There are a million things to do in New York, and the size of the city means almost every performer with any popularity will end up there eventually. A concert is a great way to let off some steam and have a memorable and amazing night. Plus, while you’re waiting in line is the perfect time to complete your NY Defensive Driving course! Take a look at some of the best and most interesting venues in and around New York City!
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden is by far the largest venue on this list, which may be why it’s such a popular venue for big acts and a location for some of the top SUV news stories. In addition to being the current home arena for the New York Rangers and Knicks, all the biggest names in music make it a point to stop there on their tours. Billy Joel, the Piano Man himself, has a residency there and plays regularly. There are several possible reasons for the venue’s popularity. Maybe it’s the huge seating capacity of 20,000 people, even in a city as packed as New York. Maybe it’s the amazing central location. Maybe it’s even the brilliant marketing campaign that dubs the Garden “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” No matter what it is, the Madison Square Garden has been going strong for decades. This month alone, it will see shows from popular acts like Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Panic! At The Disco, and, of course, Billy Joel.
Rockwood Music Hall
In comparison to the above, Rockwood Music Hall is tiny. Located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, it boasts three stages with a total maximum capacity of 330 people. The venue’s Wikipedia page contains so little information that it may as well not exist at all. The Rockwood’s upcoming performance list on its site contains hundreds of names most people wouldn’t recognize. It’s mostly a place for small, up and coming artists, or singers who have been around for years but have only a modest following. In short, it seems like it would be the favorite place of every hipster who has ever said, “Oh, my favorite band? You’ve probably never heard of them.” But despite its relatively small size and the lesser popularity of most of its acts, the Rockwood Music Hall has carved out a name for itself in the New York music scene. Some artists test new material there for small audiences. Several artists per night play on each stage, usually getting about an hour or maybe 90 minutes before the next artist takes the stage. Perhaps most importantly, it also serves as a venue for recording an album, which makes it a favorite of local artists.
Jones Beach Theater
A little over an hour outside New York City (probably more with traffic), there’s a large venue called Jones Beach Theater. It’s at this outdoor amphitheater that many of the larger touring music festivals make stops. For example, the Warped Tour will be stopping at this venue later this month, and the Billboard Hot 100 Festival will make its home there for two days in August. This venue is popular in the summer months, since no one wants to attend a concert at an outdoor venue while the temperature is below zero. What makes it most enjoyable is that the stage is practically right on top of the water, making for beautiful views and interesting acoustics. It may not be able to draw quite the caliber of performer that Madison Square Garden does, but many popular groups play there. This summer’s big names include, among others, the Dave Matthews Band, Evanescence, and Breaking Benjamin.
There are plenty of music venues in New York City, far too many to name on this list. Wherever you go to enjoy live music, remember to have fun!
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