Live Music at Northside Grille

by Charles McGuigan 04.2023

On Saint Patrick’s Day the band begins playing at the stroke of nine to a house already packed to the seams. Of course this is at Northside Grille, Bellevue’s home of live music since last summer, and the band playing is appropriately enough The Ex-Patriots—Pogue-like in the Celtic punk tradition. They begin with a rousing rendition of “The Foggy Dew”, a ballad written by Father Charles O’Neill in the last century, recalling the Easter Rising of 1916 when the Irish rose up against their colonizers and long-time sadistic oppressors.

Every table, every bar stool is occupied, and many patrons are standing, some dancing, virtually all holding a drink, and generally making merry. There are many familiar faces and a lot of newcomers. Dana Beers is working the bar steadily, and Ada, with round tray balanced on flattened palm, navigates through the throng like a jet fighter pilot, dodging and weaving, while always keeping that tray upright.

Brett Cassis began booking bands at Northside Grille this past June. “It started out to be just a patio thing,” says Brett, who also serves and tends bar at Northside. “We started out Thursday nights, then we added Saturday nights, and when it got cold we starred to gradually pick up more shows.” Now 

there is live music there every Thursday through Sunday.

And the response from Bellevue and well beyond has been overwhelming. “The neighborhood’s been receptive, and it’s brought people into the neighborhood,” Brett tells me. “It’s worked well.”

Part of the success of music nights is how Northside Grille’s owner and the patrons there treat the musicians. “Shanan (Chambers) has been generous,” says Brett. “It gives the bands an opportunity to make a little money while they get a chance to play.  We don’t charge a cover charge and that’s because

the folks in the neighborhood tip well. Everybody’s pretty generous here.”

And every Sunday through early summer, before the dog days set in, Northside Grille will feature acoustic acts on the patio. 

“It’s going to be a sort of Key West feel,” Brett says. “We’re going to do some drink specials, some food specials. It will be acoustic, mostly single performers, but we do have a four-piece Jimmy Buffet tribute band.  It should be a lot of fun.”

Editor’s note:

In next month’s NORTH of the JAMES we’ll be doing a full feature on Northside Grille’s live music.