Bowery Presents are doing a great job - keep it up.

robin taylor and the bowery presents guys are my heroes.

If they are responsible for finally convincing Webster Hall to redo the layout, good for them. As a previous WH-hater, it is now a better place to see a show than Irving Plaza.

Right up there with the Google Guys.

A 3,000 person venue on 56th? I assume this Bowery's competition to Roseland/Hammerstein. On one hand that's good -- Bowery's version will undoubtedly be better than either of those venues (not hard, but still). On the other hand, it's going to give additional impetus to bands to play the larger rooms in New York. I'd much prefer to see a band play multiple nights at Bowery, or even Town Hall, than one night at Roseland or Hammerstein.

from the article:

“There’s a war,” said John Scher, a veteran New York promoter who puts on shows independently at the Concert Hall at the Society for Ethical Culture and elsewhere. “No question, there’s a war. But the only people who benefit from this war are artists and managers and agents.”

I agree with Steve. And everyone else up there ^

bowery presents are fucking evil - you'll see why soon enough if you don't already know.

One of the partners of Bowery says "What we do well is work with bands at the Mercury Lounge level and grow them as far as possible, all the way to the Garden or beyond,”

I really don't see how claim credit for a band becoming bigger. Other than book them for a few shows, they are not responsible for people hearing the music, or becoming fans.

The negative effects of Bowery's success is already happening, with putting as many shows as possible at Webster. Now it will only get worse.

The negative effects of Bowery's success is already happening, with the booking of so many shows as possible at Webster. Now it will only get worse.

I think it's going too far to refer to them as "tastemakers"

f corporate rock. boycott clear channel and live nation.

"bowery presents are fucking evil - you'll see why soon enough if you don't already know."

how about you enlighten those of us that may not know?

Thank you so much for summarizing that, BV, because as curious i was there was no way in hell i was going to read that article. Now if only i had something to do with the time you saved me

I think one quote from this article sums up for me why I like Bowery Presents better than LiveNation:

"Lacking the deep resources of Live Nation or A.E.G., the Bowery faces significant risk in its expansion."

They are putting all the their shit on the line. It's how they started, it's how they are growing. If their new clubs fail (and they have opening like five new clubs, right?), it could take the whole enterprise down. I think that takes some balls.

Bowery Presents, keep it up fellas. Any challenge to the likes of Live Nation is an amazing thing.

CLEAR CHANNEL AND LIVE NATION need to DIE and burn in hell.. that's all.. I don't care what you say, but they charge way too much and they don't help musicans of any kind. All they do is kill the music.
Yes, there are people who have the $ for it, but the real fans, the people who really love the music can't see shows cause it's so fuckin expensive.

- Jerry Garcia's missing finger

watch out for the culkin

Can you imagine them moving shows from Webster Hall to the new space in Midtown once they sell out? I could.

fear the badger.

Even though I like what Bowery Presents are doing....I still think R5 Productions (www.r5productions.com) books the best shows in U.S. or at least in the east coast by far.....just look at who they have booked in the past and present....http://www.r5productions.com/oldshows.html.....and keeping the tixs cost around 10-15 beans and having most of their shows at small venues like first unitarian church and johnny brenda's!

Buy tix for a cool show at Mercury Lounge and it sells out quick, that show gets moved to Bowery Ballroom.

Buy tix for a cool show at Bowery Ballroom and it sells out quick, that show gets moved to crappy Webster Hall.

Buy tix for a show at crappy Webster Hall and it sells out quick, that show now gets moved to 3,000 capacity 56th Street rock hall.

This is progress?

Bowery Presents is way better than Clear Channel and live nation right now. But as they grow they will fuck people over more and more.

What's so crappy about Webster Hall?

Bowery Presents did an awesome job with the sound system there.

I saw Joanna Newsom there and was extremely impressed with the sound in almost every nook and cranny of that place.

fear the badger.

@mechanic:

Are you talking about the same Webster Hall as the one I go to? The one with the consistently piss poor sound quality? And the over-priced drinks? And the Webster Hall that always feels like a sardine can no matter who's playing there?

I much prefer Irving Plaza to Webster Hall. I just wish they'd get rid of that damn metal gate on the right-hand side of the stage that they never seemed to need until 3 years ago.

I agree with James. How can you evaluate the sound in every nook and cranny of the place, anyway? Were you wandering around throughout the show? Usually there isn't much room to dance at Webster, forget going for a stroll

The problem with Webster Hall is when you have concerts on the same day the club is open. The dance music bleeds into the concert space. Bowery Presents doesn't care, they will continue booking shows at WH despite this major issue.

Yes. I strolled around the room.

On a previous occasion I had seen Mr. Swier interviewed by an audio magazine specifically regarding the sound system they installed at webster hall when they decided to start throwing shows there. Having an interest in audio, I was curious to hear the system from different vantage points. I was impressed.

Again, this was a Joanna Newsom show, there wasn't much dancing and, of course, this doesn't mean the room sounds so great for dance music or loud rock so your mileage may vary.

If the answer to my question "what's so crappy about Webster Hall" is "overpriced drinks", well that I guess I understand.

The solution to the overpriced drinks issue at Webster is to drink liquor, on the rocks...costs the same as the beer and carries a better punch. Plus, you have to pee less so you'll miss less of the show standing in line for the ladies.

Still, agree with poster from early on...I'd much rather have a band play 4-5 nights at the Bowery than 1 at a 3,000 capacity venue.

Guess that means that you have to make sure you see bands before they have enough buzz to sell out the Bowery? Which is too bad, cause that means great bands who put out 2-3 solid albums will only be accessable in a large venue. And large venues suck. Especially if you are short.

The thing about Webster Hall is that Bowery Presents doesnt own it ..they can only do so much with it... as far as shows being moved to bigger venues it happens all over the world , its not just a NYC, Bowery Presents thing....and its also adressing extra demand..which as some of you who just missed out getting tickets can appreciate it.. there are definitely pros & cons to the whole thing..it hurts the scalpers (until the bigger show sells out) but sometimes the bigger venue is less apealing than the original in terms of sound or layout , etc... either way its not something thats going away. All in all Bowery does a good job & is an independant success story worth telling. I might showing my age but I remember 20 years ago when there were only 4 legimate places to play in NYC from small clubs up to big theaters...now theres too many frankly... its funny to the see the big boys, Live Nation and AEG, scramble to compete with the so called little guys.

Ya'll might be to hip to know this but webster hall used to be the ritz...where lots of history was made.

go bowery!!! way to bring back a musical landmark.

for all you clear channel haters... clear channel is live nation.

they are just building the company so they can sell it to live nation. dont believe the hype