LONGTIME VENUE FOR NEW ENGLAND METAL AND HARDCORE FESTIVAL IN DANGER OF BEING TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT

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I know we’ve been ragging on Boston an awful lot lately for apparently being one of the least-metal-friendly cities in the country, but now I’m starting to think it may be the entire state of Massachusetts that blows. From Worcester Mag:

Word spread to the Worcester Mag office pretty quickly on Tuesday that the owners of the Palladium were filing – or at least threatening to file – paperwork for the demolition of the music hot spot and regional Juggalo headquarters in order to create more parking for the courthouse across the street. Worcester attorney and Palladium owner John Fischer, when asked to comment on the rumors, said he hadn’t made a decision yet but added, “It has a lot to do with taxes.” Like a number of the city’s commercial property owners, the Palladium has seen a huge spike in its fiscal year 2012 assessment and subsequent tax bill, jumping from an assessed value of $689,000 in 2011 to $2.27 million this year. “We’re still debating what we’re going to do,” Fischer lamented. “We’ll know by August 1.”

Which is depressing news for metal fans: in addition to be the home of the illustrious New England Metal and Hardcore Festival every year, the venue hosts dozens, if not hundreds, of other metal shows annually. Even if you’ve never been there, the name probably jumps out at you just from looking at tour dates over the year (I know, for example, that The Acacia Strain’s The Most Known Unknown was filmed at the venue).

Hopefully something can be done to save this place. More news as we get it.

-AR

[via Metal Insider]