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Business & Tech

Entertainers and Musicians Rue the Closing of the Court Tavern

Iconic music venue was the mainstay of the former New Brunswick music scene, locals say.

According to musician Travis "Rev" Nelson, once upon a time, New Brunswick was the destination spot for bands to play in North Jersey.

Once a thriving city for live music in the 1980's and 1990's, New Brunswick boasted venues like the Roxy and the Melody Bar, two former French Street spots.

New development has come, many shows moved into basements, but the Court Tavern was always there, he said.

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Nelson, 40, of the ska-punk band Hub City Stompers and formely of the band Inspecter 7, said those who care about live music should be paying attention to the Court's closing.

"I think a lot of older people, people my age, still remember how awesome it was in New Brunswick (and) have been kind of bitter about things for a while, are going to see this as a bad thing. This is it. This is the end of an era. This is a pretty defining turning point as far as this city is concerned. There’s literally nothing left," he said.

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On Wednesday, a rumor spread through New Brunswick that the Court Tavern had shuttered its doors, which was confirmed by owner Bobby Albert, who told the Home News Tribune that the venue was closed "indefinitely."

In 2011, it celebrated its 30th anniversary at its current spot on Church Street.

Dave Hartkern, Director of Operations for the nearby State Theatre, said that over 20 years, he played as a musician at the Court Tavern and worked with the venue as a professional at the State Theatre.

Many of the bigger name acts that the State Theatre has booked came up through the Court Tavern, like Glen Burtnik, Patti Smith and the Smithereens, he said.

As a young musician in the late 80's and early 90's, Hartkern said the venue was one that musicians aspired to.

"It just seemed like that was the place in New Brunswick," he said.

Hartkern said the closing of the venue was truly a sad event. Venues have come and gone, but the Court Tavern outlasted them all, he said.

"It was just a place where you'd celebrate the new sound," he said.

With the closing of another venue in this part of the state, the question of where local and small acts will play is a pressing one. Opinions are split on what the closing of the Court Tavern means for the local music scene.

"I don't think the scene in New Brunswick is going to die with the Court, but it will be harder to get a foot in the door in New Brunswick," said Jared Migden, music director emeritus and an on-air personality with WRSU, one of the two college radio stations at Rutgers University.

Migden, who used to host live broadcast from the Court Tavern during shows, said venues like the Old Bay, the Harvest Moon and Tumulty's Pub all host live music, but they are not rock clubs.

Many shows have moved underground into the house basements of college students and young residents in town, but they run the risk of being shut down by the police due to noise complaints, Migden said.

Gabriel Diaz, 22, guitarist for the band Marloneisha, was not as optimistic as Migden in regards to what will happen to local music.

"I think it’s definitely going to hurt the business of a lot of bands in the area. It’s definitely going to cripple the scene. There’s no where else really to play. That’s the only spot," he said.

Nelson expressed a similar sentiment about the Court Tavern serving as a last bastion of rock in New Brunswick.

“Now that The Court’s gone, that’s it, there’s nothing else. That was the last hold out. That was the last actual venue, club, bar in New Brunswick that had underground music. Now there’s nothing," Nelson said.

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