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Live Music NYC: Concert Venues You Need to Check Out

Are you coming to New York City, looking to check out some great live music but not sure where to go? Well, worry no more. New York City has tons of great venues, easily accessible by public transportation or a cab. Here are just a handful of places to check out, depending on your musical taste! 

1. Rough Trade

Rough Trade

flickr: Paul Hudson 

Rough Trade, with its great warehouse façade, is located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Alongside being a concert venue, Rough Trade doubles as a record store! There are concerts on an almost a daily basis, so there is bound to be a live show to see when you’re visiting New York! 

2. Bowery Ballroom

Located on the Lower East Side, Bowery Ballroom has become a go-to spot for live music since its opening in 1998. It’s a mid-sized venue (it can only hold just under 600 people), but the atmosphere is great and a lot of great big bands make Bowery Ballroom a stop on their tour. 

3. Music Hall of Williamsburg 

Photo: Adam Macchia

Located in Brooklyn, The Music Hall of Willamsburg is just a short train ride from Union Square, by taking the L train to Bedford Street. Open since 2007, it has quickly become one of the more popular venues with an intimate setting (its capacity is only 550), hosting concerts by acts such as The Pixies, They Might Be Giants, and Cat Power. The venue is operated by The Bowery Presents, the same folks as the Bowery Ballroom. 

4. Beacon Theatre

Another alternative venue on the list is on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the Beacon Theatre, renowned for its great acoustics. The Art-Deco theatre opened its doors back in 1929, so checking it out is kind of like sightseeing. You’ll find a big variety of shows on their calendar. Everyone has played here, from the Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers Band,and Steely Dan, to Duran Duran, Elvis Costello, Bryan Ferry, Mariah Carey, and George Carlin. 

5. Madison Square Garden

Now, what would this list be without Madison Square Garden? While it is more likely that you’ll find a concert to attend in your price range if you went to one of the four venues previously listed, it doesn’t hurt to check this legend out! Madison Square Garden is a massive venue (capacity 20,789) for concerts, sports, comedy shows, you name it. For sports fans, it's the home of the New York Rangers, the NBA's New York Knicks and the WNBA's Liberty. And as far as concerts, everyone has played here, from the Grateful Dead, Queen, Beyonce, and Bruce Springsteen to Radiohead; Long Island native Billy Joel continues a monthly residence hereand sells out.


 

About the author: Nina is the Engagement and Corporate Communications Analyst for RentHop, a national apartment rental site based in New York City. She moved overseas from Norway three years ago and has since been living and working as an expat in New York, enjoying everything the city has to offer.

About the Author

Nina is the Engagement and Corporate Communications Analyst for RentHop, a national apartment rental site based in New York City. She moved overseas from Norway three years ago and has since been living and working as an expat in New York, enjoying everything the city has to offer.

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