In the heart of Cambridge, Harvard Square, local Boston band LAZARUS rocked another show at the Harvard Coop, one of the oldest and largest collegiate bookstores in the United States. Set up in the center of the bookstore’s second floor, LAZARUS performed a series of classic rock covers, as well as their own singles.
The energetic rock band first began performing shows throughout Boston in February of 2026, having met in November of last year. Frontman and Emerson College student André Lazarus explained how he had “wanted to form a rock and roll band for a couple of years,” but it “wasn’t working,” because he had not found the right people. “I didn’t find my brothers, the guys who believed in me.”
This changed when Lazarus “saw this kid with a band,” playing in Harvard Square, where the bassist, Tristyn Liu, had piqued his interest. One day, Lazarus was performing on Newbury Street with drummer Adrian Alvarado when he had decided to call Liu to help perform with them, who ended up becoming LAZARUS’s bassist. The band had all come together like a puzzle, consisting of frontman Lazarus, drummer Alvarado, bassist Liu, and guitarist Jamie Wang.
Since they met, they have been playing various shows all over Boston, at least once a week. They frequently revisit areas on Newbury Street and Boston Common. “We started in the winter, and then it was every weekend that we played. That’s a lot of time to be spending together, so we all became friends,” Lazarus mentioned. Lazarus “writes all the songs,” while his bandmates “help create the melodies. They all go to Berkeley, or music school, and they’re very talented,” he emphasized.
Previously mentioned in a Boston Globe article, LAZARUS had recently completed their MBTA tour, in which they performed local concerts inside of trains all across the subway lines in Boston, such as the green, red, and orange lines. Their popularity only seemed to grow since they gained more and more recognition on big platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
LAZARUS became the first rock band to ever perform at the Harvard Coop on October 9th. Freshman at Harvard University, Hailey Cotter, expressed how they played really well, “and the whole place was just lit with this high energy.”
The show began at quarter past six, and as time went by, the audience grew bigger. Guests came to watch from the first and second floors, as well as crowding the twisty staircase leading up to the stage. The band’s tunes could be heard even from outside of the Coop.
From performing rock classics like “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival to their own newly released singles, “YOYO” and “BEAUTY SALON”, LAZARUS brought an incredible energy to Harvard Square with their strong band chemistry and stage presence. During song performances, frontman Lazarus would run a lap around the entire bookstore, all while strumming the guitar and singing along, which only riled up the audience even more.
“The vibe of the show was very hype, and the band itself had a crazy energy considering the location. I would describe the entire show as energetic, loud, and unique. I’ve never heard of a rock show being performed at a bookstore until now,” senior Sofia Evoras highlighted.
Cotter explained how she “recently moved from California to Boston, so going to really cool events like this has been so fun.” She added that it made her “feel more connected to the city.”
LAZARUS continues to bring musical talent and enthusiastic vibes to bustling areas in Boston, one song at a time. They’re continuing to perform weekly spontaneous shows as they prepare for their big Halloween show at Off The Rails Boston in the Downtown Crossing neighborhood. To learn more about their upcoming shows, follow them on Instagram @thelazarusband, or on TikTok @lazarusrockband.
“We want to be remembered as one of the best rock and roll bands ever,” Lazarus concluded.
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