We’ve been here for tons of concerts over the years. This is one of the biggest–if not the biggest–venues in New York City. It’s a former dance hall/ballroom, but has the feeling of an old roller-skating rink from days gone by. While it would be cool for skating around in circles to 50’s and 70’s hits, it’s not so great for rock shows. The concert space is essentially a giant rectangle with the stage at one end. This means you can be literally fifty or sixty yards from the band, standing behind some freakishly tall teenager wearing a derby or top hot or some such shit. The acoustics are about what you’d expect in a place the size of a warehouse, and the PA system seems to vary from show to show (from not too bad to horribly fuzzy). If you’re twelve, then this is probably you’re concert venue of choice, as those big MTV/KROCK bands usually play this place to packed crowds. The creepy part is walking around with a plastic cup of Heineken while girls younger than your undershirt in crop tops and body glitter try to ditch their chaperones. Intimate this place is not, but I suppose it beats seeing a show in a basketball arena. [MF]
239 W 52nd St.
212/247-0200
