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Kells blames rap concerts in Allston for recent spate of violence
By adamg on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 1:25pm
Managers at the Kells on Brighton Avenue told the Boston Licensing Board today they've beefed up security to deal with problems from what they said were trouble-causing elements from other parts of the city attracted to the neighborhood by rap concerts at other establishments.
The board held a hearing today on three incidents at the bar, most recently, a fatal stabbing of a bar patron down the street at Harvard and Brighton avenues. The board will decide Thursday what to do about the incidents.
"The number of incidents that happened in a very short period of time is saying something is going on and we want to get to the bottom of it," board Chairman Daniel Pokaski said. "This board is just trying to get a handle on what's going on in Brighton. There were problems we've had in other parts of the city ... now are starting to spill out in Brighton."
Bar attorney Carolyn Conway said that, starting over the summer, the crowd coming to the bar had been changing, getting younger, coming from "different parts of the city we didn't see before."
She said bouncers have barred people they thought were looking for trouble, but said that, ultimately, the problem is something the bar can't really control: People getting out of rap concerts nearby who then congregate on Brighton Avenue. "We're doing everything we can to not have the bad element attracted to the Kells," she said, adding the Kells now typically has one or two people out on Brighton Avenue looking for trouble - and ready to dial 911.
Inside the bar, she said, there are now more bouncers and new camera and radio systems. She added bar managers now stay in close contact with local police - and will close the establishment early if they know a large concert nearby is getting out.
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Comments
How convenient
"Let's blame it on Harpers Ferry! Yeah it's all their fault!"
Anyone have a copy of their schedule from the past 6 months?
You got to love the audacity
You got to love the audacity of that place! For years the Kells has been a haven for scumbags and troublemakers from all over the city. It was only a question of time before someone died. To blame other establishments for your own issues shows a lack of leadership and accountability. The sooner that place is sold the better.
Uh, what other establishments?
What "rap concerts" are going down in Allston (not Brighton)?
Besides, the Kells seems to be doing it's own fine job of keeping up with these "other establishments". Nearly every promo poster is for a DJ spinning "hip hop", top 40, and reggaeton. So, gee, I wonder why they might all head to the Kells after their other concert is over.
Their answer to that
Conway said the rap concerts get out before the Kells closes and that while the troublemakers may not get into the Kells, they congregate outside it.
Kells folks said the guy who got murdered was a frequent enough Kells customer that they recognized him and that he was inside the bar the night he died, but that the killer attacked him after he left the club, in front of the convenience store, and that there had been no trouble inside that night.
Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry has the occasional rap/hip-hop gig.
I made a comment a few minutes ago, but it didn't take I guess. I asked if anyone knew how to access their schedule from last year to see if the ridiculous claim can even be backed up with a timeline.
Oh look...
...another reason never to go to The Kells: not only are the owners racists, they haven't even got the balls to come clean with their racism and say "It's dem other clubs bringin' all dem neeeeeeeeeeeeeeegroes to our neighborhood, ah tells ya!" No, they have to use code words about "rap concerts." Please.
kells
u need skinny jeans to go the kells, and don't frilt with managers gurls or u b banned kells suck
schedule
Harpers Ferry Events during weeks of violations:
9/7 - 9/13
9/7- 4 local indie bands
9/8 - 2 local rock bands
9/9 - HBO screening of Jason Shwartzamn TV show
9/10 - Paper - indie dance night
9/11 - Brothers mccann - Hippy Jam band
9/12 - Richard james - funk rock band
10/16 - 10/19
10/16 -kinetix - hippy jam band
10.17 - eoto - hippy trance band
10.18 - ludo - indie rock FNX band
10.19 - metal bands
11.5 - 11.8
11/5 - taproot - rock band
11/6- forget ful jones - loacl rock band
11/7 - warren g - old school hip hop
11/8 - 3 local rock bands
For the record
Not to defend the Kells or blame anybody, I'm just the messenger here, but: Nobody from the Kells mentioned Harper's Ferry at today's hearing, and nobody on the licensing board mentioned their name, either (side note: Harper's Ferry in fact was also up before the licensing board today, but for a far more minor infraction, involving what police said was a failure to adequately supervise an all-ages show to make sure nobody under 21 got a drink; police did NOT allege that that actually happened, the bar said it had 11 bouncer types on duty that night, but some were plainclothes and that might be why police didn't think they saw anybody on the floor).
Yeah seriously, where is all
Yeah seriously, where is all this harpers ferry talk coming from?
All the Kells said was "nearby". Hopefully, posters here on UH realize that there are many bars in that area.
Perhaps these rap concerts were at Wonderbar? Or Common Ground? Or Joshua Tree?
Well J you may not be up on
Well J you may not be up on your AB nightlife but Harpers Ferry is the only venue in AB which holds "rap concerts." Great Scott and O'Briens used to but stopped about 18 months ago and the Paradise Rock Club, which still holds occasional rap shows, is nearly a mile away. Harpers Ferry is directly across the street from the Kells.
The reference to rap/hip hop
The reference to rap/hip hop concerts is clearly a stab at the Kells across the street neighbor Harpers Ferry. To suggest otherwise is naive. Joshua Tree? Yeah, about half a mile away and they don't do live music. Womder Bar? Doesn't do live hip hop. Common Ground? Again, not a live music/concert venue. Great Scotts? Doesn't do hip hop. Kind of reduces the options there doesn't it J?
yeah but what other club in a
yeah but what other club in a 1 mile radius has hip-hop shows
Agreed
The 9/11 show may have sparked violence.... I hear Brothers McCann plays music for hippies that cause them to become zombies and eat people...
Caught in a lie
So I just checked Harpers Ferry schedule against the dates of the three violation incidents the Kells was brought in on today. It looks like on only one of the dates did Harpers Ferry have a rap show rendering Kells management claims factually erroneous.
kells
yeah this makes sense...deflect
harpers ferry is the only
harpers ferry is the only venue that has rap concerts in allston... so obviously there talking about harpers ferry. kells has always been racist. i've seen them let in a bunch of caucasian wearing hoodies and then not let in one black guy because he was wearing a hoodie.
BU and the Paradise has had some hip hop stuff
recently.
Getcha facts straight
Its a known fact that the Kells is one of the trashiest bars around harboring all types of scum. The bouncers are racist as hell and I have seen many fights spill out of there almost everytime I'm down that way. Blame it on "RAP CONCERTS" though, its ok.
Are you serious?!
Are you serious?! I have been to 20+ hip-hop shows at Harper's Ferry and have never once seen an altercation. Everyone is there to have a good time and the security is always on-point when it comes to checking people for weapons. Just because Kell's security is so lax that gang members are getting in with guns and selling drugs doesn't mean they should be blaming this stuff on Hip-Hop!! Leedz keep ya head up!!
Piss poor security
I got a dozen stitches above my eye from being attacked by 4 scumbags who had left the Kells. I was waiting for my friends to finish their drinks and get my one drunk buddy who was outside with me home. The four scumbag drunks tried starting a fight with my buddy who was looking for a smoke and I tried getting him out of there and the next thing I know Im picking myself off the ground with a gaping wound over my eye.
The officer 'on duty' at the door was too busy hitting on girls having a smoke and the bouncers were clueless. The guys escaped in a cab and I spent the next 4 hours in the emergency room at St. E's and the little buzz I had was long gone by the time I got stitched up.
Some of you may have seen the officer in question, he thinks he's a hardass bike cop with unstoppable sideburns pointng out to his cheeks and a greasy haircut with the motorcycle jacket and boots. Complete assclown.