Venue Review: THE LOCAL 269

                                  

http://www.thelocal269.com

269 Houston St
(between Avenue A & Essex St)

 

Suggested Booker: 

Big Apple Rocks 

or Direct Through Venue

Backline/Sound: Full backline; Average sound.

Vibe: Seedy, dive-y, casual. Slightly raised stage. 

Capacity: <<<100 (Y'all, that means triple less than 100.)

Clout on the NYC Circuit: Not much. Formerly known as Meow Mix, this dive is a 4th tier spot that may have had some popularity in the 80s-mid 90's but is now pretty washed up. (1st Tier: 700+ capacity; 2nd tier: 300+; 3rd tier: 100-300; 4th tier: bars/cafes <100.) It does have a lot of character. Your chances on seeing a good show there are based more on who's responsible for the music bill, rather than the venue's reputation, which has dried up considerably.

Internal Draw: ~5-10 people; there are going to be those random locals looking to whet their appetite for booze since there are nightly drink specials, and the random walk-ins who can see you through the bar windows.

Pros: The basement of the venue holds a MCI JH 600 series console which can record quality sets if you ask for a copy in advance. It's also in a very venue packed area of the Lower East Side (blocks away from Arlene's Grocery, Tammany Hall, Mercury Lounge, Pianos, and the majority of rock venues people frequent in the area), and the two of the bar's walls are windows, so passersby can see what's going on inside. The chances of someone walking in to hear what they like are better in that kind of set-up and neighborhood. It's 5 minutes walking distance from trains, so that's also convenient. In a way, the no-frills vibe is a pleasant departure from all the self-proclaimed hip hangouts that run along the streets of Ludlow, Houston and Bowery. In fact, if you were to create a fantastic acoustic bill yourself, that venue might be the perfect mix of weathered and dirty - the sound system is decent, if not spectacular (the couple of times I played there, I could actually hear myself well, singing with a full-band, so that's saying something). It makes an impression, alright. I was impressed to find out that the Local 269 has been a venue host to the Governors Island Art Fair and CMJ festival in the past couple of years, and occasionally features pretty serious jazz/funk/rock acts. It's definitely the kind of venue that you'd want to walk by out of curiosity to see if anything caught your fancy. Did I mention drinks are cheap? $3 beers and 5 shots for $10...

Cons: This place is far from glamorous. It's exceedingly tiny, unkempt and seedy. It's one small room of a bar; the stage barely fits 4 people and a kit. It's loud enough that having any kind of conversation is impossible. It's not the kind of place you want to take your mother, and it's not the place you'd go on a first date unless dingy is your thing. I had the misfortune, also, of being present when a bar fight started between two inebriated locals, so maybe I'm a bit biased, but if the possibility of that kind of thing bothers you, I'd take heed. My guitarist-boyfriend got a kick out of the fight. ::shrug:: To each his own, eh?

Overall Impression: This venue is not for the faint at heart, those with liver problems, women who think they might be pregnant, or anyone high-maintenance. In other words, rock and roll lives (and dies) here. Enter and play at your own risk. 

(Aww, look. It's so peaceful when it's sleeping. Photog, Johnathan E.)