Allston concert venue Harpers Ferry will open its doors to music lovers for the last time this weekend.
Harpers Ferry’s general manager Andrew Wolan announced on Oct. 1 that the club would permanently close after Halloween because their landlord did not renew the lease.
Located at 158 Brighton Ave. between the Boston University and Boston College campuses, Harpers Ferry has been a popular venue for the last 40 years for students to see both locally and nationally known bands.
Harpers Ferry promotion staffer Marissa Vaysman said the club is one of the few that has regular hip-hop shows and offers one of the most unique concert schedules in the area.
“We’re one of the only clubs in the area who gets really big acts for a club so small,” Vaysman said.
The club has a capacity of 350, resulting in what Vaysman calls a “really intimate, authentic experience.”
“It’s just a great place to see concerts because it’s so small,” Vaysman said. “A lot of the time, the artists will hang out after the shows.”
Some of the club’s more famous concerts include Maroon 5, Gym Class Heroes, 30 Seconds to Mars and Fall Out Boy.
To mark the iconic venue’s final week, Harpers Ferry has booked a show every night through Halloween.
On Tuesday night, Harpers Ferry hosted its last hip-hop concert, featuring artists Big Kurt and Ray Diamonds among others.
Wednesday night’s performance will feature punk rock band The Dirgest, and The Felice Brothers, a folk-inspired rock band, will headline Thursday.
On Friday, Harpers Ferry will host The Joshua Tree, a U2 tribute band from Boston.
The club will celebrate Halloween early on Saturday by having a costume dance party with performances by Christine Occhino.
The last night, the club will host a group from New Orleans called the Soul Rebels Brass Band.
Concert attendees are encouraged to wear costumes both Saturday and Sunday night.
“It’s been a long run,” said Vaysman. “It’s a shame that it had to end, and people who have never been should check it out before we close.”
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Julia Case also regretted the club’s closing.
“I was excited to see one of the shows in December,” Case said. “But I’m going to try to go to one of the concerts this week, so I can see the club before it closes.”
Manager and bartender Steve Cummings said that the club’s closing could take a toll on neighboring businesses.
“This was one of the most popular small venues in the area,” Cummings said. “We’ve noticed a lot less foot traffic since another bar, The Kells, closed this summer, and this won’t help the area.”
According to The Boston Globe, Paradise Rock Club owners Don Law, Joe Dunne and Declan Mehigan are looking into purchasing the Harpers Ferry venue as a feeder club tentatively called Brighton Music Hall.
A more intimate venue, Harpers Ferry has a capacity of 340, while Paradise holds up to 850. The new club could be used to screen bands before they perform at Paradise.
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