Before there was Brooklyn Bowl, there was The Gutter. And now the original Williamsburg bowling alley has added an event space of its own called The Back Room which has a capacity of 100 (considerably smaller in scale than the also-venue-in-a-bowling-alley Brooklyn Bowl). The Back Room, which is also available to rent for private parties, will offically host its first public concert on Friday, January 7th, with The Runaway Suns, Sorceress, and Haunted Boots. Another two shows are scheduled in the near future too. On February 18th you can catch The Caulfield Sisters, Xray Eyeballs, & Florida, and February 26th will see Bad Girlfriend & more TBA. All three currently scheduled shows are advertising doors at 8pm with a $5 cover.

words & photos by Chris La Putt

On Friday night (7/10), Brooklyn Bowl became one of the newest concert venues in Williamsburg with Brooklyn band O'Death as the first of many bands to come grace its stage. Bowling and concerts don't necessarily go hand in hand (editor's note: yes they do! I think.), but the sound of the rowdy shirtless band and its fans easily overpowered the sound of the bowling balls crashing into the pins adjacent to the stage. With 16 lanes, multiple bars, wait service, and a booming sound system, this venue definitely gives other venues (in the 600-capacity range) ample competition.

As part of its green commitment, Brooklyn Bowl has implemented a number of eco-conscious designs to its building such as: a no bottle or can policy (you get beer in a glass!), recycled truck tires for the stage floor and the use of LED lighting for the stage which uses 90% less energy than the typical stage lighting. It's also one of the few buildings in Brooklyn that run on 100% wind-powered electricity.

Will it be a success? We hope so. Currently, there's not many upcoming shows announced aside from the 2-night Lebowski Fest. There's also a Clutch listening party scheduled to take place there on Tuesday (7/14) @ 6pm (Clutch's new album, 'Strange Cousins From The West,' is out this week on the band's own Weathermaker Music). The schedule will probably fill out soon though - at least partly with bands that have played Wetlands (which Bowl owner Peter Shapiro previously owned). Right now the venue is still in some state of 'soft launch'.

More pictures from Friday night's show with O'Death and after-party by the Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, below......

Continue reading "O'Death & Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt @ Brooklyn Bowl (the new NYC bowling alley in Williamsburg) - pics "

"After two years of development, we're happy to finally say... Brooklyn Bowl has arrived!"

Brooklyn Bowl, the highly anticipated 16-lane bowling alley, 600-capacity performance venue with food by Blue Ribbon in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, is pleased to announce it will be open for business in a soft launch capacity beginning this Tuesday, July 7, at 6:00 p.m.

Operating hours will be scaled back during the soft launch: Sunday, Tuesday - Thursday, 6:00 pm - 2:00 am, and Friday and Saturdays 6:00pm - 4:00am. During this time Brooklyn Bowl will not be open on Mondays, and are serving only to a 21+ crowd. A small snack menu will be served from July 10 through the 20th. On the 21st, an expanded "preview" menu will be presented, with the full menu by Blue Ribbon debuting on August 4th. Live music performances, advance lane reservations, and extended hours (including child-friendly weekend days) will begin in late summer. Brooklyn Bowl is located at 61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211.

The other event currently on the Brooklyn Bowl's schedule is the Lebowski Fest New York, which will hold one of its three nights at the space on Thursday, September 24th. Bowling and non-bowling tickets are on sale.

More info on the venue, below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Bowl - open July 7"

Brooklyn Bowl owners Charley Ryan & Peter Shapiro

...Set to open "before the end of the year, hopefully by the fall" says Shapiro, [Brooklyn Bowl] will be at 61 Wythe Ave. in Williamsburg, behind Brooklyn Brewery, and two blocks from The Gutter, in an 1880s ironworks foundry....

...In addition to the 600-capacity music venue and the lanes, Shapiro said there will be a "major food component" -- one he wasn't at liberty to disclose just yet, but -- hint, hint -- it's a respected restaurant with one foot in Brooklyn already.

As for the music, Peter Shapiro wants to keep the vibe of Wetlands alive in the new space, but the music, booked by Mia Sladyk, who's worked with Bowery Presents, will be much more eclectic -- rock, electronic, singer/songwriter, jazz -- than the jam-band-heavy lineup at Wetlands. (Though Shapiro believes that was more perception than reality. He points out that Wetlands booked everyone from Pearl Jam to Oasis to Rage Against the Machine back in the day, and I myself remember seeing David Gray -- before he became so lame -- playing folk.)... [Gowanus Lounge]

Street Team shenanigans (CRED)

A bus, and a bowling alley too....

Continue reading "VIDEO: White Stripes in a bowling alley"