January 14, 2008
Speakeasy Spills Guts to Times
Brooklyn musician Michael Leviton and his girlfriend Leah Hayes have put their own apartment at center stage, after declaring their old hang, The Sidewalk Cafe, so over. They moved the scene to their East Williamsburg apartment at the end of 2006, calling it The Apartment. Now it's no longer much of a secret, and it may also be so over (though for different reasons).
We were told by a "regular" of The Apartment (who had referred to it as a speakeasy numerous times) that The NY Times would be there doing a piece on the place on January 5th. So at 1am on January 6th we took a trip over to Manhattan and Grand. "No speakeasy here!" we texted our informant. An hour later we heard back: "No, it's not a bar, it's an apartment. You have to call Michael [phone number redacted]." So now we turn to The Times's coverage, which went up yesterday.
The Apartment houses a ton of what we call indie-rock gimmick instruments: a glockenspiel, a melodica, a harmonium, the list goes on. One regular even plays the saw. There isn't much space though, the 200-square-foot living room provides "a coffee table, a desk, two Victorian-style couches." There's also a piano in there, which Leviton plays at the end of each night. Soon though, the space may be void of it all.
Last month, musicians of all stripes were dismayed to learn that the Apartment may soon be making its curtain call. On Dec. 5, Mr. Leviton alarmed his friends and fans with a panicky e-mail message: “Due to emergency/tragedy crazy/horrible problems with our landlord, Leah and I have decided it would be best for us if we could move somewhere else immediately.”The problems didn't emerge from the whole speakeasy thing, but rather a sudden ($150) rent hike (with only 24 hours notice). The two-some are currently deciding whether or not to stay, while patrons and friends hope they move to roomier digs.
Photo via The NY Times.
|
Maybe their cheap-ass hipster friends could put a crowbar in their wallets and pry out a few bucks to cover the measly $150 rent increase.
Yeah. I'm sure they'll find a place with more room, since they can't even afford $150. That's like 5 meals. Who are these people? Eat some ramen noodles. Drink some PBR. Pay your fucking rent.
My heart goes out to those poor kids. Really...
Oh dear, the decisions a trust-funder has to make.
Young People Drinking in a Living Room in Williamsburg: Now News!
C'mon NY Times, this is a joke.
They play in an apartment? That's so 2007. I play in a bodega.
"indie-rock gimmick instruments"
Well put. But I thought that it why you screwballs like Arcade Fire/ Tv on the Radio and the like... y'know to make up for their lack of composition skills.
so does jen's job consist of looking at the newspapers and other blogs and going "look at this article"?
Hating my own generation is almost too easy.
i'm confused by the times' piece. i can't find "manhattan avenue, near grand avenue" on a map...
please, let me help:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=manhattan+ave.+and+grand+ave.&sll=40.716135,-73.938332&sspn=0.021208,0.038624&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1
for those who never walk past the BQE.
Shouldn't the headline be: Idiots Don't Sign Lease, Forced to Move.
i used to live near grand avenue when i lived in clinton hill. now that i live in williamsburg (east of the BQE) i live near grand street.
I pity their neighbors.