Broadway: A Slice of Providence’s Music Scene

As you trek through Broadway, you’ll notice an array of musical possibilities that are pretty darn close to downtown. Broadway boasts two exceptional record shops: The Analog Underground and Armageddon Shop. It also has one of the best (at the very least the most vintage) music venue in Providence: The Columbus Theatre, which is the first stop on our musical journey down Broadway.

The Columbus Theatre was founded in 1926. In its 89-year history, the theater has hosted both local and national touring bands, from Wanda Jackson and Les Claypool to The Low Anthem and Deer Tick. But it also reels in a variety of presenters, like comic personalities or other acts worth seeing.

What makes the Columbus so unique is that originally, it was home to Vaudeville acts until its closure in 1960. Two years later, Misak Berberian purchased the theater and used the space to play risque, mostly foreign, films. Over time, the content expanded into music, film and theater presentations, and it served various community groups.

Over time, VHS killed the business of showing risque films, and the advent of the Internet drove the demand further south. Berberian’s business became more difficult, but fire code violations led to their closure in 2009.

In 2011, Jeff Prystowsky of The Low Anthem — and a group of collaborators who formed the Columbus Cooperative — decided to rent the Columbus from Berberian and remodeled the theater, preserving the spirit of its Vaudeville origins while keeping up with modern technology. The Columbus Theatre re-opened in 2012, still sporting its old-school charm including stained-glass archways and a Wurlitzer organ in the main theater. Though Misak has long since passed, ownership remains in the Berberian family’s hands.

From the outside, the venue looks like your classic theater with its larger-than-life marquee greeting visitors, but once you step inside, your senses are assaulted by magnificent deep red walls and one of the most beautifully decorated domes that I’ve seen in a theater.

While the 800-person main theater is a sight to behold, do not discount the smaller theater upstairs, which holds a cozy 200 people. This setting is perfect for the folk artists who play at the Columbus and prefer a more intimate venue.

After getting folked up at the Columbus Theatre, the next stop is the Armageddon Shop, the one-stop destination for any metalhead in RI. Upon entering the shop, you’ll be greeted by the loud, despairing sounds of metal but DO NOT turn around. This place is chock full of the widest array of musical stylings I’ve seen in Providence, everything from noise music to industrial metal.

While the shop is known for their music, sift through their selection of books and magazines, most of which are locally produced, for your viewing pleasure. Their collection of concert posters is fantastic, with an emphasis toward promoting local musicians.

Speaking of local music, I HIGHLY recommend going through their local music section because it is honestly one of the best collections I’ve seen in any independent RI record shop.

Speaking of local music, our final stop on our Broadway musical escapade brings us to The Analog Underground, where local music is at the forefront and the motto, “Where the Cool People Meet” goes.

While much smaller than its vinyl competition, Analog’s collection is expansive because vinyl is pretty much their only product. The Analog also has a great selection of folk and jazz so you can seem more cultured than you actually are in front of your friends. The records are also pretty cheap, so splurging on a few pieces of vinyl won’t set you back a whole month of rent.

While some of you might still prefer going downtown to catch your live concerts, never discount the music scene on Broadway, a little slice of Providence’s music scene just as delicious as the rest.

For a complete look at Motif’s neighborhood profile of the West End, click here.