The year of Covid, 2020, wreaked havoc on small businesses/organizations. “Weathering the Storm” will profile local businesses in an attempt to celebrate survival and the promise of calmer seas on the horizon. We ask about the enormous challenges they faced, how businesses adapted, what the future holds, and ultimately how, as a community, we may help them rise above the tides.
Check out Beverly’s Railway Tavern which will have live music nightly
Finding live music every day of the week just became easier thanks to the grand opening of Beverly’s The Railway Tavern. The man behind the scenes booking the talent is Marblehead’s own renowned saxophone player, Henley Douglas Jr.
The mélange of musical ensembles Douglas has led for the last 30 years has brought him name recognition and fame far beyond Marblehead and the North Shore. Locally known for Heavy Metal Horns, Krewe de Groove, HDRnB, Krewe de Roux, The Boston Horns, and The Cape Ann Big Band, Douglas is also a founder of the Salem Jazz & Soul Festival and SOSS Records. Worldwide, he has shared the stage with The Del Fuegos, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and toured internationally with Extreme and The Boston Horns. Douglas is a living testament to the healing powers of live music.
Raised in San Jose, California, Douglas came to the northeast after his time in the Coast Guard.
“In the 1970s, I was playing in bands in Cocoa Beach, Florida and all my friends were coming here for school, so I followed them,” he said, adding, “I completely fell in love with the New England area, and the east coast attitude toward music.”
The Railway Tavern is Douglas’s latest project to honor his commitment to connecting musicians to fans. The quarantine left both fans and musicians at a loss.
“It made me think of Joni Mitchell’s lyrics, ‘You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone,’” said Douglas.
Douglas was convinced that performers and audiences alike would welcome another North Shore venue committed to local, live music.
“Everything is roaring back,” Douglas says of the glimmers of hope. “Some say we’re about to experience the roaring 20’s again.”
Looking for some live music? Head to Beverly’s Railway Tavern where live music is on the menu every night.
Marblehead musician Douglas Heneley is now booking talent for Beverly’s Railway Tavern
The craft cocktails and jazzy lounge vibe of the Railway Tavern can feel like a forgotten era. In addition to nightly music, Fridays and Saturdays feature two shows: early cocktail hour/dinner music followed by 9 p.m. performances. Culinary favorites make up the varied menu, supplemented by creative nightly specials ranging from seafood and steak tips, to barbeque and home-style comfort food. On Sunday, “Beats and Brunch” combines an assortment of omelets, sweet French toast, and healthful breakfast bowls with local DJs mixing a backdrop of hip, upbeat arrangements.
From jazz to blues, reggae, and soul, The Railway Tavern’s website is consistently updated to showcase upcoming talent.
For Douglas, The Railway Tavern is another gem in the North Shore’s crown of musical offerings.
“The North Shore is one of the most vibrant musical communities in the whole country,” he said. “And, I’ve traveled the whole country.”
Follow the Railway Tavern on Facebook, www.facebook.com/RailwayTavern21, and Instagram for live entertainment updates and nightly food and drink specials. Or, go to Railwaytavernbeverly.com.
Originally published on WickedLocal.com, republished with permission.