New York tips including blues venues

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Polishgirl
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New York tips including blues venues

Postby Polishgirl » 25 Nov 2016, 15:21

Dear Lovelies,

One of my best friends and I have accidentally booked to go to New York. We're going for a week in May, staying in the financial district.

She's been 3 times before but has a yearning to patronise a good music venue- she said either jazz or blues but, given that most jazz makes my ears bleed and/or makes me want to take a knife to myself, we're opting for blues.

Any good blues clubs recommendations?

Also appreciated would be anything unusual/ off the beaten track. It will be my first time out of Europe and we're working ourselves up into a frenzied hysteria already..

Thanks mightily
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Jimbly
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Jimbly » 27 Nov 2016, 00:50

David and I saw the Mingus Big Band in NY last summer, they have a residency at Jazz Standard every Monday. Awesome playing, I defy anyone not to love them.
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Goat Boy » 29 Nov 2016, 15:49

There's a guy called Michael Daves who does bluegrass music that's worth checking it out. You'll be amazed at the technical ability on display, especially if there is a mandolin player with him
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Qube
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Qube » 29 Nov 2016, 20:51

I don't know so much about blues venues in general here I have to confess, but it would be worth checking some of the jazz venues (Smalls is my favourite - https://www.smallslive.com/), you'd just need to check the calendar and see who is playing.

The financial district is a little dull (I work there), even by early evening sometimes (although that is changing a little bit), but it depends what kind of things you want by off-the-beaten track. You'd probably like The Cloisters, for example, but it's a bit of a trek... Greenwood Cemetery is lovely too, although those are more like "this is great but doesn't feel like I'm in New York", it really depends what your interests are. In general stay away from midtown...

May is probably the best time to be here though in terms of the weather.

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Hightea
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Hightea » 30 Nov 2016, 15:03

May is a great time for NYC. Don't miss Central Park in May, hit some nice out door cafes, head to the lower east side for punk history and a beer or two. As for the blues and jazz there are many great clubs. Before you go check out www.timeout.com/newyork for what is playing. Generally I don't care which venue just who is playing, as most NYC jazz and blues clubs these days are all good.
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Qube » 01 Dec 2016, 01:43

Might be better off using www.ohmyrockness.com for shows (though not so much for jazz/blues) :)

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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Hightea » 01 Dec 2016, 02:11

Qube wrote:Might be better off using http://www.ohmyrockness.com for shows (though not so much for jazz/blues) :)


:lol: yeah thats where I go yeah they have blues and jazz too. Remember when they started it met the couple back in the mid 2000's.
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Polishgirl
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Polishgirl » 05 Dec 2016, 16:41

Thank you, chaps. I shall check out your recommendations- The Cloisters is absolutely my kind of thing and I'm especially interested in the bluegrass suggestion.

We went for the financial district because it's close to a few of our top picks for stuff to do. We're not desperately fussed about being in the midst of a seething mass of bars/ clubs etc - not our style: we're old gits who like a nice sit down at the end of the day, with some enticing cocktails.

Apart from The Cloisters, I'm particularly looking forward to the Met, MOMA, tenement museum and Top Of The Rock, but the whole entire week is going to be mega !
echolalia wrote: I despise Prefab Sprout. It will be decades before “hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque” is surpassed as the most terrible lyric in pop history. That fucking bastard ruined all three things for me forever.

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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Qube » 06 Dec 2016, 16:12

Top of the Rock is my favourite of three (World Trade, Empire State), do go during the day though for full effect as Central Park is pretty special (Empire State is good day or night fwiw).

For the Met, they should have the rooftop bar open by then, it's a lovely view too (you don't have to get a drink, they'll have an art installation up there too).

Fidi has pretty good subway options, and hey, it's not midtown! It's probably a good place to stay in come to think about it, because it should be quiet when you're actually trying to sleep...

If you want "good music venue" then it'll depend on your wishes and desires really. Kings Theatre (I live close by) is spectacular and was recently restored after decades of being vacant. Beacon theatre is nice too, United Palace is fucking crazily grandeur but there aren't that many shows there, and you can feel the ghostly legends at The Apollo too. I tend to end up at the dingier venues, but those are our nice ones!

If you want cocktails in Fidi, The Dead Rabbit recently won "best bar in the world..." from a few sources (https://www.deadrabbitnyc.com/). I don't particularly buy that, but the cocktails are good, and it's a nice bar. They actually just opened another one down here too too called Blacktail but I haven't been to it yet - http://blacktailnyc.com/

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Polishgirl
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Polishgirl » 08 Dec 2016, 12:27

this is all brilliant; thank you. I'd clocked the Dead Rabbit already, but the Black Tail one looks just as interesting, and both are easy to get to from our hotel.

I've got quite a few things on my list now; the difficult bit is going to be whittling it down to a manageable amount....
echolalia wrote: I despise Prefab Sprout. It will be decades before “hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque” is surpassed as the most terrible lyric in pop history. That fucking bastard ruined all three things for me forever.

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Polishgirl
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Polishgirl » 02 Feb 2017, 14:33

We've decided to hire a car one day and go for a drive up to the Hamptons, to see how the other half lives.

And stop press! My friend has bought us tickets to see the Broadway production of Chicago. I'm not a fan of musicals, generally, but I love Chicago and it's been a bit of a dream to see a big time production of it. I am trying to keep a lid on my hysteria because I'm at work, but I'm all over the place with excitement.

She said something about going to Junior's first for cheesecake. Apparently, this is A Good Thing.
echolalia wrote: I despise Prefab Sprout. It will be decades before “hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque” is surpassed as the most terrible lyric in pop history. That fucking bastard ruined all three things for me forever.

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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Qube » 20 Feb 2017, 01:12

Junior's is good, the cheesecake is very dense so it depends how you like it, but it's a bit of an institution (I like it). I made a map of some of my favourite spots fwiw (though there are some caveats that come with some of them) - https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... 79207&z=14

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Polishgirl
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Polishgirl » 20 Feb 2017, 22:24

Qube wrote:Junior's is good, the cheesecake is very dense so it depends how you like it, but it's a bit of an institution (I like it). I made a map of some of my favourite spots fwiw (though there are some caveats that come with some of them) - https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... 79207&z=14


Oh, this is mega! Thank you very much - I shall be examining it closely.I've checked out the Junior's menu, and I reckon I'll cope.....
echolalia wrote: I despise Prefab Sprout. It will be decades before “hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque” is surpassed as the most terrible lyric in pop history. That fucking bastard ruined all three things for me forever.

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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby The Slider » 21 Feb 2017, 11:58

I hate the blues more than anything in the world so I never went there, but a mate of mine is in the resident band here:

http://www.bbkingblues.com/
Complete Ramones Mp3 set on its way

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Polishgirl
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Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Polishgirl » 21 Feb 2017, 13:18

Excellent, thank you. The cocktail menu is short but amply sufficient, too.
echolalia wrote: I despise Prefab Sprout. It will be decades before “hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque” is surpassed as the most terrible lyric in pop history. That fucking bastard ruined all three things for me forever.

Phil T

Re: New York tips including blues venues

Postby Phil T » 22 Feb 2017, 08:45

No doubt some poor sucker gets to stay behind and look after the cats..... oh.... wait.
:(


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