and the bartenders usually willing to think of something *creative for those of us who are tea-totallers...
Yay for you TT the Bears!
I like TT's for a venue its size because there is some variety to the layout. You can watch the band in front of the stage, where a raised ceiling has greatly improved upon the old sight lines. You can duck into the small lounge room on the side of the performance area. You can leave that part entirely and chat over on the other side of the U-shaped bar, if you need a break. Or you can shoot pool at a couple of tables far enough to hear yourself think but still within earshot of the bands.
I'm not always interested in every band in a show, so this works nicely for me.
TT's has music almost every night but is never open during the day unless there's a show, which is a shame because I'd drop in there over a lot of local bars. Still, it's a nice place to see a show. Tix are almost never more than $10, and it's a favorite of a lot of national acts who could fill larger rooms but want to keep the intimacy that a smaller venue like TT's provides. Sound could be better, and beer could be a little cheaper, but it's a good all-around package.
Keep an eye out for the smaller acoustic shows set up on the unlikely little stage (you won't know it's a stage unless someone's playing on it) on the opposite side of the bar from the main stage. They're a fun change of pace.
I hate going to big indie shows where people push to get to the front of the stage. I hate being at shows where you can't see the stage when you are in the back of the venue.
TT the Bears does not have any of these problems since it is so small and the acts who play there tend to attract smaller crowds. Some of the best shows I have ever seen have been there and local bands play there as well.
It is a pleasing and comfortable venue. Skip the middle east, try TT's!
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