Least shocking news of the year. It was just a matter of time.

why were they shut down?

Ha, I'm a building code and zoning consultant. I can definitively state that they are pretty effed in the A on this one. More violations for this space than you can shake a stick at. Take a look http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PropertyProfileOverviewServlet?boro=3&houseno=289&street=kent+ave&go2=+GO+&requestid=0
Technically the reason they got shut down was work without a permit; that's an automatic 5K dollar penalty. Plus about a dozen high hazard ECB violations for their PA. They can reopen with only paying the 5K after getting a permit for the work, but I'd estimate total cost to clean this shit-hole up at about 25-30K.

"Least shocking news of the year. It was just a matter of time."

I agree. The impromptu jams a few years ago were great, but ever since they decided to be a venue instead, the place went downhill. They didn't know how to operate anything at that level. Take a look at the fiasco that happend at the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show, all completely their fault.

My question is: how can the Todd P venues continue to operate? BTW, what happened to Uncle Paulies?

Glasslands will never reopen. You have to have A LOT of money to open a legal joint of this kind in NYC.
Todd P shows are almost all totally illegal. He gets away with it most of the time because the authorities are too stupid and lazy to enforce the law.

oh no... where are we gonna go now to hear kids scream along to their iPods and bang on their casios?

but at least Brooke, Rolyn, Aaron, Jeff and Derek love us.

Glasslands was not a toddp venue, they run strictly 21+ shows therefore todd has, and will have nothing to do with them until they change their views on all ages shows.

That said, name 1 toddp venue that's been 'shut down' forcing to cancel shows.
Sure, shows move, but nothings ever canceled.

Some people know how to run a space and some dont..

I've hella seen todd p shows at glasslands.

you've sen hella todd p shows at glasslands? hella typically means a lot, and i wouldn't say there have been hella shows at glasslands. a handful, a few, not hella. if you want to lump glasslands and the old glasshouse, yeah. there would be hella. but not hella at glasslands. a bunch. how's a bunch?

"Glasslands was not a toddp venue"

Who said they were?

he who lives in a glass house...

I think Mike has a crush on toddp. C'mon Mike, maybe just a little?

chris, i don't think anon 2:16 said he's seen "hella todd p shows" at glasslands. I think he said "hella seen todd p shows." He's using "hella" as a modifier of "seen" not "shows." Not that any of this makes sense.

I think he means he saw Hella at Glasslands, in which case he's just lying.

todd p nyc for ever

one time, i was at glasslands and an entire 10+ foot tall steel staircase crashed into the middle of the room.

One time, I was at Glasslands and I shoved a flute into my pussy..

One time, I was at Glasslands and I met a drummer who screwed me silly in a back alley by Court Street.

one time I was at glasslands and it started raining lard. I thought it felt a little greasy when I got there!

One time I was at Glasslands and a wormhole to another dimension opened, and everyone was sucked into a world in which comment boxes on blogs were the only means of self expression and every body was mean to each other and thought they were the coolest, but after a while we all realized how sucky it was and then we started to miss the Glasslands.

When I finally came to, I was screwing some chick silly in a back alley.

When Todd P tried to open a permanent space it got shut down before it even officially opened. His operation works because he keeps moving it around.

Glasslands didn't get shut down for building dept reasons, that is misinformation.

The building is huge, those "stop work orders" and "violations" apply to other spaces in the building and not to the Glasslands specifically. Anyone who knows how to read the DOB website can tell that the "complaints" and the "violations" on that property are A.) mostly from a long time ago and B.) related to work in areas of the building that are not Glasslands.

In fact, Glasslands didn't get "shut down" at all - they've canceled shows voluntarily to try to lay low and get their ducks in order.

What happened is that the police came in during Saturday's Bastille Day party and issued some tickets. Glasslands' hired security guard had gotten into a fight with someone outside, and the cops were called. While there, the police entered Glasslands and wrote out tickets for various things.

The trouble here is that Glasslands is trying to get a beer and wine license (which has been delayed for some reason). Even a misdemeanor conviction for selling without a license, or for selling to minors, can endanger a space's application to get a beer license.

I predict Glasslands will be fine - typically these tickets don't stick, and even when they do you can fight them. Rolyn and Brooke are wise to shut down for a while though.

They need to wait it out and lay low, in case they are targeted by the police for a while. They also need to wait to see whether the officers who wrote the tickets try to turn them in for other violations, such as building dept code violations.

But the Department of Buildings is not their problem, as yet.

with the way the neighborhood is going, there will be very strict DOB enforcement. A place like that would definitely have to be 100% legal. Which, since they don't appear to be anywhere near 100% legal, it would cost a lot of money to get there.
Williamsburg is NOT what it used to be...

Todd P only does shows at all ages venues. Glasslands was doing all ages shows for a while, but stopped because they were worried about their beer and wine license application. When they stopped doing all ages, Todd stopped using the space.

As for why one space gets shut down and others don't - there are lots of reasons.

The main elements of not getting into police trouble (which leads to fire dept and building dept trouble) are, simply, not attracting attention and not being a nuisance to the neighborhood.

If you don't generate noise complaints and you don't have a bunch of jackasses out front peeing and/or drinking and/or fighting and/or breaking shit in front of your party, then you will probably not get into trouble - no matter what you're doing inside.

Putting on big, rowdy, loud, absentee managed parties every weekend, in the same space, will draw the ire of your neighbors. Your neighbors will then call anonymous compaints into 311.

You can get away with a few sporadic complaints, but if the police feel like they have to respond to complaints in the same spot over and over again, or else they have to respond to major nuisance situations like fights or other violence, then they will move in to write tickets and "shut down" your party space.

Usually this means the police write tickets for alcohol crimes. If they have to come back, then they call the Fire Dept to get you for being over capacity and/or not following fire safety regulations. The FDNY then, in turn, call the Dept of Buildings, who inspect your space to review your code compliance, and then issue violations and send letters leveeing fines from your landlord.

Your landlord then kicks your ass out on the street. This is pretty much the system for how illegal and semi-legal spaces get shut down in the Bloomberg era.

It's too bad place like this has to shut down.
It nice to go to a fairly large venue that isn't bowery ballroom or someplace w/ exorbitantly high ticket prices. At the same time being over 21, its pleasant to not always have to go to all ages shows to see the bands that I like. Well good luck to those gals..

I dunno what their issues are but more venues like the glasslandsthe better! wtf -- at least there's something left in williamburgs that isn't all pussied out and cleaned up. why the fuck to have to travel all the way to bushwick to have some fun. soon we're all gonna be unable to afford anything in burg, let alone these good ol fashioned sweaty rock shows on the water front. These high rise condos are gonna be an end to that -- if these kids duck the system and make it to the next year more power to them.

"At the same time being over 21, its pleasant to not always have to go to all ages shows to see the bands that I like. Well good luck to those gals.."

what are you talking about - Glasslands may be officially "21+", but it's well known to not card at all. You get more under 21+ people there than at real all ages shows, and they're drunker.

And, has it ever occurred to you that your little age discrimination preference for 21+ shows is both ignorant and fucked up? Were you not under 21 yourself, relatively recently?

Why does being a music fan under the age of 21 have to mean that you're damned to the show ghetto of just seeing "all ages" marketed punk / hardcore / etc bullshit shows?

Most 19 and 20 year olds I know have far better music taste than most of the late 20's people I know. Let EVERYBODY into EVERY party and you'll have a much more vibrant music scene.

from what I've been told - Rolyn and Brooke spent a lot of time, effort, and money trying to comply with building code regulations and trying to dot their i's and cross their t's get a liquor license. They are really, truly, in good faith following the rules here.

It sucks a lot that they've gotten into trouble, luckily it looks like it'll probably blow over and they'll be back in business soon.

Let's hope so - the old, creative, free spirited, laid back, hipster Williamsburg is all but banished from the neighborhood. Glasslands really is one of the last bastions left before the hood goes 100% yuppiefied.

That sentiment may seem trite or petty to some - Williamsburg has always been a magnet for hipsters shittalking other hipsters and what they care about - but this neighborhood really was a great and interesting community not long ago, sad to see it completely disappearing.

I hope Glasslands reopens soon (though I'd prefer to see it be all ages again!)

this does not apply to those whose comments seem to revolve around some sort of pent up bitterness because they are losers who never got laid at a glasslands party and they can only make pedantic idiotic statements about syntax and defining slang words. or, as the last poster pointed out, have some pathetic need to downplay new and interesting music because they are prematurely old and ugly and cannot keep up with the younger kids who dance better, look better, and are more all around savvy than themselves. or the sarcastic cynical fucks that probably stay home most nights masturbating to suicide girls and wondering why they relate to the journals of eric harris.

glasslands is doing what they can to get back up in running, if you didn't like it you're fucking lame anyway so fuck you have fun at webster hall or irving plaza listening to played out bands and wearing slipknot tees.

but for those who went to shows at glasslands and recognized not only the sense of community that brooke, rolyn and company were trying to create and the work they put in without having huge backing like studio b or luna lounge or whatever. not only did they donate money, create an interesting space, have interesting shows with a lot of local music, but they truly cared about the neighborhood, not the profit.

so to hell with those of you who move to williamsburg wishing it were more like the upper east side. and as for the last three comments, right on.

hats off to glasslands, hope you guys are ready to roll soon.

"Were you not under 21 yourself, relatively recently?"

Actually, no, but thanks for playing.

Man oh man. My absolute favorite for shows is the Cakeshop, Glasslands, and all those crazy Todd P shows. way to go Todd w/ new and interesting locations!
Only wish Tonic didn't have to go! So I really hope Glasslands doesn't get pushed out and beaten by the new development. God knows thats exactly what they did to Tonic. The neighborhood developers were definitely finding ways to put them out of business since they moved in.

""Were you not under 21 yourself, relatively recently?"" - "Actually, no, but thanks for playing."

as someone who is in her mid-30's herself - I don't get your preference for 21+ shows. Most of the fans are still close to 21 or so even at bar shows, that's just the main age that people go to rock shows. When you're far enough away from 21, you can't even tell the difference anymore between a 19 year old and a 23 year old.

So if you're claiming that you weren't under 21 recently *and* that you can detect a substantial demographic difference between the crowd at an underground 21+ show and the crowd at an underground all ages show for the same kinds of bands -- then I'm going to have to say that I detect bullshit in that attitude.

What are you, 24? It's funny to me that the young people most recently over the line of being 21 are also the ones most eager to discriminate against their (slightly) younger fellow music lovers.

"Let's hope so - the old, creative, free spirited, laid back, hipster Williamsburg is all but banished from the neighborhood.
Glasslands really is one of the last bastions left before the hood goes 100% yuppiefied.

That sentiment may seem trite or petty to some - Williamsburg has always been a magnet for hipsters shittalking other hipsters and what they care about - but this neighborhood really was a great and interesting community not long ago, sad to see it completely disappearing."

I agree. I've been living in Williamsburg since '91 back when the city was still giving monetary incentives to Manhattanites to move out to this part of Brooklyn. I'm 36, probably an old geezer and fart to most of you on this site.

However I do believe strongly in showing support to some of these local joints that are keeping a certain 'joie de vivre" of spirit alive.

I do not like all the music that they put on but I can certainly appreciate the variety of shows and the keen eye they have to putting new music out there despite meager profits and the larger bureaucracy looming in their way.

Easy to say not worth it. But if enough of us still frequent places such as these I think it is a benefit for the musical/artistic diversity of the neighborhood overall.

what do you fucking guys want?! another luna lounge eyesore.

FUCK MUSIC,
READ A BOOK.

let's hope Glasslands reopens.

That said I think they could run the place with a lot more savvy - hiring a security guard who could lose his cool and get into a fight with a patron, attracting cops to your not-quite-legal party space - then letting the dude hide in your space when the cops came looking for him - not really a very smart management decision.

never learning (or caring about) the ins and outs of booking or of sound, not great venue management either.

I want the place open again because it is a resource to the music community in Brooklyn - but I would acknowledge that this is in many ways in spite of the club owners' poor, often absentee, management.

"I don't get your preference for 21+ shows"

I never said I had a preference, I just pointed out the very wrong assumption the child made. All ages is fine with me. I am in my early 30s.

anyone whose been to glasslands lately knows they've gotten it together a lot more... new sound system, decent stage, better bands... i was there saturday night for the new york night train bastille party. when they got shut down, some time after 3am, ian svenonius was dj-ing, and never had i seen it so crowded or so much dancing

finance finance finance
I'm sure if the glasslands had the funds that were put into the hip hop club on the same block or luna lounge or the new northsix - it would've been easier for them to hire more "professionals".
But look what happened at Union Pool...
Professional bouncer got drunk and punched someone and the place got shutdown for a week.

Let's face it: people get drunk and belligerent. And one person can fuck it up for many. It's just never easy to know beforehand whose it going to be , AND paying more money for a professional doesn't mean you'll necessarily get one.

oh come on, they hired Joe who sometimes sings in Awesome Color - he was the security guard and he was thew dude who got in the fight. Not a bad guy, but not responsible in any way either. Anyone could see that he was a poor choice to be the public, security face for your illegal club.

Glasslands is disorganized and cheap. You don't need a ton of money to have your shit together better than they do.

while it might make some amount of legal sense for glasslands to be 21+, i dont see why the well established bowery venues are 21+/18+ ( mercury lounge, bowery ballroom, webster hall).

isnt there something that we can do about this? maybe a petition?

I think that there is plenty of things being said here that are of merit, some interesting thoughts posted on the temporary zen garden that is the message board. however, i think a couple of things should at least be understood, and the empty shit talk should probably cease, but bring it on if it feels good. it's all in the ether, baby.

I don't think many of you understand the magnitude of time, sweat and effort that has transpired to lift Glasslands to the point that it has gotten to. those who have come with any regularity, or contributed their time to it's growth have seen something with spirit and integrity begin to grow. it's not a venue, it's a community environment that is only what the people who occupy it on any given night make it. it's goal is to be whatever it is made, to change, improve, and grow. and it has. the inevitable hindrances, such as last weekends transgressions, are but tiny problems, ones with solutions requiring patience, understanding, and should you find it in you, support.

to claim that there is a lack of intelligence and savvy guiding the operations of Glasslands would be erroneous, and more so, it's counter-productive. In order to survive at all in a permanent space while maintaining an environment that is conducive to what we are requires a great deal of balance and some hoops (liquor license, etc) to jump through. and one of the temporary setbacks is to be 21+ until we're legal. that's unfortunate, i know. I see the spirit at the loft parties and found venues that Todd has done a great deal to help cultivate. i don't know of any bitterness between todd and GL, i believe there's a great understanding and mutual respect. Todd is right to go about his business in the way that works for him for the time being, dude puts on some of the sickest shows i've ever seen, and is a keystone in this community.

last weekend was regrettable, one small act of thoughtlessness that lead us to decide to play it safe until something inevitable like that would not necessarily be detrimental to GL's wellbeing.

for those of you who bring with you community and goodheartedness, thanks. for those that wish to shit upon our sweat, i politely ask you look elsewhere for your diversions.

jeff

I think that there is plenty of things being said here that are of merit, some interesting thoughts posted on the temporary zen garden that is the message board. however, i think a couple of things should at least be understood, and the empty shit talk should probably cease, but bring it on if it feels good. it's all in the ether, baby.

I don't think many of you understand the magnitude of time, sweat and effort that has transpired to lift Glasslands to the point that it has gotten to. those who have come with any regularity, or contributed their time to it's growth have seen something with spirit and integrity begin to grow. it's not a venue, it's a community environment that is only what the people who occupy it on any given night make it. it's goal is to be whatever it is made, to change, improve, and grow. and it has. the inevitable hindrances, such as last weekends transgressions, are but tiny problems, ones with solutions requiring patience, understanding, and should you find it in you, support.

to claim that there is a lack of intelligence and savvy guiding the operations of Glasslands would be erroneous, and more so, it's counter-productive. In order to survive at all in a permanent space while maintaining an environment that is conducive to what we are requires a great deal of balance and some hoops (liquor license, etc) to jump through. and one of the temporary setbacks is to be 21+ until we're legal. that's unfortunate, i know. I see the spirit at the loft parties and found venues that Todd has done a great deal to help cultivate. i don't know of any bitterness between todd and GL, i believe there's a great understanding and mutual respect. Todd is right to go about his business in the way that works for him for the time being, dude puts on some of the sickest shows i've ever seen, and is a keystone in this community.

last weekend was regrettable, one small act of thoughtlessness that lead us to decide to play it safe until something inevitable like that would not necessarily be detrimental to GL's wellbeing.

for those of you who bring with you community and goodheartedness, thanks. for those that wish to shit upon our sweat, i politely ask you look elsewhere for your diversions.

jeff

so so sad to see another alternative venue bite the dust, but for sure we'll see others sprout up

F to the Y to the I: 1990s show on July 31st has been moved back to Union Pool - anyone who was there for the 1990s show in the spring knows its an awesome time so come on down!

After their Yeah Yeah Yeahs screwup, I'm glad to see them go.