Middle East co-owner retires after performers shun club
The co-owner of the Middle East nightclub in Cambridge is retiring amid allegations of misconduct made via social media, which he’s denying.
The owners announced that coowner Joseph Sater was stepping down after 44 years with the venue in response to “unsubstantiated thirdparty claims of sexual misconduct” in a Facebook post Tuesday night.
“We can say, unequivocally, that the allegations being spread online are absolutely not true and that just being publicly accused is absolutely devastating,” the owners said. “Over the past 4-plus decades, we have worked hard to create a warm, respectful, safe — and, as a music venue — fun work environment. We always strive to do better and we sincerely apologize if any current or former employees have not had a positive experience or have felt unsafe.”
The Cambridge police have not received a formal complaint.
Since allegations first surfaced last fall, several area bands, DJs and performers have canceled their shows at the Central Square music venue and associated venues Sonia and Zuzu, including Houseboi, a genderqueer dance party.
Boston League of Wicked Wrestlers canceled an event at the venue in November and hasn’t performed there since, according to BLOWW organizer Heather “Mack” McCormack.
“I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s woefully inadequate. It positions them as victims of a baseless witch hunt and takes no responsibility for anything,” McCormack said of the Middle East statement. “Even if the allegations are untrue ... the statement takes no responsibility to address this.”
The controversy resurfaced just over a week ago when a Middle East employee wrote a statement apologizing for “staying silent for so long,” saying he had been “fed false hope” that things would change.
Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys opted for an alternative option to canceling, however, and decided to donate all the proceeds from their performance at the Middle East last night to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.
“We’re hoping to try to take this horrible situation and put something positive out in the world with it,” band member Edrie Edrie said.
Boston performer Sham Payne, who has taken the Middle East stage in the past, reacted to the club owner’s statement in a Facebook post, “There is no accountability here, in my opinion. They do not take accusations seriously.”