Ever since Michael Barrood of Mike's Courtside Sports Bar and Grill bought the shuttered Court Tavern, scene of thousands of memorable rock shows, New Brunswick musicians have awaited its reopening.

They won't have to wait much longer.

According to a report by Marissa Oliva in the Rutgers Targum, Barrood plans to begin the Court's new era on Nov. 3. No word yet on who Barrood intends to book to play his opening party, or if there'll be music at all that night.

The Court Tavern, Church Street's rickety landmark, was the last holdout against a wave of redevelopment that converted New Brunswick from a central hub of Jersey musical activity to a town with very few legitimate options for bands. (An underground house party scene continued to thrive.) One by one, the Melody Bar, the Harvest Moon, the Budapest Lounge, and other New Brunswick clubs ceased to be options for groups looking for places to play. When prior owner Bobby Albert closed the doors to the Court in January, it felt like the end of an era for local musicians.

Albert was the beneficiary of several benefit concerts meant to save the Court. Big names in New Brunswick punk rock contributed to the benefits, including the Smithereens, Screaming Females, Saves the Day, and the Roadside Graves. Patti Smith even stepped in to help raise money for the beleaguered club.

Although it was central to the identity of New Brunswick rockers, not everybody loved the old Court Tavern. Shows were held in a grungy basement with a drop ceiling. It was cramped, and it didn't always smell wonderful. The club's motto was "Cruel But Fair," (there was even a sign) and members of the staff — and some patrons — were often eager to make good on that threat. But hundreds of first-rate bands, not all of whom played punk rock, howled from the low stage in the Court's basement. Gaslight Anthem loved the Court scene so much that Brian Fallon wrote a song about it: "Diamond's Church Street Choir."

Barrood has obtained a liquor license, and does intend to have bands back in the basement. He's also building a private second-floor lounge where patrons can watch a live stream of the groups. That strikes me as contrary to to the populist spirit of the Court, but there's probably an architectural limit to how much polishing Barrood will do. Those worried that the club will lose its ramshackle character can probably rest easy.