Nectar’s, the Vermont venue that launched Phish, closes on a quiet note after 50 years

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — As a Greek immigrant who came to the United States in 1956, Nectar Rorris never imagined the Vermont restaurant and music club he opened 50 years ago would become synonymous with Phish, but he credits the jam band with giving Nectar’s a national spotlight and making it a place sought out by local and traveling musicians alike.

“Phish made Nectar’s,” the 86-year-old Rorris said recently.

Phish meanwhile credits Rorris with their early success, giving them a stage to experiment on when they were starting out in the early ’80s.

But now, the iconic Burlington venue that fostered a community of diverse artists has closed its doors, despite negotiations to keep the music going.

Nectar’s announced it was taking a pause in June, citing “immense challenges affecting both downtown Burlington and the local live music and entertainment scene.” Several weeks later, the venue announced on social media that it was closing for good. The post immediately drew hundreds of comments and tributes from musicians, former employees and fans.

“As a musician, you want to move up. You get a few fans; you go to a bigger club. That’s what Nectar’s was,” said Chris Farnsworth, who covers Burlington’s music scene for the Vermont newspaper Seven Days.

Farnsworth noted that the venue — a brick building with a neon sign — “holds a very important place” in Phish lore. The band’s 1992 record was titled “A Picture of Nectar” as a tribute to the venue and to Rorris, who gave the fledgling band a residency for nearly two years.

“The guys from Phish were very good to us,” said Alex Budney, who started at Nectar’s in 2001 as a cook when he was 19, making their famous gravy fries and later working almost every job in the building over 20 years.

“My college band would play there on Monday nights and it would be like nobody there. But the keyboard player from Phish would come down in a snowstorm and sit at the bar and watch us play and talk to us,” Budney said.

Phish bassist Mike Gordon, who still lives in the area, even popped in during singer-songwriter Maggie Rose’s sound check last September and joined her band for two songs that night. Rose had rerouted her tour just to be able to play at Nectar’s.

“It was the perfect excuse to go to this legendary venue in this amazing, creative, artistic town,” said Rose. “The lore of Nectar’s did not disappoint. It truly was just one of those surreal moments.”

Phish declined to comment on the venue’s closing, as did the current owner.

Rorris opened Nectar’s in 1975 with two partners.

“They borrowed money from their parents. I did the same and we closed the deal,” he said.

In the beginning, Rorris focused solely on the restaurant, leaving the music booking and finances to his partners. Eventually, his partners wanted to move on, so the three sold the business to a new owner who only lasted six months. Rorris decided to buy the business back and ran it by himself until 2003, when he decided to sell for personal reasons.

“The bands were real thrilled to see that I was taking it back and that I was going to hire them back,” he said. “From then, it took off.”

Though Phish made Nectar’s famous, the venue also hosted such artists as Vermont’s own Grace Potter and Anais Mitchell, B.B. King, Spacehog, Blind Melon and the Decemberists. And it was known for regular music series including Metal Mondays; Dead Set Tuesdays — a tribute to The Grateful Dead; blues, jazz and reggae nights; comedy shows and Sunday Night Mass, a production showcasing electronic artists from around the world.

Nectar’s ownership and management changed repeatedly, but it remained a place to discover new music. Budney said Nectar’s supported emerging artists with residency opportunities to play weekly for a month or more and build a fan base.

“We’d provide tools for bands to make it,” he said.

The venue itself ultimately couldn’t make it as costs rose and construction in downtown Burlington reduced foot traffic and turned away business. It’s unclear what will happen to it next.

But those who played a role in the club’s history say its legacy is undeniable.

“Fifty years is an amazing run for a nightclub,” said Justin Remillard, who booked artists for Nectar’s electronic music series for 25 years. “The only constant is change, and what has happened with Nectar’s and the building closing, we have to figure out what’s next.”