Mercury Lounge

A venue long known for offering the stateside debuts of approved British bands (and for giving the lion's share of its bookings to New York-based indie rock outfits), the Mercury Lounge earned its legendary reputation by providing artists with an intimate, if somewhat crowded, space to play right in the center of New York's downtown scene: the East Village/Lower East Side merger of Essex and Houston Streets. The Strokes and Interpol have held residencies in the past and you can bump into Carlos D or Jules on any given night at the claustrophobic bar in the front--because one thing is for certain, Mercury is a club for musicians, whether they're debuting new material on stage or just getting wasted on a Monday night.

See more: East Village bars, East Village clubs, Music bars