Brother Cleve

Robert Toomey (February 2, 1955 – September 9, 2022),[1] better known as Brother Cleve, was an American musician, DJ, mixologist, and writer. Known as the godfather of the local bar and cocktail scenes in Boston, Massachusetts, Cleve grew up in nearby Medford.[2] He was a touring keyboardist for the rock band the Del Fuegos in the 1980s,[2] during which time he developed an interest in cocktails and bartending.[3] In the 1990s, Cleve was a keyboardist for the neo-lounge band Combustible Edison.[2]

Brother Cleve
Born
Robert Toomey

(1955-02-02)February 2, 1955
DiedSeptember 9, 2022(2022-09-09) (aged 67)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupations

His "Brother Cleve" moniker originated as a personality he created for Sports Palace, a weekend radio show on the college station WMBR in Cambridge; he also utilized the name in live appearances and recordings for the Church of the SubGenius, a parody religion.[1][2] Cleve began bartending at Hoodoo Barbecue near Fenway Park, and was a DJ on weekly lounge nights at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge.[3][4] In 1998, he helped open Cambridge's B-Side Lounge.[2][3] In 2022, he co-established Lullaby, a cocktail bar in the Lower East Side of New York City.[2]

Cleve died of a heart attack on September 9, 2022, while visiting Los Angeles for a tiki-themed bartending event.[5]

References
  1. "Robert 'Brother Cleve' Toomey, "Godfather of Boston's Bar Scene" and Global Tastemaker, Dies at Age 67". AP News (Press release). Ein Presswire | Newsmatics. September 19, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  2. Simonson, Robert (January 13, 2022). "A Boston Bar Legend Comes to New York". The New York Times. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  3. First, Devra (September 13, 2022). "Brother Cleve was the godfather of the local cocktail scene". The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  4. Morse, Steve (February 13, 1997). "The revival of the lounge lizard". The Boston Globe. p. 28. Retrieved June 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Hagerty, James R. (September 22, 2022). "Robert Toomey, aka 'Brother Cleve,' Inspired Cocktail Revival". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2023.


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