the NY Times went to some free shows

I haven't read the article yet, but since when is Arlene's free? Quite the opposite, the charge $8-10 to see local/no-name bands.

The old Luna Lounge was the perfect place: great bands, always free. You just had to buy drinks, which I did lots. The new Luna Lounge is a travesty.

NYT is a bit late to the downsized and weakened LES scene. But I guess they need to keep updating the tourists.

Bah humbug!

Arlenes ain't ever free. I love when high brow 'tries out' low brow and reports it as no brow!

the best part is the ny times guy trying to tip people off on how not to tip bands or pay drink minimums. how classy!

I hope it's free...going to Arlene's tonight to see this band Pale Nimbus

Like a free CBGB... that charges a cover to see shit bands. I caught a Blink 182 cover band headlining a few weeks ago. It was SUPER, and ONLY 6 bucks!

anyway...

Whatever, this article is good for the artists that play these kinds of shows, good for the venues that put in these shows and good for people who would love to go to something like this but just didn't have the information (either because they are new to the city, or are not just in the know). A reason that can't get easier access to this type of information is because they are afraid to ask the pretentious assholes (a good majority of the readership of this website) who do know about these venues and shows because of the fear that they will be looked down on and laughed at. Kudos NYTimes

Thank you, NY Times hack, for your diatribe! You certainly put us pretentious assholes in our place. That was simply lovely, especially your nondefense of the article's tips on how not to tip bands!

I mean, really—"Kudos NYTimes"?!? Yeesh.

"The old Luna Lounge was the perfect place: great bands, always free. You just had to buy drinks, which I did lots. The new Luna Lounge is a travesty."

actually - the old Luna Lounge was an anonymous LES bar that happened to have a performance room. Often that performance room went unused, and half the time it was used for open mic nights and bad comedy. the bands that played there sucked 99% of the time, worse than Arlene's.

The new space bares no resemblance to the old, except that the bands that play are likewise again crappy as they come.

If you want free go to the Parkside. But you get what you pay for.

"I hope it's free...going to Arlene's tonight to see this band Pale Nimbus."

Don't bother, I caught them about a month ago at Union Pool, and they were terrible.

Ben Sisario is a clueless douche.

I like that the one Brooklyn "venue" he even bothers to mention in the article is Freddy's. Somebody send that guy a cheesebasket.

arlenes sucks theres always gross fucking yuppie morons outside of there smoking cloves and complaining about how they smoke too much, but really theyre just drunk....fucking idiots.

I'm one of those fucking idiots! How dare you?!

whatever man, bridge and tunnel bitch.

Bahhhhhhhhhhhhhh to all you fuckers

I use the heliport......bitch!!

Yeah, bad article. But interesting to me none of you numbnuts noticed the all but missing mention of the Lakeside Lounge. Half the bands that play there you SHOULD be paying for, the drinks are cheap, there's no minimum (it's an actual bar, jerkies), and the sound is great - especially for the bands that know how to play to a room.

Oh, but actual Rock n Roll bands play there, right. Forget I said anything.

I always found the bartenders at the Lakeside to be a bit rude, but the music is always on.

I know in the Living Room if you're broke you can order a coffee or a soda for $2 I think, or something like that, and they dont say anything. Although if you just say you're broke that might be a nicer way to go about it. I don't think anyone would be really upset. At least as the Living Room.

Also, Ben Sisarion is all right. He's just saying the obvious. Also originally the idea of tipping the waiters was that you would get something in return, ie a drink on the house. Come on waiters whats up with that? where my free drinks?

Besides the Lakeside, check out Otto's Shrunken Head on 14th between A and B.

I'd much rather pay a fair cover than be harrassed for drinks.
Some of us still believe in all ages, and for all ages, in order to pay the bands something, there needs to be a cover.

To the NYT's credit - Arlene's used to be a no-cover venue, seven nights a week.

To the NYT's detriment - that was over six/seven years ago, before they expanded into the neighboring "Butcher Bar" and became an institution for 7pm industry showcases.