We were asked to post a review on Yelp.com -- which of course I completely managed to forget about until today. Having just got back from The Dirty Truth, I didn't really feel in the mood to rehash the experience. Also, I'm not so much a fan of reviewing food. But reviewing a music venue...that was a little more up my alley.
So why not go for the two-for-one?
I posted the following review of the Sierra Grill on Yelp, mostly focusing on their Thursday nights during which they push aside a few tables and turn the place into a hopping local music venue. I actually know the guy who does the booking there and I think he's doing a pretty good job of it (at least for the shows that I have gone out to see).
On a meta-level, I once again hated contributing to the cacophony because I am always so cautious about the language I use and the things I am willing to leave a record of online. It especially frustrated me that I couldn't figure out how to hide my name behind some sort of pseudonym. I'm sure the option is in there somewhere, but I just couldn't find it.
Anyway, here it is...
As far as Northampton restaurants go, the Sierra Grill is a tasty and delicious treat. A menu that is largely deconstructed and full of tiny nibbles that can be used like Lego blocks to build a full meal, Sierra Grill is affordable for any wallet and mold-able to any appetite. The beers are good, the wines are good, and the flavored mashed potatoes are to die for.
That aside, on Thursday nights the Sierra transforms from the haven for academics and white collar workers of the Pioneer Valley into a music venue for a variety of sounds. Simply pushing aside a few of the tables does the trick rather nicely and depending on the act you are guaranteed to find a handful of hip youngsters sitting patiently on the floor as local folkies strum their guitars or stomping their Converse-clad feet to a 4/4 rock beat. Sparing one ill-fated Thursday where I caught a band that had way too much love for hippie jam-fests, the acts have all been worth seeing.
The bookers are doing a good job at filling the venue with the abundant pool of local talent and is even bringing in smaller touring acts as well. Entrance is usually pretty cheap ($2 - $5) and its pretty easy to get a basket of fries to go along with your beer and rock music -- even pretty late in the evening.
If you ask around to the right folks, you may even unearth some stories about what the place was before it became a hotspot for those overeager to shell out $5 - $6 per microbrew. Expect to hear at least a few folks at the microphone giving props to the Bay State Hotel for having live music again...
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