The Western Front

Decent food and drink as stated and with a Red Stripe (Jamacian beer) in hand with the great music there you can’t go wrong. This has been a popular venue for reggae on the weekends but the music is now more world music and funk. Check out Hip Anonymous on Funk Friday on June 22, 2012. Doors open at 8:30, admission $ 5, music from 9 to 1, see u there!

Ever walk into a place and want to kill yourself immediately? Yeah…

Interesting space for live reggae music. I can only comment on the drinks, really. Had a real cheap glass of chardonnay.

Went on a Fri night and saw 3 bands play. The place is less than nice and definitely a dive bar place. it wasn’t packed but it was pouring outside. The music was so loud you couldn’t hear people talk. The drinks were pretty inexpensive and there are a lot of places to sit down. The crowd there was very hipster and college-​y.

This place is one of two places in the Boston area for live reggae. i think they only have it on Saturday nights but you have to call to make sure. Their website is not working and even when it was, it was never updated so don;t bother trying to find any info there. It’s best to just drive by and read the sign. I’ve only gone to regaae shows there and have never been disappointed. It’s safe to puff most of the time but don’t be conspicuous and do it where everyon eelse is doing it. By the looks of the place you may think $ 10 cover charge is kind of high but it’s well worth it for the music and drinks once you get in. I’ve lived in the area all of my life and have never heard of anyone getting shot there. Don’t pay attention to that nonsense. The only people who are afraid to walk in are the people who don’t know the area or who have just come here for college from a white bread town. Any local will tell you it’s safe and fun. That’s not to say you can’t find trouble if you get too drunk or act stupid but that goes for anywhere around Boston. Every tings gunna be irie.

I love this place! What a great crowd! I went last Friday to see The Debo band show! LOVED IT! What gets better than great music with a great DJ spinning great reggae between sets and a red stripe in your hand??? That’s right, there is nothing better!

Use to be way better with some good reggae jams… Decent carib food… smokin in the boys room!

Never had a bad time here.
This is the kind of place you go to with old friends who like to drink and black out. Preferably laid back girls and hate any kind of trouble men.
You get confused when you walk in because the bar is scooped to the ground… but how cool is that?
Bartenders are straight to business. Mean drinks… order Caribbean style cocktails (whatever that means and I don;t mean frozen Pina Coladas either) or anything with rum if you want to fit in with the background.
Go upstairs for some live music (reggae/​jazz). be ready to pay cover after 9PM or so. If you are cheap, just stay downstairs. they have nice leather couches/​booths and the music is usually loud enough to hear from there anyway. HA!
You may also get grinded on by those soulful, hazy moving, slick and googey eyed dancers. No worries. they are friendly and will just smile and back off if you give them your best care bear stare.
Western Front is on Western Ave… one way coming from Central going towards the river. it’s a bit of a far walk. so if it;s late. keep a cab number handy. Everybody knows the address. they probably have chilled there way before any of us too.
I’d also like to add «Ain;t nobody got shot here in awhile» so unless you have extremely bad luck/​paranoia/​huge action film imagination. you should be alrite.

I went to a friend’s show last night and came out alive, though I think the clientele varies from night to night. I was surrounded by thugs and not one fight erupted until my petite friend started harmlessly moshing. Most everyone was upstairs to listen to the acts, which ranged from ‘What, what?’ hip-​hop, to really underground sounds. The headlining band, complete with mc and dj, did some awesome covers as well as original stuff, blending hip-​hop beats with jazz, reggae and a bit of funk. I was surprised to see such a group of talented artists perform in a pretty low-​key venue.
The place was classic, swing dancers painted on the walls, marquee board outside. There was a bar on each floor too. Oh and notably, the bathrooms were clean. I’ll be back for the ‘Hot like Fire’ and wold music performances. I’d imagine that a place with such history would draw on the wealth of diversity and creativity in Cambridge.

Ive been there a few times, each time to see a slamming live act. One night was reggae (I love good roots reggae) and another night for a great jazz trio that should have been booked at Scullers or Regattabar (thats a complement). Odd thing is both nights the place was dead. All they needed was a cricket chirping in the corner to emphasize the lack of people. But then again, both nights I also had beers with the band (there was no one else to drink with)…

I used to work in the movie business.
I stuffed popcorn in small bags for $ 10 a pop. We had iced tea behind the counter. Sometimes it would get moldy and the patrons would come back and ask us what was that gunk floating on the top and my boss would smile and say, «flavor crystals»
So, Kevin M., I prefer to call those «gunshots» you speak of as the «flavor crystals» of Cambridgeport.
Course, I’ve never heard them myself. My flavor crystal experience in that area has been limited to 2 alcoholics sitting on their front stoop drawling «hi» as I did my «tough girl» walk by them.
The Western Front itself is a cozy space with down to earth staff. 2 floors with the bar seperated from the dancefloors. NICE setup.
So, when Jack Frost comes nipping, bring your butt down and shake it.

The Western Front is one of the few bars/​clubs located in Cambridgeport and it is extra special because is specializes in Jazz, Latin, and Reggae. Not many huge names here but the performers are always very talented.
But seriously, where else are you going to regularly hear some authentic Reggae like this? No where else.