Union Tavern

Full stars for Union Tavern accommodating the event last night. The staff was very professional and welcoming. I had an amazing time! Bonus points for having three bathrooms, which was a lifesaver.

Drinks are overpriced and underwhelming. Bathroom is usually a mess. Music is way too loud and the sound guy often shows up late. This place also does not serve food. Overall, pretty bottom of the barrel venue - there are so many obvious things the owner could do to improve this place. Based on the precedent below, definitely hoping for a spicy reply from the owner who clearly takes everything too personally. However, it's almost impressive how impermeable he is to any of the abundant feedback that is offered here on how to become a better venue. Union square is lucky to have an affordable music venue at all, but I wish it weren't in the hands of someone who cares so little about people's experience.

After reading some of the reviews on here, I was determined to do two things; order a stiff drink and meet the owner. Despite my preconceptions, both turned out to be highly pleasant. The place is a nicely sized bar/venue with an attentive friendly staff. & Jerry, if you’re reading this, stay sassy. ✊🏼

The owner is hilarious! Great place to hang out and have drinks! I always come for the Emo nights and it's always a blast!

We went for the stand-up comedy on Tuesday and it was a very fun night

I usually try things twice before I mark them down for the count, however this bar and atmosphere was seriously lacking that I think one visit was more than enough. Drinks were not good / missing ingredients, my friends were made uncomfortable by the bar owner who was extremely rude as others have noted in reviews. Hope he sells off to someone that knows how to run a business and actually listen to their patrons rather than bad-mouthing them on the internet. Do yourself a favor and grab a beer at any of the other bars in the area.

I would avoid this bar at all cost. Not only are the drinks weak and overpriced, the owner is rude, unprofessional, and exhibits an impressive lack of maturity for his age (I mean look at the owners replies within these reviews). It's no wonder why this establishment has developed a bit of a reputation. There are so many other businesses in the area where your time and money can be better spent! I'll sit back with my popcorn to see what unhinged reply the owner comes up with.

This place is so cool! Attended an underground rock gig which was awesome! It has a speakeasy vibe.

I played there last night. I saw some bad reviews on here so I was ready for a bad time and hoping for a good one. It was great. The owner and the sound engineer were nice and professional. The bartender was friendly. Our friends were treated nicely. The stage is very small for a 4 piece band. Only vocal mics through the PA. It worked fine for that small room. It was a good little gig.

Came from CT to celebrate my boyfriends birthday. We purchased tickets via Eventbrite for their Afro beats night and we had an amazing time. Everyone from the door guy to the bartenders were very welcoming and the crowd was diverse and there to catch a vibe. We aren't club people and this place was perfect. Finding parking was easy and the space was perfect for grabbing a drink and dancing. Dj was doing his thing, would definitely return!

The eorst slowest, most unplesant bar tender ever. He ripped me off he charged me more than he chsrged the regulars. DON'T GO THERE IT TOOK HIM 30 MINUTES TO SERVE ME 3 DRINKS.

Loved the venue, it's ashamed that the staff and specifically the owner are who they are. They are Inconsiderate and lacking in all customer service, despite the fact that the bartender was very nice but not meant to be a bar tender. Would not recommend throwing or attending any events there. The owner was extremely rude, even insulting. I will be impatiently waiting for what seems to be another rude response from the "owner" because that seems to be his move. This sad little man actually considers himself a business owner which is just plain sad. To top it all off the bathrooms had urine all over the floor from open to close. Do yourself the favor union tavern get another owner or go out of business like you deserve.

Grimiest bar in the area. My band played there a few times and were subject to extremely creepy behavior by the patrons of the bar, who were clearly tight with the bar tender. We NEVER got paid for playing there, despite there being a $10 cover ($10 to see four local bands in a dirty bar always seemed a little much). The way they handle criticism of their horrible business practices really seals the deal here, they have zero interest in improving or addressing the very real issues of their bar. Very upset to see what went down this last weekend with a disabled and trans performer being sexually harassed and heckled for using zer cane. However, as shocking and disturbing as this situation is, this was sadly par for the course at PAs. PAs should have been called out long ago: THIS IS AN AWFUL PLACE DO NOT ENTER.

Okay, look, my standards for bars aren't that high. Bartender brusque? Fine. Regular-ass beer selection? Fine. Divey? Fine. Cash only? Fine. The bartender looking you dead in the eye and ignoring you and your partner, walking by twice while you both tried to get his attention? Not fine. The bartender then very quickly serving the attractive young woman that walked up six inches to your right and STILL ignoring you? Not goddamn fine. I walked out after that and I won't be coming back.

The place is for real. A family-run business, for the old times' sake. They don't smile the fake smiles here, keeping up the traditional Somerville's stance of "no bs here". Yet, you can meet an 80+ yo Columbian here, and discuss the Russian republican history of XV-s century. Political correctness is not present, and the free speech is tolerated, in line with a great Boston's tradition of a pubs as a place of free thought, that brought us American Revolution. I had a couple of shows there, for my daughter's band from JP, with a gang of JP girls descending on PA's local regulars, dancing, jumping, singing! They all loved the real nitty-gritty atmosphere, with a sour dower Finn in one corner, and a quiet semi-crazy local talking to his own shadow in the corner, as local tough ladies joke with a charming Italian-American lady bartender that takes no bs from anyone. Irish, Portuguese, Russian, English are all spoken here. As well as Chinese and Estonian! But is the local drinking public that is there all the time. Union Square, a symbol of unity between Cambridge and Somerville, is a place for all, just like good old USA. Besides the glitter of the fine establishments, there is also a real place, where you can speak and listen if you want to, despite the fact that some speeches can be offensive or loud. A true genuine American bar, a dinosaur and a whale. Cash-only miracle!

This place has the most disrespectful staff I have ever encountered. They are rude and unprofessional. They act like they are doing you a favor by allowing you to be in their dingy bar. Awful, awful, awful. There are plenty of other places to go; stay far, far away from this place

The last time I was at PA's Lounge, I had to tell someone to inform the sound guy that the band was only coming out of monitors with nothing coming out of the PA. The bartender that runs things is notorious for being rude to attendees and poor treatment of performers. He is the number one thing that is keeping this from turning into a great live music venue.

Management sucks, brother played a show here last night and the owner refused to pay him after agreeing to pay for the performance. Place was filthy, drinks had bugs in them. Not worth it

I went there last night for a comedy show. The comedians were great, but their performance was greatly inhibited by the loud group of people at the back of the bar... It's pretty much common sense to know to keep your conversation to a minimum at these types of things, right? Someone should tell the owners, since they were the ones being disruptive and rude. It destroyed the whole mood of the set. I don't want to support an establishment where the owners don't care that you paid $15 to see a show, and when nudged to keep their unnecessary screaming to a minimum, completely ignore their patrons. There are so many more dives in the area you could spend your money and time at. All with cheaper beer and better atmosphere. Steer clear of this rat-hole!

It's like a mile from the T so it took me until last year to check this place out. You've got to have wheels. As far as I know no parking permit only areas? but parking around here is an art- Great neighborhood bar!!! And great place to see eclectic ,or should I say, bizarre rock shows. Saw ManMan and Gil Mantera's Party Dream here--I guess some say the sound isn't the best. But I love me a friendly dive. $2.75 Pa's "Special Brew" The bartenders are fast and friendly. You have to call out at the bar -don't wait to be noticed! There is a machine full of $5 scratch tickets. I heard the Mayor of New Bedford recently won hundreds of thousands of dollars on a scratch-off ticket. Maybe tonight is your lucky night-

I've never seen a show here, but one time [before I moved here] I was visiting and a group of friends decided that we had to be at the "dance party" that was going on in the entertainment room. Nothing makes you feel more like a squeeb than you with 3-4 of your friends dancing with no "body buffer" around you. Well, maybe some hot pokers jammed up your rear. But when you're dancing and the closest person to you is the bouncer watching you and his watch and those tiny heads peeking through the bar window, you can't help but feel a little Madonna-in-Open-Your-Heart-music-video without all the dollars and trampy clothes. In any case, the thing that sucks is that if you want a drink, you have to exit briefly outside to enter the other part of the establishment where the drinks are. The last time I was there was last year during the What the Fluff? festival in honor of Marshmallow Fluff. There was a list of bars that had Fluff themed drinks and P.A.'s had a Fluffaccino drink. Nothing makes you feel more like a skirt than ordering a frou-frou drink that comes with a tiny spoon and seated next to a few mechanics who were grousing over the spoken-word garbage in the entertainment room. But then some tourists came in after us and were excitedly recanting the day's events at What the Fluff? I tipped my cup to the mechanics, gave them a sidelong glance, commented about how lame spoken word was and felt less like a douche and more like a comrade.

If you like: * eclectic local rock 'n' roll * friendly neighborhood people * cheap beer then PA's is right for you. Much like the Abbey was before their renovations, PA's is a local bar with a separate room for live music. You can either go and sit and have a beer with people from the neighborhood, or you can pay the cheap cover and check out the bands on the other side. PA's does an excellent job of booking local indie acts, and the simple and extensively informative calendar on their web site (paslounge.com) should be an example for every other bar and club that features live music. Not to mention that there's a really impressive broad selection in the jukebox, a sign that the bar really does know and respect its customers. Plus Jerry can tell you the story behind just about any of the many pieces of memorabilia lining the walls. A great place for either catching a beer and the game, or a night of home-grown rock 'n' roll.

This place is horrendous and I'm just getting around to writing a review now even though it's been about a year since I set foot inside. I looked PA's Lounge up to see if it's still there, and it is! Shocked it hasn't been run out of town yet! If you're a musician, absolutely don't waste your time playing here, even if you're a little band starting out. It's basically a pay-to-play venue. Honestly it's a shady place that will rip you off and charge a $10 cover at the door, and even if all of your friends come out to your show the venue won't pay you at the end of the night. Pretty sure you have to backline everything and the sound guy was really rude and the sound was awful. It's really sad and dark and no one really goes in there except belligerently drunk awful people who are homies with the bartender. This is the only place where a patron of the bar GOT UP ON THE STAGE AND TOUCHED ME after my performance. Horrifying. He was stumbling drunk and my band mates had to intervene. Seeing friends' shows here is also horrible, the drinks are tiny and cost $13, you'll for sure be sexually harassed, and you'll be wondering all night why you are even there. Trust me folks don't even set foot in the door. It's depressing enough to be outside the door looking in.

Scammed us, plain and simple. Staff called us a**holes for asking questions, bar tender refused to answer any questions.

PA's has an interesting combination of live local & off-beat indie music. The lineups are only getting better. The staff is superbly friendly, the bar is decent, there's plenty of cheap beer, etc. My only problem with the venue is the lack of effort they've put into changing what looks like someone's rec room into a performance space. The stage is too small to accommodate anything larger than a 3-piece band, there's no decor or color, the seating is limited to one booth in the corner so everyone tends to just stand around the edges of the room. Regardless, they have some of the more interesting acts to come to town, so I go whenever I can. Hopefully they'll do some basic renovations when they have the time & $$. Music Selection: 4/5 Staff: 5/5 Sound: 2.5/5 Ambiance: 2/5

PA lounge includes two rooms: One with a corner bar that serves alcohol in plastic cups, with a smiling bartender and cheap beer, as well as several high tables in a Bostonian sports bar setting. The other room is as big, with a stage large enough for 3-people band fit, gloomy setting. I saw a live show last night, which was awesome. The crowd here is pretty eclectic: music appreciators in mid 20s, who are comfortable enough to dance whichever way they'd like. Usually, this second room doesn't fill up, therefore the atmosphere is so so. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to another show at P.A. Lounge.

PAs Lounge isn't the type of joint that should be charging $6 for a Lagunitas IPA. If you're a bar, and you're grimy, you should be cheap or at least cool. The only reason it's getting any stars is because they host live music. But since they sawed the stage in half, they're probably only a 2 star worthy venue. No complaints for the staff that work here-- it just has nothing to offer of value besides the live music.

Gotta disagree with Emily on this one (sorry!). But P.A.'s is a pretty excellent place to see that band you got hip to before anyone else -- before they sell out the Middle East or T.T.'s the next time they come through town. The music room is what looks like a converted buffet room. There's a small raised platform up front that the band squeezes itself onto and a random booth and the bathrooms in the back. Now while it is a bit annoying to have to leave the room and the band altogether to get a beer -- to be able to stand six feet away from the lead singer and not have to be squeezed unmercifully between two sweaty dudes -- well, that's a price I'm more than happy to pay. And the band I saw play here was a seven piece (keyboard, violin, trumpet, guitar...) and they sounded great -- much better than the usual muddled, feedbacky sound I get from T.T.s. The bar area has a nice comfy homey feel to it (before the hipsters crowd the place up on the nights of shows). The friendly bartender, the cheep beer, the old dudes playing chess in the corner, The Modern Lovers on the juke, can't complain. And if you don't dig the scene at the bar here you can always get your pre-show drink on at Tir Na Nog across the street.

P.A.'s::Union Square The Middle Eastern::Central Square Unassuming, laidback, small, not trying to be anything it isn't. I saw David Pajo here a couple months ago, and got to sit on the floor right in front of the "stage," all of 3 inches off the ground, relaxing, and taking it in. Pajo watched his openers from the back of the room, sold his own merchandise, and set up all his own equipment (which included a set of foot-bells...quirky) in three minutes flat. I'm sure that's not the way all P.A.'s shows go, but it was really refreshing. No pretentious B.S., just sincere musicians playing their music. A lovely Australian named Holly Throsby opened for him, and made me a fan with her intimate and soulful performance. I'm really worn out by the hipster scene, and was so glad that P.A.'s wasn't playing that game. If you're not paying a cover to see someone play (which was very reasonably priced, anyway), it actually seems like a fun bar, too, with friendly bartenders and isn't as loud as some other places nearby. Bravo P.A.'s.

P.A.'s Lounge ... what can i say really? i performed there a couple of times back in 2003 thanks to Leah Callahan ... and a little timetrip back brings many pleasant memories ... very cozy space with decent sound for both music and performance art ... very unpretentious, casual and welcoming ... open-minded regarding the style of act ... perfect for cabaret-style variety, rock, comedy, performance art

What do cheap beer, the Red Sox, and emo strippers have in common? PA's Lounge, an amazingly laid-back Union Square venue with a two room setup: on one side, there's a well-lit bar with lots of stools and standing room. They carry their own house brand of beer, priced at $2.75--which means your beer money is worth roughly TWICE AS MUCH here as other bars. Score! They also have a few good quality but unobtrusive televisions showing baseball, and you can maintain a conversation without losing your voice. On the other side is a large room with a low ceiling and a stage--it does have an Elk's Club feel, but it's also really homey. And the acoustics were great for a small place, I thought-much better than TT's dreadful sound. While others have dissed the dual setup, I think it works well--more rock clubs should have a neutral space like PA's bar where you can come in out of the sound for a few minutes while you chat up your date, especially if he or she doesn't relish the often outrageous (but fun) acts that frequent the Lounge. Did you still want to know how the emo strippers come in? Okay. So last night's headliner was Gil Mantera's Party Dream, an insane pseudo-Foreigner/Buggles/Postal Service/Norwegian barbarian duo of brothers from Ohio, who had some great music to begin with, then upped the ante into an entirely different dimension by donning, respectively, leather pants pulled down to expose leopard-print underwear and a loincloth with knee-high moccasins. During the show, Loincloth Guy removed his already skimpy costume to reveal a G-String, all without missing a beat. I'd like to say we were shocked, but the opening act, Cassette, had done the same, stripping down to a polka-dot headband and salmon-colored cotton briefs, so we were properly acculturated to this phenomenon. I remember thinking: so this is the natural consequence of raising a generation of kids entirely on sex and Nintendo--emo strippers of course! But I'm also not afraid to admit that I was strangely turned on, to the point where I told my friend, "I promise to get you this for your bachelorette party." So I say, go to PA's with a sense of humor, a hankering for a cheap beer, and a very open mind, and you'll have an awesome time. It's cheaper than Chippendales and a much better kind of awkward.

I went here to see an aspiring rock star, and aside from him, and his opening act, there were about 10 of us in the performance-side of the bar. The guy has gone on to play much bigger venues in NYC and beyond, so it's pretty cool to say I saw him at a dingy place like PA's Lounge. It's like a dive bar with a performance space. If you've ever been to Sligo Pub, imagine that place with an area for a band. I think it's a great venue of you're looking for a random band to play. It's tiny, and the beer is cheap!

I agree with just about everyone below. They really need to do something with that band space -- add some tables, more seating options, and -- I can't believe no one mentioned this, yet -- they need to do something about the air circulation in there. An AC system would be great. Something. And I'm not talking that huge, utility fan they had in there this past summer. You get 75+ people in there on a muggy Friday night in July and you just about die. I've been in the MidEast upstairs, TT's and the Abbey, jammed together with about 100 other people and I don't die of dehydration like I always do at PA's. I've actually left shows early because it became so noxious in there.

I have to give PA's five stars because I love it, because it is my Hang Zone. I played my first show here about four years ago, I've played many since, and I'm playing one on Monday. Tony, the guy who does the booking, is an awesome guy, and he manages to get some fantastic acts in there (Jens Lekman, Jason Anderson, Secret Stars, Mark Robinson, I love it). This is the best place to see bands in Boston. I think. The relationship between the bar and the venue is totally sweet because if you aren't in to one, you can be in the other. The people who run the place are all good people. It is somewhat (only somewhat) hip and divey, but more importantly it is comfortable and fun. And cheap. And I like that there are still plenty of middle-aged people who don't give a hoot about the music next door and are just there to have a beer or a brandy or play Keno.

I love love love PA's! Besides the cheap beer great drinks and the easy going atmosphere..there's quirky bands, a fun open mic..and great sarcastic but hilarious bartenders. They just recently tore down the wall that separated the bar side from the stage side and I thought it would make it intolerably loud, but its not. It's nice to not have to choose between hanging at the bar or watching the bands (which they have a pretty eclectic mix of ). Even if I have plans to meet someone somewhere else or what not I always stop in here first for one. But it is a great place to just sit and hang out watch a game.. Talk to the other patrons and the bartenders or sit quietly with a beer and do a crossword. p.s-I think they have plans to reopen the kitchen in the future, which would be great. But don't quote me on that!

The bands here are great! Fun place to check out local rock n' rollers. And who can argue with cheap beer? Pete S. has pretty much said everything in his review! Check it out!

I was just in Boston for a couple of dyas and needed to find a place near to where I was staying. I found PA lounge online and checked out the bands on msypace that were playing. At first I thought it was going to be a big venue with a danceclub athmosphere. When I got there it was smaller and was actually a restaurant that was converted in an 18 and up place at night. Nontheless, there was a good beer selection and the music was exactly what it had promised. I had a great time, and it was even better that it is in walking distance in sommerville.

This bar is a Somerville gem - especially if you're into a laid back, people-centered atmosphere. I've been here with my husband many times in the past and loved it. They recently (as of 4/22/11) knocked down a wall, merging the bar area with the stage area. The bartenders here are great - really down to earth, authentic people. Great place to catch a game if you don't have cable (that's usually what draws us) and have a chat with good people at the bar. The bar top itself has vintage (1980s) sports cards laminated into it - a nice touch, especially for those of us who grew up collecting Walter Payton and Greg Maddox cards. Music at the stage is usually worth coming - they recently started a Saturday evening open mic and regularly have indie and rock shows for cheap covers. Not a place to come to meet scantily clad kids and listen to club music - this is thankfully at the other end of the spectrum. Just good people, cheap beer and good music.

I love PA's. The bartenders are friendly, the beer is cheap (PA's brew, whatever that is = 3 bucks), the mixed drinks are strong, and the door guy, Gerry, will remember your face. I'm a little partial to the bands there because some of them are my friends, but you're guaranteed a good, diverse show at PA's for a low cover. And you didn't hear this from me, but I swear one of the bartenders was on What Not to Wear.

Went to see my friend's band play and loved the whole lineup. Blue Moon was $5 on tap, the bartender was really nice, didn't ignore my short frame behind the bar and didn't give me a hard time about getting an ice water every time I got a beer. $10 cover wasn't astronomical and it was well worth the amount and quality of entertainment inside. I would not feel weird coming here alone, depending on the type of crowd, but it's a great place for groups, especially if you can claim a table in front of the stage.

PA's is a really interesting place. I enjoy it. I love its VFW Hall charm and its general indie grittiness...or what cuddly indie kids can pretend is grittiness. I like that you can take a break from watching bands to go socialize at the bar, which is separate from the venue-- it's helpful if you're only really interested in the opening and headlining bands at a 4-act show. And I also really appreciate that they're trying to improve the place-- minor renovations have taken place, including an expansion of the postage stamp-sized stage. I recently played on the new stage and had much more room than before, yay! One small drawback is that it's sometimes hard to hear the monitors when you're on stage. It's also out in the middle of nowhere in Union Square. Sometimes the venue room gets really hot and pretty stinky for some reason during shows. But so go rock shows. For all of that I can only really deduct 1 star. It's always great times playing here, and definitely fun to see shows here as well. The staff are really nice, and so is the owner. My opinion must be shared by the local music scene because PA's is definitely attracting increasingly better acts. Go PA'S! Check 'em out.

I am not a reviewer. This is the first review I've ever written, and unfortunately, IT HAS A CONTENT WARNING! CW: enabling abuse, transphobia, ableism, aggression, racism, misgendering, assault: NEVER EVER go to PA's Lounge in Somerville! If you've booked a show there, cancel it and if you have friends who have booked shows there, encourage them to do the same. My partner and I were there last night to support a friend. There were red flags from the beginning and as the evening went on, things only got worse. First, a loud and obnoxious heckler was encouraged to continue heckling the performers by the entire bar staff who were chatting him up and seemed to find his antics incredibly charming. During this time, my friend who was performing later turned to me and expressed feelings of unease. Ze* mentioned that another performer had been sexually harassed on their way into the club. (I later found out that the bar staff were informed of this and responded by laughing and saying, "oh yes that's so-and-so. He has a thing for Puerto Rican women") I tried to reassure my friend that we would protect zem. Empathized with zer valid feelings of terror related to the harassment incident, Told zem Ze was unhecklable, that ze just had to be zemself. The heckler eventually left and my friend started setting up zer act, laying a tarp on the ground and carrying a big bucket in which you could hear liquid sloshing. THIS was the time when the venue, should have been asking questions if they didn't have advance info about unusual performance plans, which granted, they didn't and probably should have. Instead, they let my friend get set up, and in the middle of performance, after Ze had dumped out a bucket of very simple fake blood (just water and food coloring) onto the tarp, they cut the PA, rushed the stage, asked my friend to stop the performance immediately, and clean up the mess, which Ze was planning to clean up after the performance was finished. They then GOT MAD THAT MY FRIEND NEEDED TO USE A CANE TO WALK OFF THE STAGE AND CLEAN UP THE MESS! They started yelling things like "you don't need the cane, what are you, an infant? Are you going to make us do this for you?" etc. While this was happening, the first performer tried to stand up for my friend and got punched by a PA's lounge employee. He then called the cops (not necessarily the smartest thing to do). I decided to go ask for our money back as we had come explicitly to see the person who was banned from performing. The person who was collecting cover said, "the show happened, you're not getting it back." I responded, "You kicked my friend off the stage." He responded, "he kicked himself off the stage," misgendering my friend and adding insult to an already injury-inducing night." I am pleased to say that my partner had driven there and we were able to get my friend home safely. I am also pleased that many audience members helped my friend clean up and another performing group who had played before my friend walked out after my friend's non-set, possibly in protest, possibly for safety reasons. Possibly both. I saw a yelp review today that said this venue hosted a white pride event with people in Klan robes and confederate flags. I am never going back. I hope you don't either *My friend's preferred pronouns are "ze, zer, zem." this is an alternative to gender binary

I wish the kitchen stayed open. Mostly because I was hoping some of the Con Sol menu would make its way onto the PA's menu a they're the same family. Alas, no more food, but that's ok. I'm usually there too late to get food anyway. This place has its own definite ambiance. The venue side used to be the dining room and its large and really open, which is good for the shows that happen there. What's really nice about PA's as a venue is its roster of shows. Smaller bands who couldn't book at places like the Middle East can play at PA's. Its definitely has found a niche musically and that's great. Noise bands, experimental bands, emo bands, they all have a place at PA's. I've never seen any stand up or open mic nights here, but its nice to know they do that, too.

Terrible place. Bartender/owner is rude and I heard he puts his pubic hair in people's drinks.Rips off musicians.

changed the name but not the horrible attitude of the old man behind the bar last night a women was passed out on the street i ran in asking for ice because she had heat stroke and he looked at me and said well thats why they have ambulances ya know after 3 minutes of him looking for something to put the ice in he finally gave me a plastic garbage bag when i went to grab it and said ok thats enough ice he told me to fucken wait i did get the ice and did help the lady but humanity is lost on this guy

Let me start by echoing what others have said- if zero stars were an option, I'd have picked that. My band played at PA's several months ago. In advance, I asked the booking agent if they had three DI boxes as this would be necessary for a band. DI boxes are needed for bass guitar, keyboards, and basically anything that does not use an amplifier. He assured me that our technical needs would be met and that we were ready to go. We arrived at the venue at the load-in time mentioned by the promoter. The sound guy was nowhere to be seen. A half hour later, the sound guy is still nowhere to be seen. "Doors" are allegedly at 8 (I say this loosely, because this place has been open all day and some people have been there actively drinking all day; they saw the show for free) and it was 7:30. At 7:45, the sound guy strolled in. I went and asked him if there would be a sound check. He asked when we were slated to play, and I said last. He said there would be no sound check but there would be a line check (a polite way of saying "we'll make sure everything technically works, but your first two songs in your set will be your sound check." I voiced concern that we had an atypical (but easy) setup, and that it may make sense for us to do this before the show. He assured me all would be well. Throughout a too-loud show wherein microphonic feedback (ring out your damn room) and a complete and utter lack of vocals, the bartenders clung to the regulars, and when someone there for the show approached they'd give condescending looks and act like they were doing a favor by serving drinks. Thanks, guys. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your hectic schedule to serve me a warm and watered down PBR. We were finally up at the end of the night, and got our equipment ready. We had our three lines for DIs ready and I handed them to the sound guy. "What are these?" "They're our DI lines. The first one is computer, and the last two are the synthesizers." "We only have one DI." "Are you kidding? The guy who booked the show said you had three?" "This one has two inputs though. We can plug two things into it and it'll sound really good." I need to stop the story here. I have a degree in audio engineering, but anyone who has ever used a DI box knows that this is NOT the case. Seeing a lack of options and an increasing delay in our start, I acquiesced and plugged two things into the DI box. We borrowed our first amplifier from another band, then he started checking the signal, and it was coming through very distorted and low in volume through the monitors. He walked over to us. "Huh. I guess using two signals in the DI won't work." We borrowed our second amplifier. He started raising up the computer volume in the monitors. It provides our drums, so it's a necessary part of our show. He could not raise the volume, which was maxed out on my end, beyond what amounted to the volume level or someone speaking loudly. My amplifier was on 2.5, where it always is, and it easily drowned out the monitors. He turned it up as loud as he could, and it just kept distorting. "Do you have some kind of limiter on the monitors? It's definitely turned down far too low, and this is what it sounds like is happening." I got a blank stare in reply. We continued to struggle with the levels, and I was growing increasingly furious. I was assured that the venue was equipped to deal with the not-too-crazy demands that we had, and here we were struggling with a guy who had an entry level grasp of audio equipment (and I am being polite in saying so) to get things working to a level where we could actually perform. In our practice space, it takes us about five to ten minutes to get set up from zero. We were now in the 15-20 minute range. That's when one of the bartenders got involved: "YOU'RE CLEARING THE BAR!" she yelled directly at me, making eye contact. She would heckle us later between songs, as well. I approached my bandmates and suggested we walk the hell out, but we had a good number of friends there who had all paid to get in. They outvoted me and made the right choice to slug through it. The show itself was nightmarish. The monitor situation was never resolved, so we played quietly and still managed to hear nothing but a wash of distortion coming from the monitors and my quiet amplifier masking all detail, so the rhythm was all but lost from us. I apologized to the audience at one point in the set for the terrible sound issues and the awful performance we were giving as a result, but I realized at this point that the sound guy could actually STILL make things worse for us. I backtracked quickly and apologized, hoping he wouldn't intentionally sabotage us further than he had already done so unintentionally. At the end of the evening, we had the pleasure of getting paid $20 for bringing in 10-15 people at $8 each. I strongly recommend no musician ever play at this anti-musician venue unless you're ok with being treated like trash.

Echoing what others have posted, I'm embarrassed to say that I attended a well-attended show at PA's Lounge this week, and messaging with the band the next day learned that NONE of the bands were paid. When I pay a cover I'm contributing to the band -- the establishment makes money off the drinks sold to the crowd the band draws. The booking website has so many warnings, you KNOW that there is a history of mistreating bands. An owner doesn't post such a detailed policy unless s/he's received MANY complaints (there were definitely more than enough attendees to surpass the door fees... unless the bouncer was pocketing cash). That cover charge is the last money that sleazy place is getting from me. I refuse to support an unscrupulous establishment.

Musicians beware: Bad sound, shitty stage, and management operates at a childish level of unprofessionalism.

Don't go, especially if you're a band thinking of playing here. There's a laundry list of problems with PA's. They stuff the bill with any band they can find who will play, the sound guy is basically asleep on the job, they don't pay bands a cut from the door, there's no guest list, they don't give drink tickets or discounts, and they don't promote in the slightest. Not to mention the bartenders' drunk friend who threatened one of the performers with a glass bottle and didn't get thrown out. I'm not expecting to be given much, I understand we are a largely unknown local band, but the blatant lack of respect in every category prevents me from ever considering this venue again.

Want an unfriendly bartender and an uncomfortable performance room? Here you go! The bartender acts like he's doing you a favor to serve you unless he knows you, and I believe this is the owner (at least on Mondays). Furthermore, what kind of bar in the Boston area doesn't have Guinness? On the performer's side, there is one booth and a pile of chairs. Guess you got to pull one up. Or maybe you are expected to break dance? They have started a Monday open mike which has a diversity of talent, if you catch my drift. For beers, a better bet is Bull McCabe's down the street.

So bad, it's good. Well, not really. More like, so bad that it's laughable. Yeah, that's more like it. The venue side of PA's literally looks like the owner got in a fight with somebody who ran a AM-Vet's or VFW and took the keys to their building from them and slapped the PA's name on it. The bar side is a functioning bar complete with plenty of local color. They have some decent stuff on tap so you will find something beyond Bud to drink for cheap. I would never come all the way out here just to drink for the 'divey coolness' that is PA's but if I had to come out for a show again I wouldn't say no because of the fact that it was at PA's.

Let me preface by saying I don't drink beer. Unless I'm at Bukowski's (check them out if you've somehow missed that buzz). So I'm giving P.A.'s 2 stars for it's capacity as a music venue - which is crappy. It's a small room, with no order though not a cool "chaos" to it either. The stage may indeed BE a desk as someone else suggested. The sound is horrible and if you want a beverage, you have to leave the show and go to the other side where the bar is, leaving you missing the show. I didn't use the bathrooms, but I would venture to guess that they'd get a 2/5 stars as well.

If I could I would give this place zero stars! My boyfriend is in a band and they played their first show at PA's Lounge a month ago. The owner is very rude and the sound tech was 30 minutes late...Nothing was set up so the bands had to start playing almost an hour late! The cover charge to see the 3 bands playing that night was $7, but somehow after 4 hours of preforming the owner claimed the bands only made $90 in tickets altogether. I was present for the entire show and I counted at least 3 times that many people in attendance. They owner clearly STOLE money from all of the bands (including one of his resident bands) and each group of 3+ people only walked away from 5 hours of work with $30. A friend's band played at PA's last night and had a similar, if not worse, experience. The sound guy was 2 hours late (he needs to be fired immediately) and once again the owner was extremely rude. Not to mention that the place is dark and creepy and they don't serve food. Complete rip off! I suggest that if you are a band that is considering playing here...DON'T!!! And if you're looking to listen to some great local music go elsewhere as the show is likely to start hours late!

it's a dive. the beers come in bottles or plastic cups. decent concert venue, tho it's really convoluted to get to by T. basically, i wasn't wowed by the place, but it worked for what i was there for - a beer and a concert. moo.

Went to a show at PA's Lounge last night; expected the worst but was pleasantly surprised. The sound system was actually very nice, the lighting was decent, and the place itself was not any more divey than average. The staff was relatively subdued and it seemed like they had people who weren't employees running the music and sound. Overall I expected the worst based on their past reviews but was pleasantly surprised. Seems like they took some criticism from the past years and are on the upswing.

Being a JPer and terrified of going across the river, I ended up here this past Friday and fell a little in love with it, even though Union is even further than Inman (but bonus for being near toast for lesbian debauchery!). If I lived near here, I would be here regularly. Really not much to write about in terms of 'decor' or style or ambiance-just a good solid neighborhood bar-just the way I like 'em!

Great selection of local (and occasionally not-so-local) bands playing here. That - and that alone - is what keeps me coming back. I hear the same stories everybody else does regarding bands getting ripped off - but just try to find another venue that a band can score for $150/night. With a little luck you might find one. In Springfield, MA. That said - let's not kid ourselves. These guys are totally half-assing it. It's kind of ironic that a bar with "PA" in its name would sport the worst sound of any music venue in Boston, but it's true. And it seems like there's either a different sound guy there at every show, or he's a master of disguise. As others have noted, the decor is lousy. And on occasion the place smells kind of funky (a mass grave of sound men wafting up from beneath the floor boards?). And, yes, the beer is a bit more expensive than it ought to be. But I keep coming back. And if I do I really ought not to give this place less than 3 stars. At worst this place provides a low price of admission for new bands to enter the local scene. Let's hope it continues to do so, after the Green Line goes to its front door. In about 10 or 15 years...

I'm telling everyone I know not to support this bar. I paid $10 to see my favorite band who happens to be up-and-coming only to witness the owner be completely rude and disrespectful to myself, the band, and everyone there. They drove in 7 hours of traffic to play the show just to struggle with a terrible PA system and get kicked off the stage after 3 songs before the bar even closed. She belittled them and was nasty to those of us who purchased drinks from her all night. No m'a'm, I don't care what you say to me but you can't treat my favorite band like that and not get a bad review. If you're in a band and looking or a place to play, I strongly urge you to look elsewhere for bookings.