The Rat
Located at 528 Commonwealth Avenue in Kenmore Square, Boston near BU and open from 1974 to 1997, The Rathskeller or The Rat was the cradle of the legendary Boston Rock scene and THE venue for punk and new wave in New England. After my Stevie Nicks gypsy phase, I cut off all my hair, wore leather and t-shirts and made the scene at The Rat. I was there the night the disco club across the street emptied out and the punks and disco dancers rumbled on Commonwealth. Standing in the median, waiting for a chance to bolt through traffic, guys in cars yelled, “Sheena!” at me after the Ramone’s song. I saw a lot of bands there including the Cars and Mission of Burma. But the one that changed my life was Human Sexual Response.
Andrew Szava-Kovats has made a documentary “Let’s go to The Rat”.
Look for it.
