New England Conservatory

"New England Waiting Room For the '21 & UNDER'"

Price:   FREE
Age restriction:    All ages
Location:    Symphony area of Boston, close to the Green Line
Accessibility:    All welcome, Walk-In

Special Guest performance at New England Conservatory

Conveniently located in the Symphony section of Boston, the hub for world class entertainment in Boston, The New England Conservatory is the place to go to hear music from budding artists. Unlike Berklee School of Music, NEC focuses less on highlighting specific talented students and more on groups of students creating music together. Thus, you will notice that they regularly showcase orchestras and bands. When you think of a music conservatory, you mainly think about a very technical and tradition type of jazz and classical music. This is not the case with NEC. You can hear everything form hip hop, to funk, to jazz, to even electronic sounds. Conservatory in this sense is just used to highlight the exemplary and first class quality of learning that the institute provides.

If you enjoy sitting down and listening to music in silence then you will surely enjoy the free student workshops and concerts that NEC offers. Did you say student workshops? Yes, the daily showcases and concerts are often student and/or faculty workshops and don't worry, all the performers are highly trained. The setting of these student workshops are often quite dull, the performance space does not have a stage so it is surely and intimate setting although, the performance hall lacks any other aesthetics to make the space more appealing. There are no refreshments or beverages served, this is strictly a performance venue and nothing more. The crowd usually consists of friends and family of the performers, professors from NEC or other schools, and a few walk in visitors. Quite frankly, the performances might as well be held in a gazebo in the Boston Common or something of the like. The crowd seems to come and go, people leave in the middle of a piece to go to other engagements or just to leave. This setting requires no commitment unless you promised your best friend you would come to their performance that night.

Open to all ages, NEC is among the limited jazz venues accessible to colleges students under 21. A kosher and free alternative to the other jazz scenes that Boston offers, NEC is a great venue to visit  for those just passing through the area or looking for free things to do in Boston. For the romantic and frugal types, this place is also a great for 'dates-on-a-dime' and quiet romantic evenings.

Lucky's Lounge, Den of Cocktail Cool

Lucky's Lounge

Price: Cheap-Moderate
Age restriction: 21+
Location: The Waterfront, South Boston
Accessibility: No accessibility for college students ages 18-20

Description:

Lucky's Lounge

From the outside, Lucky's looks like a mysteriously unnerving dive bar. Located in South Boston's historic Waterfront, you don't get the same sense of security you would at a place located in Harvard Square. Once inside however, you instantly feel like you were transported to a 1920's speakeasy, close quarters, basement style, and dimly lit. However the warm toned paint on the walls, and the good-times swing music, make the environment a great place to grab a drink, have some food, and make some friends. The 21+ age restriction seems to be in good reason. The bar, although inviting, isn't located in one of the best areas, and its out of the way from most of Boston's colleges. If you're over 21 and are in good company, the bar is a great place to hang out and enjoy some of Boston's best local swing and jazz musicians.

Still feelin' Lucky? The club's bleak exterior.