The Drake

About Us

Our Story

In the heart of downtown Amherst, where art, music, and spoken word have always found a home, The Drake stands as the 413’s premier live music and performing arts destination. We are the hub of a vibrant, world-class arts and culture scene — one that pulses through Western Massachusetts connecting generations of students and locals, and drawing national and global talent to our stage.

This is the stage where the arts come alive in the 4-1-3!

The Drake exists to support arts, culture, and community. We are an economic engine and a cultural anchor — complementing the area’s celebrated academic climate, its rich creative legacy, and the deep New England roots that make this region unlike anywhere else.

In just four years, The Drake has welcomed prominent national and global acts — from Dinosaur Jr. to Tank & the Bangas, Regina Carter to the Lemonheads — alongside the beloved local talent that is the lifeblood of the 413. Much more than a club, we partner with Amherst Regional Public Schools to bring arts programming to students, and collaborate with Amherst College and the UMass Fine Arts Center on curated music series that deepen the connection between community and culture.

When The Drake opened in the spring of 2022, it answered a town-wide call — long overdue — for a live music, nightlife, and performing arts space that this community deserved. That it emerged on the heels of a global pandemic that devastated the arts world made its founding all the more meaningful, and all the more urgent.

The Drake is a proud, one-of-a-kind, 501(c)3 nonprofit