Boston Bars Rock and Roll Dance; Police Say Music Leads to Trouble

Spring weekend approaches and rocking bands are tuning up. But they won't be heading for Boston.

Leverett House, which had been planning a dance with "Barry and the Remains" at the Hotel Bradford in Boston, has been informed that their dance permit will not be approved.

"Rock and roll is not allowed in the city of Boston," a Boston Police Department official said yesterday. "It's immaterial who holds the dance; that type of music, in and of itself, seems to cause trouble."

However, according to Richard J. Sinnott, head of the Licensing Division of the Mayor's Office, no entertainment or dance permit is ever rejected simply because of the music. He noted last night that the Arena and the Garden were the only two places in Boston where rock and roll is not permitted. He added that the Beatles had been allowed to perform at the Garden because "they are not really R-'n'-R."

History of Non-Violence

The police spokesman also said that even the Beach Boys may not get a permit to perform in Boston if they are declared to be rock and roll singers. "Some people have claimed that they're folk singers," he remarked. Sinnott later advised the CRIMSON that the Beach Boys' permit had been granted yesterday afternoon because "they have a history of non-violence."

Sinnott expresed surprise that the Leverett House function had been discouraged by the Police Department and said that he would look further into the matter. Joseph A. Nadol '66, co-chairman of the Leverett House Social Committee, said that the dance will be held in the Leverett Dining Hall unless there are new developments.

It Isn't The Law

The ban on rock and roll is police policy, rather than city ordinance, according to Captain Edward A. Doocey of the Fourth District. He added that the policy has been in effect for a couple of years, and was adopted because "every time we have one of these, we have a riot or a knifing or something."

The Leverett House Social Committee also contacted Al Amarillo, functions manager of the Hotel Bradford, who agreed with the police policy decision. In this morning's edition of the Leverett News, Amarillo was quoted as defining rock and roll as "any of those indecent gyrations of the body." He continued, "We don't like what goes on during or after these dances. We have to clean up the halls after these guys, and we know what we find."