Salem Wolves, Evan Greer played Crystal Ballroom – 12/15

Locals teamed up for a free show to celebrate the launch of ONCE’s new Springdale Beer Co. collab at the also-new Crystal Ballroom in Somerville.

I won’t be making it to any more gigs in 2021 (not that there are many to be found, at this point), but there’s still recapping to be done. Among my final handful of shows was last Wednesday’s bash at the brand-new Crystal Ballroom, upstairs from the Somerville Theater in Davis Square. ONCE presented a bill of greater Boston favorites to mark the release of the ONCE Again IPA from Framingham’s Springdale Beer Co., and show off a promising new live music space in a scene that sure could use one.

I had picked up an assignment to shoot one of the last North American shows from Genesis across town and sadly had to miss first-of-three Glacier, but did make it in time for an acoustic set from Evan Greer (including a folk-punk “Frosty the Snowman” take) and a raucous closing from Salem Wolves. It was my first time inside the Ballroom, and I must say I came away impressed. The space is bigger than you’d guess, and features a deep, tiered layout that ought to make even sold-out gigs of the future feel somewhat spacious. The sound and lights were top-notch, too.

With recent BMA winner Alex Pickert helming in-house talent buying, good things are definitely on the horizon here (once this massive pandemic spike ideally subsides in the new year, of course). Already on the calendar are gigs with For Your Health, Ezra Furman, Serpentwithfeet, Gang of Four and Dry Cleaning which will hopefully roll on as planned.

Scroll below for some captures from last week’s show.