Rockwood Music Hall Bar / Live Music Venue

Lower East Side, New York –

An oddly prominent underground music venue with large windows that let passersby see who’s on stage, Rockwood Music Hall hosts a full roster of up-and-coming indie artists and singer/songwriters that draws a loyal clientele of music lovers.

Exposed brick, a barred-up window, and a derelict piano give the main room the cluttered bohemian atmosphere of a classic basement jazz club, as Flannel-clad hipsters and in-the-know rockers hang out at the small bar, or lounge on the collection of old furniture and at cocktail tables to stare raptly while skinny indie boys croon mid-tempo love ballads up on stage.

Patrons who want to check out the musical offerings on the second stage will need to go outside and back in the other door, where they’ll find a more goth-inspired space complete with wrought-iron balcony and candlelit tables.

The crowd of drinkers and esoteric rockers chats loudly between sets of atmospheric jazz and rock, while sophisticated post-punks argue over which Sonic Youth album is the best.

Although the vibe is open and unpretentious, the clientele isn’t there to dance or mingle, making it clear that Rockwood is all about the music.