New York is a Mecca for culture, the arts, and music. Many of its residents, people in surrounding areas, and tourists find the music scene in New York to be an entertainment wonderland. Lots of bands got their big break in the small music clubs in New York. The Ramones, The Talking Heads, Blondie, Sonic Youth, and countless others all played their first shows in small hole in the wall venues in NYC. As a frequent concertgoer, with over 300 ticket stubs in my scrapbook, I have to ask the question…Where have all the music venues gone? The intimate small music venue seems to be a thing of the past in New York City. Here’s a look back on some of New York’s small intimate music clubs that helped shaped the music scene of the world before corporate America began sponsoring everything from baseball stadiums, to music venues.
CBGB’s is the first of these music venues that pops into everyone’s mind when thinking back to music clubs of years past. The name itself stands for County Bluegrass Blues, however this is not the music that ended up making the little bar at 315 Bowery and Bleaker Street famous the world over. Since opening in 1973 the venue has seen many bands pass through its tiny doors. The endless list of bands that have played there include The Ramones, Elvis Costello, The Police, Patti Smith, The Bouncing Souls, Pearl Jam, Guns and Roses, and many, many more. Founder Hilly Kristal opened up a world of music to a world of people in New York just by opening the doors to his club. The walls were lined with graffiti, stickers, and flyers, and the graffiti covered bathrooms were just as entertaining a site to see as the music on stage. Sadly because of a rent dispute, and after much campaigning to keep the landmark open, CBGB’s closed its doors in 2006. Its founder Hilly Kristal died less than a year later due to complications from lung cancer. The space is now a men’s clothing store, but all who hold the music venue close to their heart will always remember the classic awning that hung for years outside its doors.
The Wetland’s Preserve, may sound more like a park, or environmental site, however it was a Tribeca landmark that helped launch the careers of many of the bands we listen to today. Located just opposite the entrance for the Holland Tunnel at Hudson and Laight streets, founder Larry Bloch opened its eco-friendly doors to music lovers, and environmental activists on February 14th 1989. The venue served a dual purpose; to educate the public about environmental issues, and entertain them with live music. Bands like Counting Crows, Oasis, Rage Aagainst the Machine, Sublime and Pearl Jam not only played at Wetlands, their first NYC shows were held there. Other bands that have played there include Phish, Hootie and the Blowfish, Blind Melon, Dashboard Confessional, Dave Mathews Band, and Spin Doctors. The club closed its doors in September 2001, but its cause lives on. The Wetlands Activism Collective still works to educate the public about environmental issues facing our world. The hollowed out bus that once sold memorabilia inside the club has been featured at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, giving spectators a glimpse of what used to be.
Although it is hard to find any history or remains of a small club called Tramps in NYC it is another club that hosted a number of bands in the 90’s into the 2000’s including Prince, Bob Dylan, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger, and Outkast. Its stage at 51 West 21st street was small but the bands that played there dreamed big. On any given night it was not uncommon to find kids hanging from the ceiling rafters, exposed pipes and lighting rigs and landing into a mosh pit. It was here that many people felt they could be right up close to the acts, no matter where you stood in the club. Some of its employee’s went on to open Warsaw in Brooklyn, where they are keeping the music alive today.
This type of music atmosphere is hard to come by these days, we still have places like The Knitting Factory, Roseland Ballroom, and The Fillmore at Irving Plaza that keep the music scene what it once was. However, corporate venues like Nokia Theater, and The WaMu Theater, play a huge role in the demise of small individually owned music venues that are the backbone of New York nightlife. Keep your ticket stubs because they might be the only thing you have left of your favorite small music venues, besides the music and your memories.
Sources:
Wetlands Preserved, http://www.wetlandspreserved.com/
CBGB’s – The Bio, http://www.cbgb.com/bio.htm
New York Magazine, The Best of New York, 2002
Activism Center at Wetlands http://www.wetlands-preserve.org/
