Tag Archives: Metal For Nepal

Boston Area Music Venues ONCE Somerville and Cuisine En Locale have Closed Due to The Pandemic 

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According to a published report by the website Vanyaland.com, two indispensable places in the Boston music scene for underground music, culture, and food have closed permanently and will not re-open following the COVID-19 pandemic. ONCE Somerville announced today on Facebook that their venue and lounge, as well as Cuisine En Locale, will not re-open following the COVID-19 pandemic. “Cuisine en Locale is going out of business, and the space we call the ONCE Lounge and Ballroom will not reopen,” reads the announcement made by ONCE founder JJ Gonson. Both venues were unique and essential spaces in the area, with ONCE hosting many underground and extreme bands we covered many times. Although tiny,  Cuisine En Locale also had some live music and hosted unique shows like Andrew WK and the Body. ONCE has held online shows via its Virtual Venue, which launched in late April. The Virtual Venue will continue to broadcast livestreams of live music in the meantime while a future plan is developed. There had been a successful crowdfunding campaign, and some government assistance that kept the clubs from immediate shutdown and layoffs, but now that the money has run out, the clock has run out too. Gonson has said that hope is alive to reopen the ONCE Ballroom venue in some other location someday when things get back to normal. We will miss these Boston Music Awards nominated wonderful venues where we attended and covered many shows, and even held our charity event, Metal For Nepal there. 

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Once Ballroom To Close Tonight After Epic Metal Show, Re-Opening In September

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As Ghost Cult previously reported, Once Ballroom and Lounge, a.ka. Once Somerville, in Somerville Massachusetts is closing their doors tonight after a bit of a rough go this year. Thankfully, they plan to re-open in mid-September and are already announcing shows. Once has become an integral part of the New England music scene, not only for heavy music but as a real community building location inclusive for all people in the area. In addition to their weekly Tuesday metal nights, the club has hosted many a show that our staff was lucky to be on hand for, including particularly memorable shows from Windhand, Face To Face, Skeletonwitch and the site of the Ghost Cult sponsored Metal For Nepal 2 charity concert. Not only is the venue itself top notch, but the staff, service and the promoters who book the shows there are amazing. Tonight’s send-off includes a massive metal show with both floors going hard including the Boston date for Witch Mountain’s current tour and vaunted locals such as PanzerBastard, Upheaval, Lord Almighty, SEA, CAZADOR, Lex Russo, and more! Continue reading →


Boston’s Metal For Nepal Benefit Concert Raises Money For Earthquake Victims

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Metal For Nepal Benefit Concert

Metal For Nepal Benefit Concert

On June 20th Boston’s Metal For Nepal Benefit (#MetalForNepal) concert was held at The Middle East Nite Club in Cambridge, MA. The event was a resounding success, raising over $1200 for victims of two earthquakes in Nepal. The $1200 raised came from proceeds of ticket sales, an exclusive merch raffle of donated items, and sales from the Metal for Nepal compilation album. $1200 USD is the equivalent of NRS 120,000, and can be used to build temporary housing shelters and give life saving supplies to communities still reeling from the devastation. Headlining the bill was Obsidian Tongue, with Native Construct, Caricature, Sonic Pulse and BruteMukti. Special thanks to MediaBoss Television for being on hand to film the event.

 

Obsidian Tongue, by Meg Loyal Photography

Obsidian Tongue, by Meg Loyal Photography

 

All monies collected will go toward the Jai Nepal Youth Club, No Silence for Nepal, WHR Nepal, Reaping Hope and Jagaruk Nepal charities.

 

 

The co-founders of Metal For Nepal Boston commented on the event:

Kevin Brown : After an amazing outpouring of support, from friends and family, to locals who wanted to contribute, we have found ourselves at an end. One foot in the door of an awesome journey to help a wear country, head banging all the way!

Kunjan Joshi: It’s encouraging to see people from all walks of life supporting and helping rebuild Nepal. It’s a long way to recovery but we are very well on our way!

Keith Chachkes: Having volunteered at charity events in the past, I was surprised at how many people asked about the charities the money was going to, and what else they could do to help them. Metal For Nepal has inspired a deep and ongoing level of interest from metal fans. I am proud that I could lend a hand to make this happen. Thanks to Kevin and Kunjan for all of their support.

Metal For Nepal compilation cover

Metal For Nepal compilation cover

 

Sales of the physical copies of the benefit compilation organized by Metal for Nepal performers BruteMukti, featuring Nepalese metal bands dubbed Nepal Earthquake Relief, were brisk at the event. You can still donate and download the collection from Bandcamp here: https://nepal-earthquake-relief.bandcamp.com/releases. Physical copies will also be available for purchase at future Metal For Nepal events while supplies last, with all the proceeds going to charity.

The support of the metal community by the music industry has buoyed our efforts and we’d like to thank them:

Victory Records

Prosthetic Records

Dewar PR (Special shoutout to Curtis Dewar for donating crucial publicity services!)

Fly PR

EarsplitPR

Northeast Metal/Hardcore/Punk

Meg Loyal Photography

Several other PR firms, which made anonymous donations

Artist Mark Richards of Heavy Hand Illustration (Aborted, Pig Destroyer, Revocation)

Artist Michelle Duggan of Heartbeasts (Saint Vitus, Lord Dying, Cult Leader)

Please support the bands that performed at Metal For Nepal Boston:

Obsidian Tongue on Facebook

Native Construct on Facebook

Caricature on Facebook

Sonic Pulse on Facebook

BruteMukti on Facebook

 

There will be future Metal For Nepal Boston organized events in the near future. Metal For Nepal’s other shows have included one as in LA on June 13th  and other events around the world. BruteMukti will participate in New York’s Metal For Nepal event on July 15th at Archeron long side such bands as Sangharsha, Tiger Flowers, and Skullshitter.

Facebook event for Metal For Nepal New York

Metal For Nepal On Facebook

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