Live music coming to Wellesley’s Lockheart Restaurant

There are numerous unique things about the Lockheart Restaurant, from its southwestern theme to its location next to the Wellesley Square fire station. Now add live acoustic music on Friday nights to that list, with plans to start on Feb. 3, from 8-11pm.

Regular live music at a Wellesley restaurants—now there’s something you don’t hear often.  Those seeking live music locally will instead typically head to places like Morse Tavern in Natick or Horse Thieves Tavern in Dedham.

According to the town, Lockheart is the only restaurant with an entertainment license that includes acoustic music. Establishments must include the type of entertainment they are providing or intend to provide throughout the calendar year. The basic license is required for any background music and/or for any televisions, and there have been no recent changes to entertainment license rules in town.

Lockheart, which opened in July and operates its restaurant upstairs and downstairs at 102 Central St., will offer the music downstairs. There’s room for a few dozen patrons in that space.

Among those most excited is resident Patrick Hayden, who promotes performances by Wellesley musicians like himself through Wellesley Rocks! He’s coordinating the Lockheart music lineup with Dr. Shira Doron, a Wellesley resident and musical performer.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Hayden says. He expects live music at Lockheart will bring friends and family to the establishment, expanding the restaurant’s reach. Lockheart owner Derek Brady said in a statement that the music will give diners a chance to extend their evenings at Lockheart, which has a bar downstairs.

Hayden recalls working with J.P. Licks for months about 10 years ago to bring live music to its Central Street venue. Unfortunately, an early open mic event drew too big of a crowd—including the fire marshal—and was shut down shortly after the series began. Since then, Hayden and others have worked hard to expose the public to many local musicians through outdoor concerts in town.

Other examples of restaurants offering live music are few and far between. Bertucci’s got permission a few years back, when it was here, but may never have followed through on it.

(We’ve reached out to a few restaurants in town to ask if they have any plans or have considered live music, and will update this post if we learn anything more worth noting.)

Up first at Lockheart will be Connect 4 and friends.