Introducing the Lower East Side
Audyssey expands the monthly Neighborhood event to Manhattan’s Lower East Side, showcasing up-and-coming talent at NYC’s historic music venue, Arlene’s Grocery
Since introducing our South of Market Audio Dock last fall, Audyssey has been a one-neighborhood sorta company. With its vibrant mix of modern art, music and tech start-ups, San Francisco’s SoMa District served as the initial muse to our first consumer-facing product, inspired our Neighborhood blog and warmly hosted our monthly concerts at 111 Minna Gallery.
SoMa will always be our first love, but we’re excited to introduce you to a new ‘hood in our lives: the Lower East Side. Less tech start-ups, more gritty rock’n’roll, the Manhattan neighborhood is a microcosm of the American dream.
In the 1860s, droves of immigrants made their way to the shores of New York City, searching for anything better than what they’d left behind. The iconic tenement buildings along Orchard and Delancey that once overflowed with a collision of culture and language still exist, but their stoic edifices and brick walls now are home to a different kind of history: the legendary music scene that shaped the fabric of American sound.
In the ‘70s CBGB introduced The Ramones, Talking Heads and Blondie to the world and, since then, the Bowery Ballroom, Webster Hall and The Mercury Lounge have produced new wave’s musical descendants, such as Interpol and TV on the Radio.
In a perfect display of the Lower East Side’s evolution from immigrant gateway to punk mecca, what once was a grocery store today serves as a tiny, dearly beloved music venue called Arlene’s Grocery. For the past 15 years, all varieties of bohemian bands have flocked to the 150-capacity room’s sonic beauty, including the late Jeff Buckley, The Bravery and, New York’s millennial favorites, The Strokes. Garage rock, punk rock, indie rock – Arlene has seen it all.
So, we are thrilled to announce that our Neighborhood events will be held in her hallowed halls from this month. With the success of our monthly events in San Francisco, our signature event is expanding all the way from California to the Lower East Side in New York and there couldn’t be a venue more perfect than Arlene’s to showcase multi-genre indie bands.
“Arlene’s Grocery epitomizes the Lower East Side music culture,” said Julia Darling, booking manager of Arlene’s Grocery. “We’ve served as a launching ground for many bands and, with Audyssey’s help, we’ll be able to feature even more up-and-coming talent.”
This month’s The Neighborhood event in LES takes place on June 14 from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. and features five indie bands: Smoke and Flowers, Honey Child vs. The Reaver, Inyang Bassey, The Shills and a soon-to-be-announced special guest. Anyone 21 and over is welcome. Cover charge is $8. Visit The Neighborhood blog for show updates, band interviews and videos of past performances.