It’s the height of irony that the worst NYC clubs for live music tend to be the ones owned by musicians. Snitch (which was owned by Scott Wieland until it mercifully closed down) was the worst–the gear never worked, the sound guys were punks, the drinks were expensive and served in plastic cups, our guitar player almost got in a fight with the booking manager–it was a crap shoot at the end of the night to see who would hate the venue more, the band or the fans.
We played at The National Underground last night, owned by Gavin DeGraw, and it was another dud venue. Tiny little cave at the bottom of a flight of stairs–if there had been a musty couch, an Xbox, and a washing machine it could be your friend’s creepy basement.
The gear was terrible–two tiny guitar amps, one of which didn’t work, microphone stands held together with electric tape, etc–but the real clincher came when the bartender told me icily that we needed to remind our fans that there was a two drink minimum…as she charged me for my club soda.
The little mold-hole was already charging an $11 cover just to get in, and then they were enforcing a drink minimum? Unheard of, even at the good rock clubs, which this place is NOT.
It’s the kind of dive bar that lures in young touring bands who want to play a show on the Lower East Side, and maybe gain some fans. I’m guessing most of them play the show without making a dime or a friend…and probably without even a free beer to show for it.
Thanks Gavin DeGraw. And thanks to the friends and fans that came last night…we’ll do our homework next time. No more dungeons with cover charges.
