Lucero fans wasting good hops at The Hook.
Club Europa
A long-time Polish haunt just off Greenpoint’s Manhattan Avenue, Club Europa, like neighboring Warsaw, mixes old-warm charm with oddball musical bookings—from Jersey hardcore to Eurotrash (and proud of it) DJ nights.
Reminds us of: Warsaw (unfortunately, minus the Polish grandmas dishing out steam kielbasa)
Subway: G to Nassau Ave.
Upcoming shows: To/Die/For (July 28); The Hunt (Aug. 9)
The Hook
If you don't mind walking more than a mile from Brooklyn's Carroll Street F stop, this 3,000-square-foot converted warehouse rewards with cheap drinks, free barbeque and really, really loud shows. (For the uninitiated, Red Hook is a desolate place at 10 p.m with nary a complaining neighbor for blocks). On weekend nights, catch a free shuttle from the subway—but be forewarned, the ride is the kind of van molesters drive on cop shows, emblazoned with “The Hook” in very D.I.Y. duct tape. If that doesn’t sound like fun, standard policy states that the first round is on the house when presenting a receipt for a cab or car service.
Reminds us of: Siberia
Subway: F to Carroll St.
Upcoming shows: The Koffin Cats (July 20); Madam Robot (Aug. 4)
Music Hall of Williamsburg
When the folks at Bowery Presents (owners/bookers of Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge, among others) ponied up the cash to buy the ragtag space that was Northsix, there was much to look forward to—especially with rumors circulating that the place has been gutted, knocking out walls, raising the ceiling and tearing out the ill-conceived stadium seating. Though photos of the remodeling are hard to find (we’re looking at you, Brooklyn Vegan!), the recently-announced lineup skips around genres (Jose Gonzalez to Boris) and budgets ($12-$35) at what is expected to be a flawlessly-run club. Let’s just hope the owners bring a couple of those cuddly Bowery bouncers across the river.
Reminds us of: North Six (only because of its too-familiar proximity to a half-dozen overrated Thai spots).
Subway: L to Bedford
Upcoming shows: Clap Your Hand Say Yeah (Sept. 10); Les Savy Fav (Sept. 21); Medeski, Martin and Wood (Sept. 27)
Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction
The cozy 2nd level comedy and cabaret venue (and restaurant) is one of the city's best-kept spaces. Moody spotlights and warm acoustics accent the mostly NYC-based talents, from the “hardest-working middle-aged man in show business” Murray Hill to the bar's most-pissed-off fly David Cross. Oh, and the mac’n’cheese? Defines “satisfaction.”
Reminds us of: Joe’s Pub
Subway: F or V to 2nd Ave.
Upcoming shows: Mia Dyson (July 31); Stripped Stories (Aug. 8); Mortified (Aug. 29)
Studio B
The owners/bookers of LES’s The Delancey have used their eye for emerging talent and neighborhoods to convert this old warehouse into one of Brooklyn’s most-popular clubs. The bi-level space hosts weekly dance party Fun, featuring electro and hip-hop hot shots like Diplo and Chromeo taking the stage late.
Reminds us of: Luke and Leroy (Misshapes era)
Subway: G to Greenpoint Ave or Nassau Ave.
Upcoming shows: Battles (July 20); Calla (Aug. 11); Diplo (Sept. 8)
Sealab 187
The aims of this Bushwick performance space are simple: “We live in an apartment. We have a backyard. We love music,” claims the questionably-legal spot’s MySpace page. (In accordance with the proprietor’s wishes, we are keeping the address off of any listings. Google will get you to the rock show). The bands lean ska/punk and the beer flows for $1 a cup, or BYOBrown bag if you wish. And remember the three house rules: No smoking inside, no open containers out front and no vandalism. Oh, and a note from the owners: “And please, don't be a dick.”
Reminds us of: One of 63 other Todd P-certified venues
Upcoming shows: The Fad (Aug. 6)
Matt Rodbard is music editor for Metromix.
