During CMJ, everything becomes a venue - from a living room to an abandoned storefront. During the rest of the year, Todd P keeps that sort of thing going on. And in the more "legit" world of venues, new ones are popping up everywhere.
Maybe some clubs can't make it in the city, but others are thriving. The New York Times reports that in the next few months as many as five new spaces will be coming our way, "giving the city’s rock infrastructure its most substantial expansion in years."
One of the bigger empires is the Mercury-Bowery group, or as they are now called: The Bowery Presents. Booking three of the better venues, "bands can be sent up the chain, from the 250-capacity Mercury to the 575-person Bowery to Webster Hall, at 1,400." If you ask any band starting out where they want to play, they will almost always tell you Bowery Ballroom, and they all know Mercury Lounge comes first.
Make that four venues. The Bowery Presents just acquired Northsix and will be renovating it and renaming it The Music Hall of Williamsburg.
The Times also reports that Live Nation will have a hand at booking the new Luna Lounge. The venue that closed its doors last year on Ludlow Street will be reopening this year in Williamsburg, in a 350 capacity space. Live Nation booking Luna Lounge just seems wrong, doesn't it?
