Over the summer, Maxwell’s, Hoboken’s own legendary rock club and bar, closed after nearly 30 years of business. Despite the tragedy, there are several musical acts coming to the Greater New York City metropolitan area in the next few months.
Starland Ballroom reopened earlier this month after closing last fall because of Hurricane Sandy damage. Upcoming performances include Anberlin, Finch, Coheed and Cambria, Senses Fail, Less Than Jake, and Streetlight Manifesto.
The Fray, the Jonas Brothers, Brian Wilson & Jeff Beck, Megadeth, and Third Eye Blind are a few of the musicians stopping by the Wellmont Theater in Montclair to perform this season.
Freshman Brianna Shreve comments, “I’ve never been to the Wellmont Theater, but I’m excited. The last time I saw Third Eye Blind, it verified my admiration for the band. The tickets were over fifty dollars, but will most definitely be worth the experience.”
Additionally, Montclair houses the underground punk venue on Park Street, the Meatlocker, which will additionally feature local bands at low-ticket prices.
Asbury Park is the home of both The Stone Pony and Asbury Lanes. Unfortunately, New Jersey’s famous Summer Stage at The Pony has closed, but will be hosting artists indoors for the colder months, such as a Bruce Springsteen tribute band, Butch Walker, Kevin Devine, and The Story So Far. Most of the shows at The Pony permit all ages for concerts, but limit those that are 21 and over to the bar area.
Just blocks away, local punk bands will be playing at Asbury Lanes into the winter. One of the more well-known bands that performs at the Jersey Shore bowling alley-bar, Anti-Flag, will be playing on Saturday, Nov. 9 with tickets starting at only 13 dollars.
Outside of the Garden State, there are other popular music halls amongst college students in Manhattan. For example, The Gramercy Theater originally opened in 1937 in Manhattan’s historic Gramercy District, and was bought and renovated from an abandoned movie theater into a music club by Live Nation in 2006 to save the venue from closing permanently.
Switchfoot will be playing two nights in a row on Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10. Also in October, 3OH!3 and Noah and the Whale will be performing at Irving Plaza, located within the Union Square of New York City. Third Eye Blind will also be making a stop on their tour at this venue on Friday, Nov. 8.
Webster Hall separates itself between club nights and concerts through the building’s layout. The different rooms designated for concerts, such as the Studio and the Grand Ballroom, will host shows by Boyce Avenue, Touché Amore, Turnover, Real Friends, and Deer Tick.
M.I.A., Titus Andronicus, Kate Nash, and New Found Glory with Alkaline Trio will be performing at Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen in Midtown Manhattan this November. Tickets are under $40 if bought in advance.
A nightclub on Lafayette Street in Manhattan, Santos Party House, will be putting on a variety of acts including rock concerts, comedians and dance parties. A particularly sought after concert amongst Ramapo students is the Run For Cover CMJ Showcase on Saturday, Oct. 19. The lineup includes major bands officially under the Run For Cover’s record label: Tigers Jaw, Pity Sex, Modern Baseball and more. The showcase only allows those who are 21 and over to attend.
“Tickets for the Run For Cover CMJ Showcase were about 15 bucks online through Ticketfly.com. The price was worth it, considering that the show has a stellar lineup. I’ve seen most of these bands more than once, so it’s worth seeing them all share the stage all in one show for less than $20,” explains senior Ryan McGrath. “I am most likely going to use public transportation to get into the city.”
There are also a few different venues downtown in Brooklyn, which is only a few minutes longer on the subway than Manhattan. Fortunately, most tickets fall between $10 and $25 at Brooklyn venues, which is an appealing price for college students. Tim Kasher with Laura Stevenson will be playing at The Bell House on Wednesday, Nov. 6, but exclusively as a 21 and up night; FIDLAR, the Menzingers, Anthony Green, and the Front Bottoms will be performing at Bowery Ballroom; Manchester Orchestra with the Front Bottoms of Montreal at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Needless to say, local music venues have something to offer for every kind of music lover this season.
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