And with so many options, seemingly subtle things like the layout of the crowd space or the price of beer can make or break a venue’s reputation. Some people like big, expensive arena shows, some live to chase underground artists in cheap, basement hideouts some want to dance, others prefer to enjoy a concert from their seat some won’t journey all the way to Brooklyn, others are too cool for Manhattan. To find a favorite venue, you have to know what you’re looking for. It’s a must-stop destination for even the smallest tours, a hub for record release parties and insider events thanks to the presence of so much music industry press, and ground zero for more than a few notable past and present “scenes” over the years. Still, as far as live music cities go, New York is hard to beat. But the vast majority of notable concert venues in NYC are owned and operated by a few huge promoters who have homogenized everything to the point that much of that illusion of choice is just that… an illusion. Among hundreds of bars with stages and open mics, DIY spaces, and boldface venues, the options seem endless. A lot of wonderful people work here, but it’s also kind of a neighborhood dive bar and I wear that like a badge." One of the signs on the windows reads "Same Old Brandy's." It's clear why people want it to stay that way.Picking the best live music venue in New York City - much like picking the best restaurant - is an impossible task. When asked what differentiates Brandy's from other piano bars, owner Jim Luzar, who started as a bartender there in 1980, says "it's the total lack of pretension. Brandy's has music seven nights of the week from 9:30 p.m. It's a thrilling experience to sit down in the packed room before the show starts, have a cocktail waitress deliver an ice-cold martini, and then, minutes later, watch as the waitress-a former cast member of Broadway's Mamma Mia- takes the mic and belts out "Shallow" from A Star Is Born in a duet with the bartender. The hidden gem, which opened in the 1960s, has hosted open mic performers including Billy Joel, Frankie Avalon, Huey Lewis, and Jimmy Fallon. Tucked into a nondescript facade on a quiet block, Brandy's Piano Bar might be the best-kept secret on the Upper East Side. "We wanted to build a bar where you can go in any night of the week and run into friends, which is the most authentic sign of a great bar in New York City and occurs only rarely these days." "It is off the beaten path for the younger crowd and we like it that way," say the brothers, whose popular downtown spots Southside and Brinkley's closed in 2017 after a decade-long run. Now, guests can sip cocktails like a Davy Is Still in the Navy (light and dark rums, orgeat, pineapple, passion fruit, served over crushed ice in a hurricane glass) while listening to live music seven nights a week starting at 6 p.m. The Martignettis updated the room with palm-covered Versace wallpaper, a black lacquered wood bar, vintage art deco fixtures, a working fireplace, and a skylight. Tom and Anthony Martignetti, who also own the East Pole restaurant in the neighborhood, were regulars at Lexington Bar and Books, the predecessor for more than 30 years in the space that is now Melody's Piano Bar. Here are the some of places that do just that, giving New York the most exciting nightlife in the world. Isn't that the quintessential piano bar? An elevated, grown-up environment with a musical act that transports you to another place. The Martignettis say their goal is to create "nightlife for adults-a place where adults can listen to great jazz music while letting their hair down a bit." That experience is now a reality at Melody's Piano Bar, which opened in early April-joining the ranks of classic and new piano bars that are experiencing unprecedented demand. Hidden away, on a side street in the most unlikely of places, Brandys is one of the Upper East Sides best-kept secrets. "Listening to music in one's apartment is good," the Martignetti brothers said in a joint statement, but "listening to a live jazz trio in an intimate setting surrounded by one's friends swilling cocktails into the wee hours is a great, memorable experience." When restaurateurs Tom and Anthony Martignetti were preparing to take over the old Lexington Bar & Books space on the Upper East Side, they understood that customers were looking for live entertainment they did not have access to during the pandemic.
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