Bowery Ballroom

History

The Bowery Ballroom was founded in 1998 by Michael Swier, Michael Winsch, and Brian Swier, who still own and operate the business. The club was the team's second music venue after The Mercury Lounge.

The building at 6 Delancey Street was built to be a high-end shoe store and haberdashery just before the devastating Wall Street crash of 1929. It stood vacant until the end of World War II, when it housed a series of shops. Over time the neighborhood declined. In 1998 the building was fully renovated to become The Bowery Ballroom.

Cofounder Michael Swier told the Village Voice and LA Weekly that he and his partners' goals have always been about quality of sound, as well as giving the best experience to both artists and the audience.

Architect and cofounder Brian Swier designed the venue and directed renovations of the historic building with an eye to optimal acoustics for live music. Today the club is one of the rare remaining independent music venues, and continues to be regarded as one of the best for music purists. Gothamist and Thrillist have named it one of New York City's best music venues.

"From the beginning, opening the Mercury Lounge, it was all about the stage and the music – for the band, for the people coming to see the bands", Michael Swier told LA Weekly. "Whether it's the sound system, the acoustic treatment, the way the band sounds to themselves onstage, the sightlines – it was all about that. That reputation of building really good clubs and treating both bands and patrons with the respect they deserve and putting the focus on that kind of grew out of those things."

A detailed scholarly account of the venue and its place in the wider music and cultural history of New York City was published in 2020.

Notable acts

Patti Smith performed New Year's Eve at the Bowery Ballroom for fourteen consecutive years.

The venue has hosted numerous acts of note, including R.E.M., Coldplay, Quicksand, Kanye West, Lou Reed, Glaive, Joan Jett, Radiohead, Tony Bennett, the Roots, Lana Del Rey, Måneskin, the Black Keys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pixies, the White Stripes, Metallica, Robert Plant, Arcade Fire, the Killers, Idina Menzel, Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, the Dandy Warhols, the Strokes, Broken Social Scene, They Might Be Giants, Lucky Chops, Yo La Tengo, Twenty One Pilots, Frank Ocean, Getting Started, and Paul McCartney.

In media

The Bowery Ballroom is the namesake of Joan Baez's Bowery Songs album, recorded live at the venue on November 6, 2004. It appears in the 2000 film* Coyote Ugly* as well as the 2008 film Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.

References

References

1. Kimble, Julian. (May 10, 2013). "The 50 Best Concert Venues in America1. Bowery Ballroom".
2. (March 28, 2013). "The Best Clubs in America".
3. (April 29, 2016). "The 100 Greatest American Music Venues".
4. (June 7, 2007). "A Small Strategy for Selling Concerts". The New York Times.
5. Sisario, Ben. (December 18, 2017). "Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge Join With Live Nation". The New York Times.
6. Sisario, Ben. (August 2, 2017). "Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge Split From Concert Promoter Bowery Presents". The New York Times.
7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070718021919/http://www.boweryballroom.com/history.html "History of the Bowery Ballroom"], Bowery Ballroom website (archived 2007)
8. "Bowery Ballroom".
9. Hughes, Hilary. (July 8, 2015). "Michael Swier's Musical Manifest Destiny Reaches From the Bowery to Los Angeles".
10. (March 6, 2019). "The Best Live Music Venues in NYC for Every Type of Show".
11. Fishbein, Rebecca. (December 4, 2013). "The 8 Best Music Venues in NYC".
12. Hughes, Hilary. (July 13, 2015). "Michael Swier Is the Proud New Yorker Behind L.A.'s Coolest New Music Venue".
13. Holt, Fabian. (2020). "Everyone Loves Live Music". University of Chicago Press.
14. Gold, Daniel M.. (January 2, 2012). "Patti Smith Ends Bowery Residency".
15. Perpetua, Matthew. (January 3, 2012). "Patti Smith Ends New Year's Eve Residencies at Bowery Ballroom".
16. "R.E.M. Setlist at Bowery Ballroom, New York".
17. (August 13, 2002). "Coldplay Sings For Stars in NYC".
18. (October 29, 2021). "The Måneskins at the Bowery Ballroom in New York (with Little Steven)".
19. "Red Hot Chili Peppers Live Archive".
20. "The White Stripes – Backstage, Bowery Ballroom. New York 2002.".
21. "Events {{!}} Metallica.com".
22. (September 13, 2010). "Robert Plant, Patty Griffin & Band (Of Joy) played Bowery Ballroom (pics, video, setlist)".
23. (November 3, 1998). "Rent's Idina Menzel Tours Debut Album With NY & National Dates; Starts Nov. 3". Playbill.
24. (September 20, 2016). "Lucky Chops sells out Bowery".
25. Pearis, Bill. (September 3, 2019). "Yo La Tengo announce 2019 Hanukkah run at Bowery Ballroom".
26. Carter, Emily. (April 26, 2024). "twenty one pilots are teasing a special New York show next week".
27. Caramanica, Jon. (November 30, 2011). "Music Is Love, and Love Is Music". The New York Times.
28. (February 11, 2025). "Paul McCartney Will Play a Surprise Show in NYC Tonight".
29. (November 6, 2004). "Bowery Songs, Joan Baez, Music CD".
30. Wortham, Jenna. (October 2, 2008). "Review: ''Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist'' Strikes Sweet Chord". Blog.wired.com.