Well, two weeks in and we have been getting some great responses to our project! From the support of the guys, to your support, and even some venues interested! Really, thank you for everything.
With that said, today's feature goes to a little more of the intimate performance. Because while all of us would love a show in a large venue, sometimes it's those smaller venues that create the best shows! Today, we want you to check out: The Living Room.
Remember, if you like a venue or have any questions/comments for us, please don't hesitate to contact us at BringBDtoEC@gmail.com and let us know what you think! (Please let us know, we want the boys here just as much as you do!)
Happy Gleesday and check out Cory on tonight's episode of Glee!
~The Bring BD to EC Team
www.facebook.com/bringbdtoec
The Living Room:
154 Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 533-7235
info@livingroomny.com
www.livingroomny.com
Booking:
To book a gig at The Living Room, please send a link to music/press kit to info@livingroomny.com.
History:
10
YEARS AFTER
The
Living Room celebrates a decade of singer-songwriters
As I
ducked out of the rain and into the Living Room one recent evening, it was a
bit like stumbling upon a reunion of old friends. Musicians milled about making
some final preparations for the Elvis Costello tribute show that was to unfold
later that night. Co-owners Steve Rosenthal and Jennifer Gilson, who are also
married, were busy finishing up some pre-show errands and re-connecting with
old friends. While other musicians mingled, Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth,
sitting in as the house drummer for the evening, lounged on a nearby sofa. But
the casual and inviting vibe wouldn’t surprise Living Room regulars, who have
been flocking to this charming spot on Ludlow Street on the Lower East Side for
a decade.
All
the commotion comes courtesy of the venue’s 10th anniversary celebration, an
event that’s being marked with over two weeks of shows presented nightly and
continuing through April 4. To celebrate the club’s first decade, Rosenthal and
Gilson are presenting a spectacular lineup of Living Room regulars, past and
present, ranging from Norah Jones, who famously honed her chops here, to noted
singer-songwriters like Ron Sexsmith, Jesse Harris, Joseph Arthur, Richard
Julian and Chris Thile.
The
club’s origins are simple enough. Gilson first opened the Living Room in a
former fried chicken joint a few blocks from the current location. “I was
working at Sin-é when it closed, and I was doing booking and I knew many of the
musicians,” she recalls as we chat about the club’s modest beginnings. “So, I
went looking to open up my own place and we found the place on Stanton. I knew
if I called the people I knew to come play, people would come see them and the
word would just spread.” And indeed, the word spread.
The
Living Room quickly became a highly sought-after gig for performers and a
favorite spot for fans to discover new talent and see old favorites. The
original Stanton location, which seated about 40, was overflowing on a regular
basis, with patrons jammed onto the windowsills and anywhere else they could
find a place to sit or stand. The venue’s popularity, and rising rents, forced
Rosenthal and Gilson to find a new home for the club in 2003 and its current
Ludlow location boasts a main music room, front bar area, and upstairs
lounge—though even the relatively spacious digs are still routinely packed,
with latecomers relegated to standing room in the rear. And even in its new
location, the venue’s stellar cast of regular musicians and it’s casual but
intimate setting helps perpetuate a remarkably convivial atmosphere—evidence
that the club’s moniker is no coincidence.
With
so much change and development on the Lower East Side, not to mention the
recent shuttering of several high-profile live music venues around the city,
many wonder if small clubs like the Living Room will disappear—like Tonic did
last year. When asked if she had fears of a similar fate befalling the Living
Room, Gilson seemed confident that the club was not going to be overrun by a
new bank branch or boutique hotel. She attributed the recent closings to “the
greed of landlords,” making a point of emphasizing that her
situation seemed relatively stable.
“It’s
incredibly sad to see so many places closed, like Tonic which was also a
‘family operation’ run by people who love music,” says Gilson. “ When you’re
renting a space and don’t own the building, as most clubs do, you’re always at
the mercy of the landlord. My lease is safe for a while, so I’ll worry when
it’s time for renegotiating the lease!”
Without
the fear of imminent closing, there’s more time to focus on the music. The
Living Room is known for championing singer-songwriters; but, happily,
Rosenthal and Gilson have never limited themselves to any one genre.
“There’s
a real variance of styles, but the common thread is that it’s honest music,”
observes Jim Campilongo, who has a long-standing Monday night gig at the club
and plays with Jones as a member of The Little Willies, a band that debuted at
the Living Room. “I was just at South by Southwest, and I didn’t really enjoy
it. There was a band every 30 yards playing really loud.
It all
just seemed to yell ‘Buy me, buy me, buy me, buy me!’ I felt like there were a
lot of corrupted artists. The common thread here is that people play music
that’s sincere, humane, that transcends genre: And that’s the Living Room.”
Several other longtime regulars echoed Campilongo’s sentiments.
Gilson,
in particular, is largely responsible for the venue’s reputation for nurturing
young and unknown artists—as she did with Jones when Living Room regular Jesse
Harris got her a shot at the club years ago. And Gilson still listens to every
demo submission from bands and singers looking for a gig.
“Though
it takes a little longer to get back to them now,” she explains. “Sometimes
I’ll call people back and their band has already broken up. But I do listen to
everything.”
The
Living Room is famous for its welcoming atmosphere and even the bartenders are
part of the family. Karen Lord, a longtime employee who has tended bar at both
Living Room locations, recalls that “the first time, I ever walked in it
reminded me of someplace in Burlington, Vermont. It was cozy and warm, a great
environment. Everyone always puts music first and they care so much about the
people that play here.”
With
around 10 acts per night, it’s hard not to find something to like here. And if
all else fails, it’s easy to fall back on the good company and great
atmosphere: all of which makes the Living Room feel very much like, well, a
living room.
Matt
Gewolb
-New York Press
