Club Passim, Cambridge, Mass.

Two things come to mind when you think of Club Passim at Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass.. First: high quality music. Second: an intimate venue.

Passim regularly plays big name acts and showcases up-and-coming talent as well. No matter if you’re going to see someone who is world famous, or someone you’ve never heard of before, you can be assured the music will be the finest quality. Passim makes sure of that. After all, they have to live up to their reputation of being the place where people like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Jimmy Buffett got their starts.

Club Passim is a tiny space just below ground level on Cambridge’s iconic Harvard Square. There are about 15 tables crammed into the club and you may wind up sharing yours with someone you don’t know. But on the plus side, no matter where you are, you pretty much feel like you’re on stage. Being such a tiny venue, audience participation is encouraged and almost mandatory. The artists chat with the audience and it all feels very much like a gathering in your living room.

Passim now has an operational kitchen and serves beer and wine, which is exciting as the food and drinks add to the experience (especially since the food is quite tasty).

I’ve seen many shows at Passim — Ryan Bingham, Danielle Miraglia, Ksenia Mack — and each time is different and unique. Something unexpected and incredible always happens.

Tickets are cheap, from $0–30, but sell out fast. Passim is also a non-profit organization and proceeds go toward their school of music, music fund and outreach program.

If you’re looking for pyrotechnics and arena guitar, Club Passim may not be for you. But if you’re looking for talented musicians in an intimate atmosphere, Passim is your spot.