Some Tufts students work at The Rez, some at Dewick and others at Cousen's - and then there's senior David Buivid, who works at the incredibly popular Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub in Central Square.
"It's the best job for a student," Buivid said. "The place is totally warm - everyone is so friendly."
Buivid started at the Middle East three years ago as an intern and the youngest employee at the club. "I loved it so much, I never left," he said.
Now Buivid waits tables, works the box office and checks IDs at the door. He also does promotion for the club and works on hospitality, which involves setting up the dressing room and taking care of the performers.
His love for the club, Buivid says, stems from the fact it is "not like an Avalon," a large, corporate-owned club downtown, but instead a homey, family place. The Middle East is run by two MIT alumni brothers. It started as a Lebanese restaurant, but now includes three additional performance spaces. It is one of Boston's most successful and prominent rock clubs, regularly featuring up-and-coming talent along with big-name acts.
"Everyone who works there looks like a rock star," Buivid said. "The people who are staples all hang out. I love everyone there."
The Middle East has three rooms in use on a typical night. "In one room there might be belly dancing, in another a rock show and in another some hip-hop," Buivid said.
Buivid waits tables three to four times a week, with shifts starting at 5 p.m. and lasting until 1 or 2 a.m. He spends Saturdays working at the box office. Although his schedule is busy, he can usually be found at the Middle East outside of his work hours, promoting new talent or enjoying the live bands.
"I love live music," Buivid said. "If I could play it, I would - but I can't."
A native of Weston, Connecticut, Buivid knew music would be a big part of his life from an early age. "I feel lucky to have found my passion so early on," he said. "I just always knew I wanted to be involved in music."
Buivid now books his own talent, often at the Middle East. He even started his own small-scale record label, Endless Recordings.
Since a young record label is not the most profitable side project, Buivid survives by "taking advantage of all the free stuff I can." Drinks, food, and shows are all free for Buivid at the Middle East.
"I don't make a lot of money, but my satisfaction is enormously high," Buivid said. "The tradeoff is definitely worth it to me."
Working at a rock club and signing bands to his burgeoning record label consume a lot of Buivid's time, but his student status remains important. "School is my priority," Buivid said. "Everyone at work understands that."
An economics major, Buivid is able to balance his Tufts life with his music life, even though he has taken 5.5 credits his first six semesters. "When I'm in class, I reinterpret graphs to things I can relate to," he said. "I see supply and demand curves through album sales."
The balance of music and school is not exactly equal for Buivid. "School is really important to me, don't get me wrong, but music is my passion and it just kind of takes over," he said.
Dedicated to keeping up with the ever-changing music industry, Buivid took a week off from school recently to attend a music conference in New York City.
"I wouldn't say my music life really conflicts with my Tufts life," he said. "When I do see [my friends], we do things." Every Friday night, Buivid meets his best friend at the club for drinks and dinner, and his girlfriend often comes to shows with him.
"I don't regret anything," Buivid said. "I don't wish I had more time at either place. It's perfect."
When asked about the future, Buivid is sure he will wind up in the music industry. He wants to focus on the industry's creative aspects, such as promoting or advertising. "I want to work for a major label, and I want to work for emerging talent," Buivid said. "I feel like I have a good ear for talent."
So what kind of music does the music guru love? Anything that he feels is unique and "where I can't make an easy comparison." But most of all, Buivid is excited by the younger generation of talent. "If people are young and impressive, I'm really impressed," Buivid said.
The driving force of Buivid's endeavors is his unbounded passion for music. "Sometimes I think [that] I think about music too much." But then, without missing a beat, he said, "But I put on a new record that I haven't heard, and it blows me away."
