Address: | 196 Allen St, New York, NY 10002, USA |
Phone: | +1 212-477-4155 |
Site: | rockwoodmusichall.com |
Rating: | 4.5 |
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Seher Dholakia
I went here to check out a singer-songwriter my sister had heard of - Sid Sriram. He was absolutely amazing - the venue, not so much. It was my first time to the Rockwood, and I was pretty underwhemed. I mean, the size of the stage and bar area was probably about the same size as my Manhattan bedroom (looking at the other reviews Im guessing I was at Stage 1). Now try to imagine about 25-30 other people trying to squeeze in that same space. Luckily, in the heat wave Manhattan is currently going through, the air conditioning was blasting. There is a one drink minimum per set, and each drink will probably cost you at least $6-$7, which I guess is reasonable for beer in this city. I totally understand that since there is no cover to see the performer it is required to buy a drink. However, the annoying part is once you buy a drink, you get a stamp on your hand. DURING THE SHOW, the bartender seriously went around to each person in the venue (think about her trying to squeeze through people) to make sure they had purchased a drink by checking for the stamp. And if they hadnt, she took their drink order then and there, went to the bar to fetch it, came back, took their cash, and asked the next person. Sitting next to a few people who hadnt bought a drink yet, it was pretty distracting and totally ruined the atmosphere of the show. I couldnt really pay attention to the performer because she was always running back and forth. I would honestly have rather had to pay a $3 cover to just enjoy the show. Also, serious lack of space. Glad I got there early to snag a seat because there were only about 10 chairs and about 8 more barstools. The acoustics of the venue are superb, however. The only other plus I can think of is that they have Hoegaarden on draft.
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Craig Corbeels
Absolutely awesome - definitely a place Ill be regularly returning to. They have three stages that have bands performing on them all night, switching every hour / hour and a half. On my first visit, I only saw Stage 1 and Stage 2 - Stage 3 had a cover and we were so impressed by the bands on the other stages that we felt no need to go over there. The bouncer was super friendly, stamped our hands, explained where each stage was and let us right in on a Saturday night. It seems like Stage 1 is almost always free, and Stage 2 is sometimes free later at night. You can check on their site to see if you need to buy tickets for a specific set or not. Even if you do have to buy tickets / pay cover, its always very fairly priced for some great talent. Drink prices were surprisingly good for a music venue as well, I paid $6 for a bottle of Fat Tire which happens to be one of my favorites. Stage 1 is pretty small and was packed, but Stage 2 was a good space and we could enjoy the music without being crowded in at all. Even when I wanted a drink I was able to get right up to the bar and get served right away. Definitely a great experience with some super talented bands. It is so awesome to know that I have a great music venue like this so close to my apartment - you can look at the lineup of bands literally any night and youll find a talented band that youll enjoy. Ill be back - and often!
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A Private User
after the owner explain to his one eyed security team that all bars are all ages, i watched person after person get turned away from going to watch bands perform after traveling hours and miles to get there because they were too young, I guess them selling drinks is more important than fans getting to see their bands. One clown in purple sneakers even told one person that jaymay had a private list so you can not get in, and out and out lie as if she were the one banning fans from seeing her. So to some it up an upscale dive with all the taste of a blank board claiming to be there for music,while its employees lie so they can overfill their legal capacity with paying customers, if my band played there I would be outraged at the way my fans got treated and would refuse to give them my business. thats just me though. There are nicer crooks out there, so save your time and money and go somewhere else.
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Stephen Finnegan
Ive been a long time patron of this place which once was one of the finest music venues in the city. Sadly, Im changing my review from 5* to 1* as what was once a place where music and artists were at the core, now wristbands and drink minimums are the priority. No room for sobriety or the love of music. A two drink minimum for a 45 minute set where Im already paying a handsome cover charge is APPALLING. Getting charged $20 ($10 wristband for 1 drink) when the artist is making 7 is horrible. I want to support my friends bands but Rockwood makes it impossible. Ive been, and still am, involved with great music venues but the soul has sadly been ripped out of this one. The staff have always been great, and I hope for their sake that sanity is restored soon, but if not, I dont see this place lasting beyond its current falling reputation. 1, 2, 3 - 3, 2, 1, 0.
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Clemens Wan
I come here mainly to watch Anna Harrington and her band play their fantastic sets (man, that girl can sing). Through my fanboy following, Ive found the Rockwood Music Hall to host quite a few talented artists. They have two rooms that do extremely well with what the space available. I like the two-story seating and the bar always has fresh New Castle for me to imbibe. If youre here to talk, I think youll be drowned out by the music and clapping (also, talking during shows is just plain rude). Id recommend coming here for the music and staying for the congratulations. Sets are around 40 minutes and theres a 15-20 minute set-up time before the next show comes on. When I show up on a random night, I often leave surprised and subscribed to 3 new bands. NYC is certainly filled with talent and this is a great venue to see it.
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Leah Latella
This place is a complex for music. Stage 0, Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3. Stage 3 which is actually a bar attached to stage 2 is very cool. (You can actually get to stage 2 if you go through this little hall way that passes the artist dressing rooms.) Stage 1 is smaller and is an intro stage for artists trying to book stage 2. The sound in both is great and the variety of music is pretty vast. There is also a Stage 0 that is just a bar but both bars show was is going is being performed on the stages. "Stage 0" shows "Stage 1" and "Stage 3" shows "Stage 2." Its a whole complex. All they need is food and youll never leave. Definitely check it out!
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Alexis Guerra
I have been here a few times to see friends perform on Stage One and I have to say its currently one of my favorite spots to see live music! Its an intimate room so if youre not into being nice and close to those around you and are looking for a place to sit and lounge this may not be the spot for you, not to mention it can seem intimidating when making your way to the bar due to the large crowds that line it to watch the performance but there are a few waitresses who circle the perimeter and make their way through to ensure youve got a beverage in hand. A fun place to go and check out some of the newest indie greats live!