scene profiles

By Jen Carlson

With more neighborhoods than you can count on both hands, it's easy to be overwhelmed, which is why most people tend to stick to what they know. There are a few essential neighborhoods for the art-loving, music-going crowd: Downtown Manhattan (especially the Lower East Side and East Village), and over in Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Park Slope. Bars, venues, restaurants, and record shops are pretty much all you'll find here.

With all these neighborhoods, you can only imagine how many bands inhabit this city, begging the question: If a tree falls in a major metropolitan area...

VENUES

Whenever a band is asked where they want to be in six months, the answer is usually "Bowery Ballroom." For whatever reason, this has become the go-to destination for music fans and bands alike. The three-story venue provides plenty of space for everyone, and the venue's nooks and crannies lend to its atmosphere and charm.

This multipurpose space serves as a bar, a coffee shop (with pastries and bagels!), a music venue, and a record store. The stage is downstairs in the ever-so-controversial slanty-floored basement. Many complain about the slant, though it does provide good "stadium seating" for a crowded show.

McCarren Park Pool
Lorimer Street between Driggs Avenue and Bayard Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

This old community pool was reopened this summer as a venue. The abandoned space gives everything an apocalyptic feel, and every Sunday there's a free show with a range of acts, from small local bands to huge international rock stars.

Mercury Lounge
217 E. Houston Street
New York, NY
212.260.4700
www.mercuryloungenyc.com

A band must first past through these doors if they want to reach the Bowery Ballroom stage, or so the story goes. This venue is small, crowded, and not the most comfortable space...yet they have the best lineups, and that's why people go there again and again.

Northsix
66 North Sixth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
www.northsix.com

In the hipster hotbed (don't let them hear you call it that, though) of Williamsburg, you will find Northsix. This is more or less equivalent to the Mercury Lounge, only in Brooklyn. It has a downstairs basement that smaller bands sometimes play, and a main floor big enough to house some great acts. There are even bleachers! Indie rock is a spectator sport, after all.

This is the main venue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They draw semi-big acts, and keep the atmosphere unpretentious and mellow. There's a photo booth in the corner and a pool table in the back, and they just opened a smaller stage downstairs. Plus, they have the best posters around, courtesy of Jon Setzen of Standard Motion.

photo by Youngna Park

Webster Hall
125 E. 11th Street
New York, NY 10003
212.353.1600
www.websterhall.com

This place takes a lot of heat, and rightfully so. They bring the big acts that sell out Bowery too fast, so everyone is bound to end up here at some point to see a show. The drinks are expensive, the sound isn't great, and there are clubs downstairs — so during quiet shows, you often hear the thumping sounds of techno.

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RECORD STORES

Cake Shop
See above.

This record store, which was made more famous by comedian Aziz Ansari's short film, isn't actually as snobby as some think. The employees are knowledgeable, and they have a nice selection of oldies, goodies, and vinyl.

Sound Fix
110 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
718.388.8090
www.soundfixrecords.com

With a coffee shop named Fix connected to it, and a healthy dose of in stores by great local and out of town acts, this is the only record shop you want to go to in Williamsburg.

Sounds
20 St. Marks Place
New York, NY
212.677.3444

This St. Marks staple has everything from that obscure movie soundtrack to the latest indie release. They will also buy pretty much any used CD, so it's a good place to spend and make some money.

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FESTIVALS

Many will say it's not what it used to be, but every Fall the CMJ Music Marathon comes to town and brings with it every band you want to see and every person you want to see your band. It's the music industry, right there in front of you, coming to life at all hours of the day and night, for almost a full week.

Siren Festival
www.villagevoice.com/siren

The Village Voice throws this day-long party once a year, usually the hottest day of summer, in Coney Island. The two stages, separated by roller coasters and Ferris wheels, hold stellar lineups from morning till night. And of course the kids come from all over the place, following the sirens call.

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FOOD, COFFEE, AND OTHER HANGOUTS

Cake Shop
See above. Again! Seriously, just hang out there all the time — whatever you need, they are bound to have it.

Fix
110 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
www.thefixcafe.com

This coffee shop is attached to Sound Fix Records (see above) and houses their in-store performances. At night, the coffee keeps flowing but a full bar is added to the mix.

Lotus Lounge
35 Clinton Street
New York, NY 10002
212.253.1144

The most mellow of all the coffee shops/bars in the area. With a bohemian feel, the café serves coffee, teas, and alcoholic beverages for those aspiring Charles Bukowskis out there. Bring a notebook or a laptop, or you might feel left out.

88 Orchard
88 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002

If you're looking for a cup of coffee without the attitude, head to this place, which is tucked between Chinatown and the Lower East Side. The music is always good, the wi-fi is always working, and the downstairs room provides lots of board games if you're in the mood for Scrabble.

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BOOKSTORES

95 Fulton Street
New York, NY 10038
www.strandbooks.com

This is the only bookstore you need in this city. It boasts over 18 miles of new and used books, so you can get lost in their shelves for hours. With two no-frills locations to choose from, your next read isn't too far away.

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MUSIC STORES

Many head to Brooklyn just for the great service and selection at Mazzotti Music, the first female-owned and run music store in New York. They don't just sell beautiful new and vintage instruments — they also have a full-service repair shop right in the store.

Rivington Guitars
125 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
212.505.5313
www.rivingtonguitars.com

If you're looking for a vintage guitar, this is the only place to go in the city. The small shop has a staff of knowledgeable folk who will pair you up with a nice ‘ol axe. For those more into that new wave thing, they've got keyboards too.

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BANDS

Apes and Androids

Music by New York bands
	Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
	Interpol, Antics
	Les Savy Fav, 3/5
	O'Death, Head Home
	The Big Sleep, Son of the Tiger
	The Hold Steady, Boys and Girls in America
	The National, Alligator
	The Secret Machines, Ten Silver Drops
	TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain

Think robots, Queen, theatrics, art, antics, and a beat that rocks so hard you'll need a belt to keep those pants on. Multiply that by "awesome" and you have this band.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

photo by Jen Carlson
www.clapyourhanddssayyeah.com

With a little bit of Byrne and a little bit of Bob (Dylan, that is), this band has changed the landscape of the music industry, if not music itself. They came out of Brooklyn (and Philly) a little over a year ago, and have been catapulted into the spotlight. They have some great songs to back up their much-deserved success, though.

Goes Cube

www.myspace.com/goescube

Think Incesticide-era Nirvana. They're hard, they're fast, and they're rock. And they are bringing early '90s Seattle to Brooklyn, and making everyone remember what it's like to be at a truly loud, truly rock show.

Interpol

www.interpolnyc.com

You can't really talk about NYC music without mentioning this band. Many Interpol rip-off bands have redone their often nonsensical lyrics and the almost gothic-sounding downtown drones of singer Paul Banks.

Les Savy Fav

www.lessavyfav.com

These art-school grads and New York boys brought sexy back way before JT. Their stage antics and the 110% effort they put into every show keep rock alive. Their home page greets you with the message, "the band is too busy partying to update this site," which pretty much sums it up. If you want to party, head to one of their shows.

O'Death

photo by www.watercoolergossip.net
www.odeath.net

A rickety train wreck never sounded so good. The 'ol folk sound got a new twist when these guys started to play it, and they're bringing everyone back to a simpler time with their music.

The Big Sleep

www.thebigsleep.net

This trio brings instrument-heavy psych-rock with a heavy pop influence. They're currently one of the hotter acts to catch around the city, having recently been praised by Pitchfork Media.

The Epochs

www.theepochs.com

This band abandoned New York for a little while to work on their new material, but now they're back with a catalog of new sonic gems. Their textured sound is often reminiscent of Radiohead, but different enough to separate them from any comparisons.

The Hold Steady

photo by Jen Carlson
www.theholdsteady.com

Always referred to as a "bar band," they're really more of a library band. Well, a library that serves beer and allows high decibels. Their literary lyrics and heavy, straight-up rock will get your heart racing.

The National

www.americanmary.com

These guys do downtrodden anthems that perfectly soundtrack your time on a barstool, with albums you can listen to straight through without the urge to hear anything else. Spend some time with these songs and a bottle of whisky, and everything will become a bit clearer.

The Secret Machines

www.thesecretmachines.com

One of Bowie's favorite smaller acts to tout, The Secret Machines are now based in Brooklyn and play many shows "in the round." A round stage is set up in whatever venue they're playing, so the crowd is on all sides — just one of the aspects that make their shows memorable.

TV on the Radio

www.tvontheradio.com

Brooklynites done good. These guys have consistently created some of the newest and most interesting sounds around, and always impress live.

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– Jen Carlson

Posted October 2006

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