As reported earlier in the year, the Knitting Factory has plans to move from its Tribeca location into the ex-Luna Lounge space in Williamsburg. The Tribeca venue had a "final show" with Akron/Family on New Years Eve. Since then, it has reopened in the same spot, where it has shows scheduled through mid-summer when its Manhattan lease is up (including BLK JKS on June 2nd).

Some are speculating about the status of that move, which seems to have been stalled somewhat...

I was by [the old Luna Lounge / future Knitting Factory space] last weekend and it doesn't look like any work has been done and the exterior looked bad. A couple months ago, this place looked "kept up". There were flyers for shows at the Knitting Factory in the display cases, the building walls were clean, etc. The display cases are now gone and the walls are covered with graffiti. You have to wonder if this move is really taking place. The Knitting Factory has shows booked in the "old location" through July and this is completely contradictory to the "closing in January, reopening in Williamsburg in March" story that was going around last year. [Brooklyn Rocks, May 5th, 2009]

The Satellite Lounge will hold about 60-75 people. You'll be able to hear plenty of current indie rock as well as lots of favorite older stuff from many of the previous music scenes from the last twenty years. It will not have 'live' music...We will be doing CD listening parties, birthday events, and be open seven days per week.

Continue reading "Satellite Lounge opening, Knitting Factory Brooklyn still not"

Luna Lounge, Brooklyn, 12 March 2007 (sweetsycophant)

Hey friends of Luna,

Many people have written me asking about Luna Lounge. Basically, what happened is that when I opened the new club in Williamsburg, I was unable to get enough shows on a regular basis. When the Knitting Factory expressed an interest in working out an arrangement with me I decided to accommodate their interest.

I still own the name Luna Lounge (with my old partner, Dianne) and am interested in finding another space in which to work with bands. If I find an appropriate location, you guys will be the first to know.

In the meantime, I will soon be opening a new bar called The Satellite Lounge on Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg. My good friend, Dave Ellis is my new partner.

The Satellite Lounge will hold about 60-75 people. You'll be able to hear plenty of current indie rock as well as lots of favorite older stuff from many of the previous music scenes from the last twenty years. It will not have 'live' music... We will be doing CD listening parties, birthday events, and be open seven days per week.

2008 was a tough one. Let's make the new year more enjoyable.
I'll let you know when we have an opening date in the next few weeks.

Best wishes,
Rob Sacher
Luna Lounge
Satellite Lounge

Peelander-Z @ Knitting Factory, NYC - July 6, 2008 (Arambulo)

This week the New York club, the headquarters of a company that also includes a club in Los Angeles, won community board approval to begin moving into 361 Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the former site of the Luna Lounge. In TriBeCa the Knitting Factory has three performances spaces, the largest holding 400 people, but in Brooklyn it will have only one room, for 300 or fewer. Two weeks ago "Knitting Factory Concert House" signs went up outside larger halls in Boise (capacity 1,000) and Spokane (1,500) that the company recently acquired.

"We don't have to be the biggest kids in New York City to be the Knitting Factory," Mr. Hoffman, 45, said in the Leonard Street front room one recent afternoon as a parade of tattooed young men lugged in the night's cargo of amplifiers. "What we do have to have is a pipeline that brings us the most exciting new music from the cities where the newest, most exciting new music is being created." [NY Times]

Brooklyn music venue Luna Lounge has been closed since April, and it doesn't look like they'll ever open again. Not as Luna Lounge anyway. As you can see by the sign that is posted on the door of 361 Metropolitan Avenue (AKA LUNA LOUNGE), "Knitting Factory Entertainment plans to open a bar w/ live music" at that location. This wouldn't be a second Knitting Factory. This would be the only Knitting Factory after the Manhattan location finishes up its lease in its endanged Tribeca location
(thx Robert for the pic).

Local H's new album "Twelve Angry Months" is out this week...

"The first single is "24 Hour Break-Up Session," a serviceable "Don't Fear the Reaper"-"Teen Spirit" hybrid, but the real gem is "Michelle (Again)." Bouncing around like an oomphed-out Rick Springfield ditty, it explains away third-party break-up assumptions with brilliant stuff like: "She got what I don't want / What I don't what is always what I got."" [J Feindt for Radar]

The second song streaming on Local H's MySpace page right now is a nice cover of TV On the Radio's "Wolf Like Me". All tour dates below....

Continue reading "Local H touring, LUNA LOUNGE still closed, NYC show moved"

FACT: Tonight's VAGINA PANTHER show at Luna Lounge is cancelled.

ASSUMPTION: Luna Lounge is still not allowed to open.

RUMOR: Knitting Factory bought Luna Lounge.

Benefit Show Tonight Canceled!
April 26, 2008 - 10:55 am

Dear Music Fans -

We're very sorry to report that the Luna Lounge was temporarily closed down by the New York City Health Department last night and the Benefit show for Common Ground is canceled. Those of you who bought advance tickets can use them for the rescheduled show. Also, please note that the advance ticket sales will all go right to Common Ground.

Because we don't know all of the facts, I hesitate to disparage the responsible parties. But I feel completely free to write that it seems very unfair to shut down a rock venue/bar on a Friday night right before the music starts, and thus putting the business out for the whole weekend, unless the public's health is really at risk. I highly doubt this was the case.

The unfairness trickles down to so many levels, especially to the bands, who were very generous by offering to play for free; and you, the fans who bought tickets already, planned to attend, and for those who will show up with no show going on. We're really sorry to all of you. I also want to relay that the management at Luna Lounge feels very bad about the show being canceled and looks forward to doing the show in the near future.

Mostly, we feel lousy that we won't be able to send a big fat check on Monday for about $4000 to Common Ground to help with their efforts to end homelessness. At least not yet...

The show will go on! We'll get back to you ASAP with the new date for the Benefit show.

You can and should still learn more about the work of Common Ground by checking it out here: http://www.commonground.org/.

Sincerely,

Gabriel Levitt
Founder, Jezebel Music

Any member of the Melvins stagediving is kind of a scary thought....

the Melvins @ Irving Plaza, NYC - Oct. 05, 2007 (CRED)

Previously
* Meat Puppets, Melvins, Mudhoney and a CMJ announcement
* Melvins - 2007 Tour Dates & pics from Oya

Kate Nash played one show at Luna Lounge, and two at Joe's Pub - all free due to VISA complications that said she was not allowed to make money in our country.

Kate Nash @ Joe's Pub, NYC - Sept 26, 2007 (CRED)

"I overwhelmingly recommend her music and her live performance." [Shelves of Vinyl @ Luna]

"Regardless of the lack of originality, she clearly held the attention of the packed house and put on a splendid performance." [ProductShop @ Luna]

"She had a crack band (drummer, violinist, bassist/guitarist), making things all the better, but Nash would've held the crowd by her lonesome." [Sound Bites @ Luna]

"Nash came out stunningly cute, for a 19-year old girl, with a black and gold dress that I thought looked lovely on her (Rachael will disagree with that assessment, but I think she has an issue with the color yellow or any of its incarnations.)" [Pop Tarts Suck Toasted @ Joes Pub]

"I come back down and she sees me and waves because I guess she recognized me from being upfront and what not. I introduced myself and told her that I made cookies for her being that she's not being paid for these shows, but she should receive something. She was just ecstatic and extremely thankful. I handed her the bag, she took a piece out (they were chocolate tuiles with nuts and basic chocolate chip cookies) and her face just lit up." [Music Snobbery @ Joe's Pub]

One minute she's closing a venue, and the next...

The Bowery Presents, an independent New York concert-promotion company, today announced the Music Hall of Williamsburg will open on September 4th with Patti Smith and Her Band. The Music Hall of Williamsburg will occupy the former space of Northsix, on 66 North 6th Street, and will provide a first-rate, mid-size venue for bands to play in Brooklyn.

Continue reading "Patti Smith opening Music Hall of Williamsburg (Sep 4)"

thx Nora for this picture of the new Luna Lounge in Brooklyn...

The Comas played opening night over the weekend. Pics & more below....

Continue reading "Luna Lounge is operating - - pics & a letter"

DOWNLOAD: an XFM interview/session w/ The Young Knives (MP3)

Last year I saw the UK's Young Knives play at SXSW - they were fun (and funny). They played one NYC show soon after which I missed, but I'd probably go check them out again if I had another chance - which I do ---> at least three times in March - twice in NYC, and who-knows-how-many-times at SXSW.

Most interesting is that they have a March 3rd show at the recently (re)opened Luna Lounge in Brooklyn. The venue wasn't kidding when they said they'd be bringing in international acts.

The band's debut album ‘Voices of Animals and Men’ is getting a US release through Rykodisc on February 20th, 2007.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "The Young Knives (UK) playing Luna Lounge & other US shows | SXSW & other tour dates"

LUNA LOUNGE IS BACK
"Luna Lounge is located at 361 Metropolitan Avenue at Havemeyer Street - Brooklyn, NY. The nightclub will be open weekends in January and early February with a full schedule starting in the spring."

SCHEDULE SO FAR
Jan 19 - The Comas & Falcom (OPENING NIGHT)
Jan 20 - Orange Park, The Picture, & Motel Creeps
Feb 10 - The Mugs, The ios, Louis

more below....

Continue reading "Luna Lounge re-opening in Brooklyn this weekend"

from Gawker...
"Lower East Side favorite Luna Lounge closed its doors on Saturday night and, by Sunday morning, the music venue was but a hungover memory. A quick stop by yesterday evening reveals that they're not wasting any time tearing the place down -- good thing, too, 'cause Ludlow Street needs those fabulous new condos, like, stat."

Luna Lounge (on the Lower East Side of Manhattan) closes on June 11th forever (until they reopen in a new Williamsburg, Brooklyn location). In my Gothamist post yesterday, I said Motel Creeps were playing the final show. In fact, it's The Picture.
Here's the schedule:

Tuesday June 7th
7:30pm Linus Belle 8:30pm dead city radio 9:30pm James Day Ensemble
Wednesday June 8th
8:30pm Actualities 9:30pm Killin Time 10:30pm The K's
Thursday June 9th
8:30pm West 9:30pm Bamboo Kids 10:30pm The Everyothers 11:30pm Electrajet
Friday June 10th
8:30pm Speedway 9:30pm The Great Shakes 10:30pm Condo 11:30pm Morning Theft
Saturday June 11th
8:30pm Todd Deatherage 9:30pm The WMDs 10:30pm Arbor Day 11:30pm Motel Creeps 12:30am The Picture

If you read this site on a regular basis, you already know the fate of Luna Lounge, Fez, and Tonic. Add CBGB to the list, and thanks to the Village Voice, we've got some solid details.

Luna Lounge and Fez have both announced that they're shutting down, at least for the moment, and the future of Tonic and CBGB is in doubt.

they don't currently plan to reopen Fez. The club's final show will be March 17: the Mingus Big Band, the first group that ever performed there

"I know some people want me to put CBGB in New Jersey, and some people in L.A. want me to move out there."

Tonic's rent has doubled since we opened [in 1998], and our insurance has tripled since 9-11

The Villave Voice has the rest of the story.

Previously

Devendra Banhart, Vincent Gallo | Tonic Beneifts

Help Save Tonic

Fez Closing?

Luna Lounge Update

This from the comments of my post about Luna Lounge Closing....

We are not planning on having a last night blow out party as we could never hold the thousands of folks who would want to get in. It would be no fun to be packed into the club.

Rather, we are asking people to come in alot over the next several weeks and support your favorite bands who will be performing THEIR LAST SHOWS at Luna Lounge...

Please go to http://www.LunaLounge.com and sign our email list so we can let you know to where we will eventually relocate.

i do promise to make the new Luna Lounge even better than the old one although it most certainly will not be on Ludlow street...

Best wishes,
Rob Sacher
Luna Lounge

Condo cash cows are displacing comics on the Lower East Side.

Generation X clubgoers are not laughing over plans to bulldoze the Luna Lounge — a beloved comedy and music cabaret on the Lower East Side — for a luxury apartment building.

LIGHTS OUT AT LUNA @ the NY Post