The Cut Live is Gloucester’s New Live Music Venue

The North Shore has a new gig spot. The Cut Live is now open in Gloucester, with a bit of rock and roll fanfare to make it official.

The Cut live bills itself as a multi-purpose entertainment venue and restaurant. Located at 177 Main St. in downtown Gloucester, the building boasts a whopping 22,000 square feet, divvied up into a 500-capacity performance space and a 180-seat restaurant, as well as space for rehearsal rooms and recording studios. In short, it's a dream for both musicians and fans of live music on the North Shore.

This is welcome news as we move into 2024 after coming out of 2023. That was the year we saw an upheaval in Allston as a long-time rehearsal space closed and local artists scrambled to find new digs. It's also the year we watched the beloved Great Scott, shuttered since the pandemic, find it's new form as a Taco Bell Cantina. Listeners keep urging me to visit and review. I might, but it feels so wrong.

I'll definitely have to make time to visit The Cut Live in Gloucester, however. Their Grand Opening takes place on Saturday, January 13, 2024. It doubles as a birthday bash for headliner Willie "Loco" Alexander, Boston music legend and Cape Ann rock icon. The bill is rounded out with a who's-who of local rock legends, including The Neighborhoods, Andrea Gillis, and a slew of other big names.

Tickets are limited and available at the door on the night of the show. Get more information here, as well as a look at what's to come, schedule-wise. A new venue opening in the Boston area--instead of another one closing--should be a cause for celebration and we should do all we can as a community to show our support and keep the region's music and arts scene healthy and strong.

Recently, I asked you about your favorite debut albums from Boston bands. You spoke, so now we put it all to a vote.

This is the 12-Inch Poll, my weekly exercise where we argue about things like what's the best summer vacation spot in New England, or what's the best summer music festival. I keep my Polls up indefinitely, so feel free to tap away at those links and cast your votes whenever you feel the urge. It's more fun and productive than doomscrolling because you'll actually be thinking and remembering. Fun!

This week's Poll grew out of a little something I put together last week. It was an anniversary look-back at The Cars self-titled debut album. In the piece, I came to the realization that it might just be the second-best debut album ever released by a Boston band (next to Boston's debut album, of course). I then used that realization as a jumping-off point for a conversation with you.

Over on the ROCK 92.9 Facebook page, I asked: "What's the greatest debut album by a Boston band?" And a fair number of you weighed in. Enough at least to put together a decent field of beloved Boston rock releases from over the years. You can scroll through the full list here (once you've liked the page, of course). And feel free to add yours pick if you don't see it in the comments.

In the meantime, let's take a look at the albums that made the cut. I wanted a good cross-section not only of Boston rock eras but of styles, so you'll find a bit of everything here, from classic rock to hardcore to new wave to alternative rock. Scroll through, vote for your favorite, then pass it along to your Boston rock friends so they can do the same.