House of Blues a House of Bogus

Ah, Lansdowne Street. The roar of rowdy bros, the click-clack of skank heels, the grate of Boston accents, the smell of stale vomit, the refrains of "OMG why didn't I wear my coat?" from girls in skimpy tops and short skirts. It's exactly the kind of place you'd expect to hear some authentic blues music. Or... not?

Bostonist was impressed by the glitzy trappings of the new House of Blues, and thought the music might be up to snuff as well. Last night, we tried to go to an opening night show featuring Kid:Nap:Kin, Re-Up, and Sex! at the House of Blues. Sadly, our ability to appreciate the show (or even get inside) was foiled by a variety of factors, including bros, hos, and the huge line outside. Apparently the 2000-seat club decided on a 500-person capacity for its sneak preview, but issued far more tickets than that. The club reached capacity quickly, making a lot of Bostonians (including ourselves) wait in line outside, where we called other folks to tell them not to bother showing up and eventually left the venue without hearing a note of music.

It was kind of a Jehuda Reinharz moment of poor planning begging for bad press. Maybe by starting out poorly, the venue can look good later? Either way, this experience won't have us banging down the doors (or waiting outside in the cold) for a HoB show anytime soon, or recommending the venue to anyone else. We can't imagine that the many others who left the line last night are hyped on the venue either. Guess this is what you get for hoping a chain establishment could be any good.