The Lower East Side Is Still Cool

This Wednesday, the annual New Colossus Festival begins in venues around the Lower East side of Manhattan. Limiting the festival to places easily reachable within 15 minutes by foot achieves an exciting density, which is not a small feat in a city where countless different events are going on at any time of the week.

Also, the Lower East Side venues are all well-storied and venerable places. Four are part of New Colossus, and the other one essentially celebrates its year-long mini music festival.

Mercury Lounge

The Mercury Lounge opened in 1993 and has been an essential cornerstone of the NYC music scene. Many bands that went on to play in much bigger venues and even stadiums played here in the early days of their careers. The booking has changed over the years, but currently, you can see there again many local bands and, who knows, maybe somebody who launches to superstardom tomorrow.

Rockwood Music Hall

Rockwood Music Hall on Allen Street is a three-stage, three-bar complex worth visiting any day of the week. Stage One is free to enter, but you are strongly encouraged to order drinks and tip the bands. Stage Two is a must-stop on any singer/songwriter's tour and is ticketed separately for every performer of the evening. Finally, stage Three is a cellphone-signal-free basement for intimate solo and small band performances.

For some reason, Rockwood Music Hall has stopped participating in music festivals, even though it is the perfect place to stage one. But go there on a summer evening and check out what Stage One offers. You will hardly regret it.

Arlene’s Grocery

Arlene’s Grocery has been around since 1995 and has kept its underground rock vibe despite the mighty gentrification efforts around it. In the late 2000s, we saw many shows of the local rock scene there. Then the booking became a bit erratic, but they have recently upped their game again and want to return to more glorious times.

I always love to see a show at Arlene’s. The front bar is friendly, the stage has the exact right size for an indie show, and the sound is good.

Pianos

A block away from Arlene’s is Pianos, a bar and venue with three faces. To go to a show, you must squeeze yourself through the front bar, which is usually packed with revelers enjoying loud party music from a DJ. The main venue holds approximately 150 people and has been the location of many great shows, including some now household-name bands.

The first floor is a bar/lounge equipped to play small shows. New Colossus runs daytime shows there, which have a unique festival vibe.

Berlin Under A

Berlin Under A is located on Avenue A, one block north of Houston, and technically already in the East Village. The small basement bar with a tiny stage is popular with musicians, and one reason is that you can do a hell of a party there, even with only 15 people or so. The flip side is that you can barely see any of the action when it is packed. Berlin also had its fair share of extraordinary shows, and you can go there any night and have a great experience.

Thanks for reading glamglare! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

Song Pick of the Day

Listen/watch all seven songs on YouTube. Follow our daily updated playlists on YouTube and Spotify for the 50 latest Song Picks of the Day.

San Diego-based singer, songwriter, and producer Jackie Mendoza surprises with new sonic ideas in every new song. Last week she released a new track, “Mousetrap,” from her debut album Galaxia de Emociones. The song is named after its working title, which refers to the trap beats. Next, Australian musician Sam Wrangle gets literal in his new song “Dress to Impress.” The shimmering indie pop piece is “commentary on a narcissist’s want to please people.”

Seattle-based singer/songwriter Ollella sings about having you “Head in the Clouds,” because “It's easier, it's convenient.” But the song goes deeper than that and adds a personal perspective.

NYC band O. Wake also has their “Head in the Cloud,” but here, the cloud is the internet, which plays such a pervasive role in our lives. It’s a brilliant piece of indie rock, and we’re looking forward to seeing them at New Colossus Fest this week.

Cork, Ireland-based pop singer/songwriter LIA has enough of an unsatisfying relationship in her debut single “The One (not).” We are looking forward to hearing more from her. CHVRLI BLACK is a singer/songwriter from London who describes a painful time in “Why Did You Go.” He says about the song: “It is specific and candid, and personal, and it makes me feel pretty naked letting it out into the world.”

Literally naked is shoegaze rocker Lauren Lakis in the video for “Take My Hand.” There is a metaphor here: “I found myself stepping into the unknown in many ways the past few years, forced to entertain the notion that maybe I didn’t know everything, and in that I found freedom,” she says. Lauren will also play New Colossus this week.

New Albums We Are Excited About

NYC band O. Wake released their debut EP Head In The Cloud, which bundles their four singles, including three Song Picks of the Day. As mentioned above, Jackie Mendoza’s debut album Galaxia de Emociones is just fantastic. LA-based artist Maraschino released her debut album Hollywood Piano with ten delightful, smart pop songs. Swiss musician Mary Middlefield also released an irresistible debut record, Thank You, Alexander, which we have had on constant rotation during the last weeks. Classic shoegaze at its best is the thing of Californian musician Tanukichan. Gizmo is her second album after a five-year break. Finally, Scottish singer/songwriter Tommy Ashby released Lamplighter, which contains a beautiful Song Pick of the Day and a video pick.

Thanks for reading glamglare! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

Update on Flaco the Owl

Flaco the escaped Eurasian eagle owl is still doing well in Central Park. On Friday, the New York Times ran a piece with more background information: “Everyone Loves Flaco the Escaped Owl. But Why, Exactly.”.

Nine Photos: Lower East Side

The Lower East Side is our NYC home neighborhood, even though we don’t live there anymore since 2010. We have taken countless photos there, and here are nine of them taken over the last 22 years.