UPDATE: The live music series at La Brasa has been short-lived, as the talent buyer tells Vanyaland today that the program has ended with his departure from the restaurant.
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La Brasa isn’t luring in patrons with just a mouthwatering selection of “globally inspired” dishes anymore.
In addition to curating a menu that ranges from coffee-rubbed pork chops to scallop ceviche, the Somerville restaurant now co-curates a free live music series on Thursday nights, welcoming everything from lo-fi hip-hop to brass bands at 124 Broadway St.
The new endeavor is a partnership with ONCE Somerville, which lost its physical space during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to its warm weather home at Boynton Yards, ONCE has also collaborated with Davis Square venues The Rockwell and Crystal Ballroom, as well as Arts at the Armory, located down the street from ONCE’s former location on Highland Avenue. This is the business’ first venture into East Somerville, adding another cultural dimension to the neighborhood.
“We’ve seen a steady increase in turnout each week and people seem really excited to have a new go to spot for live music, especially in East Somerville where there many venues and not as much revitalization and economic development, like in other Somerville neighborhoods — Davis Square, Magoun Square, Union Square,” explains Joey Del Ponte, bar manager of La Brasa and sister restaurant Fat Hen.
Del Ponte actually entered the hospitality and entertainment industries as a teenager via ONCE, when owner JJ Gonson hired him as a dishwasher. After years of kitchen prep, food running, waiting tables, and barbecuing, among other tasks, he graduated to booking shows and organized his first-ever event at ONCE’s former lounge space. In a full-circle moment, Del Ponte, who also fronts Boston band Mallcops, now works alongside Gonson to find performers, commission art for flyers, and promote shows at La Brasa. Del Ponte’s multimedia production house Sick Joke is also a co-sponsor of the series.
“I’ve known JJ Gonson, founder of Cuisine en Locale and ONCE Somerville, since I walked into the ONCE Lounge at 16 years old asking for a job,” he tells Vanyaland. “When they asked me to do live music at La Brasa I knew exactly who to call. We devised a plan to market it as ‘Live Music Thursdays’ in hopes of making La Brasa a place where you can count on hearing great local music on a regular basis.”
Some of the musicians La Brasa has hosted thus far include national touring acts Bellows, Early Eyes, and Pictoria Vark, as well as homegrown acts Pink Navel, Trash Rabbit, Jane Doe, Combo Combo, Conical Cacophony, and Brady Dallas Jones. Artists perform from a cozy corner of the restaurant that faces the bar, illuminated by the soft glow of string lights.
“La Brasa has really high ceilings, lots of exposed wood, and an industrial yet rustic vibe,” Del Ponte explains. “The space is huge and our setup is minimal, bordering on ‘DIY,’ which is my exact wheelhouse. We have a PA system that fills out the room nicely. Shows feel like gatherings of friends. We often grab acoustic guitars and have singalongs once shows end. It’s a great communal feeling.”
That sense of community isn’t limited by age or income, either. As a free, all-ages series, La Brasa’s “Live Music Thursdays” offer entertainment that truly everyone can enjoy — as long as they snag an online RSVP via ONCE’s website before shows sell out.
“In my opinion, Somerville is the best city in the world,” Del Ponte concludes. “I feel extremely lucky to be involved in promoting the arts and bringing people together for music. This partnership goes way beyond La Brasa and ONCE. Somerville lost so many venues during the pandemic — including the ONCE lounge — and it’s really important to me to do the best I can to continue promoting live music and events for and by local artists.”
Stay up to date on shows at La Brasa via ONCE’s calendar.