Upstairs at Middle East

Upstairs at Middle East is a small live-music room in the Middle East complex in Cambridge’s Central Square, at 472–480 Massachusetts Avenue. Its capacity is about 194. The Middle East started out as a Lebanese restaurant, run by the Sater family since 1974, and began hosting rock shows upstairs in the late 1980s, with local promoter Billy Ruane helping shape the programme.

The venue has presented independent and underground music, including rock, hip-hop, electronic music and blues; artists who have performed there include DIMOD and DØSHI. Its 2021 technical rider specifies a stereo three-way main PA and four monitor mixes. After pandemic closures, the Middle East rooms, including Upstairs, reopened in stages during 2021.