Not sure if these apply to the NYC scene as I'm speaking from Vancouver, but a couple of things I've found help including:
-focusing on smaller venues, they have a better crowd anyway, have newsletters you can follow, find new bands, and are going to be cheaper than big venues. bars especially will have some cool performers and often won't even charge you to get in (esp if you arrive before the set)
-enter radio contests! I won tickets this way last year, obviously a long shot but a lot of radio stations and event promo companies will do monthly contests. The promo companies also often have newsletters to stay tuned to what's going on
-find presale codes on reddit or search StubHub for cheaper tickets. My friend just saw death cab for cutie and the postal service tickets for $7 (lol) a couple of hours before the show started. I think people drop their prices right towards the end sometimes, not a guarantee obviously.
-ABS (always be searching lol) I look for shows in a variety of ways like the newsletters and venues listed above, but also like songkick and Spotify for notifying me of events for artists I like. This is mostly just to be able to keep track of the smaller artists I like as their tickets are likely to be cheaper than the stadium performers.
May 16, 2024
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i’ll mostly list small or medium-capacity venues that host relatively cheap shows!
mostly 18+ or all ages:
- trans pecos
- mercury lounge
- bowery ballroom
- tompkins square park or maria hernandez park sometimes hosts free shows
occasionally has 18+ shows, but is 21+ most of the time:
- baby’s all right
- market hotel (usually earlier shows that start at 7pm aren’t 21+)
- elsewhere
- le poisson rouge
- gold sounds
highly recommend going through each of the venue’s websites and sifting through the show listings to double check! also the oh my rockness website and bandsintown are great places to check for shows happening tonight in your area and stay on top of shows!
Jun 4, 2024
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If you’re not familiar, this is the best concert calendar for gigs in nyc. I wish it existed in every city.
Some fav venues depending on whats happenin: Baby’s All Right, Union Pool, TV Eye, The Sultan Room, Bowery Ballroom, Music Hall of Williamsburg
Jazz, etc: Ornithology, Small’s, Nublu, Barbès, LunAtico
Feb 22, 2024
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have seen the coolest shows / met the loveliest people through this resource
Jan 31, 2024
Top Recs from @seaofsophia
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This might be old news to some but if you're someone who likes to track their reading I highly recommend Storygraph. They provide you with much more interesting data about your reading habits (graphs!) are Black woman founded and run, not affiliated at all with amazon like Goodreads is, and have a more interactive rating system that gives better insight than just stars. What's even better is they have a way to import your goodreads data if you already feel invested in that app.
Divest from amazon and delete ur goodreads!! :) :)
Apr 19, 2024
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I think if you're in a position to quit your job and rest/work on something you care about, I would do it. That kind of opportunity doesn't come often, and most people will never have it. I'd say especially if you're facing chronic pain or having doctors order you to rest, you'll only regret NOT resting and prioritising your health. Capitalism continues to win when we work our entire lives away.
Jun 26, 2024
Side project by Alice Phoebe Lou, just saw her perform last week and it took my breath away. This is her funkier side.
Apr 19, 2024