Court Tavern of New Brunswick closed for summer

The Court Tavern, the internationally known New Brunswick music venue, has closed for the summer and its future ownership is in question.

Owner Michael Barrood said he's looking to sell or rent the Court, which has hosted live original music since 1981.

"If we don't rent it or sell it, we'll reopen with renovations," Barrood said. "We'll be putting in a nicer kitchen with a better menu full-time."

The club shut its doors on Friday, July 3

The Court has been the last holdout of a once thriving live music scene in city nightclubs in the '80s and '90s that included the former Melody Bar and Roxy Grill on French Street, the Plum Street Pub , the Budapest Cocktail Lounge on Somerset Street and Patrix on Throop Avenue.

In recent years, the rock music scene has shifted to basement shows, which have a long history in the city but are technically illegal.

Barrood doesn't feel this is the end of live music in city clubs.

"I don't think so," Barrood said. "The Court will be back with me or somebody else. We did have lot of very good shows with a lot of good music."

The Court had hosted nationally known and local stars for some 30 years when it was run by Bob Albert Jr., who closed the club and declared bankruptcy in 2012. Local groups like the Smithereens, the Gaslight Anthem and God Forbid played the Court before finding stardom.

Barrood, also the owner of the city's Mike's Courtside Sports Bar and Grill, purchased the bar in a sheriff's sale in 2012. Since reopening, the club has featured a schedule of live original music that included a show last year by the Bouncing Souls, a New Brunswick band that now calls Asbury Park home.

Chris Jordan: cjordan@app.com.