Ask A NYC Expert: Best Ways To Discover New Music
New York may not be the Land of a Thousand Dances, but it sure is the mecca of a million music clubs. So it's a typical Monday or Wednesday, or Saturday night and you're looking for the best places to go to discover new music. Sure, you can stumble over a club on practically any street corner, but which hot spots, music stores and other assorted cool ways to discover new music are worth your time? We turned to music insider, Rick Eberle, for the answers.
Rick Eberle
Rick Eberle Public Relations
122 Remington Blvd.
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
(516) 729-6872
www.rickeberle.com
Eberle, whose multifaceted career spans over 20 years, has done his time as a singer, songwriter, record company big-wig and media personality. Currently the head honcho of his own agency, Eberle gets up close and personal with the hottest acts and next-big-things on a daily basis. Here are his tips on where you've got to go -- from clubs to stores -- for the latest in new music.
All The World's a Stage, So Start Your Night at Three of Them
"Manhattan's Lower East Side is filled with great clubs. One with a great vibe and notoriety is Rockwood Music Hall on Allen Street. They've got three stages going at any one time. Stage one is mostly acoustics, stage two is much bigger in size and its where the big artists usually play and stage three is more intimate. Lots of major acts do secret shows at Rockwood. You never know who you'll see. It might be the next big thing or an artist guesting like they used to in the old days," says Eberle.
Other Cool Clubs to Check Out
Lots of Eberle's top club picks are located within walking distance of Rockwood Music Hall. "A little bit further into the LES there's Pianos, which has an upstairs lounge and a showroom, so you can enjoy the most popular DJ's spinning in the city and live alt/Indie bands like Heathers," he says. Pianos Radio on Magnify is also a great way to listen to the acts playing there and get deeper into their music. Pianos serves fairly good pub grub so you can power up there before moving onto the next place.
Another Eberle must-see is Arlene's Grocery on Stanton Street, just one block away. Known for live-band karaoke, Arlene's Grocery is a rock music bar known for highlighting seasoned New York bands and up-and-comers. Acts like The Royds and Rebelmatic play here.
If you're not a LES fan or want to find a club closer (or farther) from home, Eberle recommends using JamBase, a great resource for tracking down thousands of happening now concerts near you.
Go Brooklyn or Go Home
If your favorite club is your own crib, Rough Trade in Williamsburg is Eberle's favorite music store pick. Can't decide on staying out or going home? Rough Trade is still the place for you. "What's cool about Rough Trade is it's a record store that's also a venue. You can shop for records and then go to a show right next door. They sell really cool vinyl," he says.
Check Out Every Single Great Music Blog On the Web, Simultaneously
"A great resource for new music lovers is Brooklyn-based Hype Machine, a blog that aggregates all of the best music blogs that exist," says Eberle. Here you can read about and listen to practically every new piece of music that's out there -- all from people who live, breathe, eat and sleep music. The site handpicks music bloggers and showcases what they're listening to, with the intention of presenting the richest musical experience possible for readers.
Stay Old-School, Stay Cool
Pandora and Spotify may not be akin to your grandpa's old am/fm transistor, but Internet radio is still super popular and an effective way to discover new music. "People listen to Internet radio to find bands and artists they heard in the clubs. It's how people learn about new music," says Eberle.
Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
