Home New England & Tri-State Music Navigating New York City’s Music Venues

Navigating New York City’s Music Venues

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Radio City Music Hall 1200x650 1
Radio City Music Hall 1200x650 1

In the vibrant land of New York City, each borough offers its unique culture, style, and history. In music, the historic jazz clubs of Harlem, projecting unforgettable stars like Duke Ellington, to the indie rock bands in Brooklyn, Manhattan’s Broadway avenues, Queen’s melting pot of cultural musicians, the Bronx’s hip-hop roots, and Staten Island’s hidden diamonds, the city offers something for everyone.

Even if you don’t live in the city, New York State Music has you covered with music venue guides across the state. Western New York, Hudson Valley, North Country, the Capital Region, the 607, and Central New York all have their own guides available.


Manhattan

Rockwood Music Hall

The Rockwood Music Hall is a small live music venue on NYC’s Lower East Side, with world-class sound and a storied history. Anchored by a 9’x9’ stage and a Welte & Sons baby grand piano, Rockwood hosts artists of all genres and musical styles, 7 days a week.

Address: 196 Allen St, New York, NY 10002

Website

Smalls Jazz Club

The club is filled with vibrant jazz-loving people from all over the world. The musicians are all top-rate and playing their hearts out for an adoring and sympathetic crowd.

Address: 183 W 10th St New York, NY 10014

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Irving Plaza

Irving Plaza is a ballroom-style music venue located within the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was featured on the Complex City Guide list of “50 Best Concert Venues of America” in 2013.

Address: 17 Irving Pl, New York, NY 10003

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Webster Hall

Webster Hall is one of New York’s most significant large 19th-century assembly halls, and it became famous for its Bohemian masquerade balls in the 1910s and 1920s.

Address: 125 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003

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Parkside Lounge

Known for its mix of local talent and acoustic acts, the funky venue has an intimate stage for all performances. As a local staple of the East Village, locals and visitors love then venue.

Address: 317 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Website

The Bitter End

The Bitter End is a 230-person capacity nightclub, coffeehouse, and folk music venue in New York City’s Greenwich Village. It opened in 1961 at 147 Bleeker Street under the auspices of owner Fred Weintraub. The club changed its name to The Other End in June 1975. However, after a few years, the owners changed the club’s name back to the more recognizable The Bitter End.

Address: 147 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

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Mercury Lounge

The Mercury Lounge is celebrated as an iconic indie venue due to its acoustics, its fostering and even launching of upcoming artists, and its no-frills, rock n’ roll presentation. It has made numerous top-ten lists over the years including that of Billboard Magazine. It has a capacity of 250 people.

Address: 217 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

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Le Poisson Rouge

LPR is a music venue and multimedia art cabaret in New York City founded in 2008. The performance space was designed and engineered by John Storyk/WSDG. It has become known for its focus on artistry, bringing contemporary classical music into the club setting, offering a variety of setups so that a seated classical performance can be followed by a standing set by a rock band or a DJ.

Address: 158 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

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SOB’s

Sounds of Brazil, known as S.O.B.’s, is a legendary live music venue in the lower Manhattan neighborhood of SoHo. It was opened by owner and director Larry Gold in June 1982. Gold opened the venue to expose the musical wealth and heritage of the Afro-Latino Diaspora to as many people as possible.

Address: 204 Varick St, New York, NY 10014

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Nublu Classic

Nublu is a unique club and record label from the cultural epicenter of New York City, the East Village. There are three entities of the Nublu universe, a live music venue, a record label, and a recently launched Nublu Jazz Festival which has premiered in NYC, Sao Paul and Istanbul.

Address: 62 Loisaida Ave, New York, NY 10009

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Bowery Electric

Being a staple in the East Village, the venue is owned and operated by rock and roll lifers. Known for the raw and gritty charm, the establishment hosts rising stars.

Address: 327 Bowery, New York, NY 10003

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Gramercy Theatre

The Gramercy Theatre is a music venue in New York City. It is located in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan, on 127 East 23rd Street. Built in 1937 as the Gramercy Park Theatre, it is owned and operated by Live Nation as one of their two concert halls in New York City, the other being the nearby Irving Plaza.

Address: 127 E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

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The Red Lion

The Red Lion is a  living, breathing Rock-n-Roll juke box.  This is the place where bands get their start, making their bones, paying the rent and barely paying their tab. Just like the Rolling Stones did with their first three albums: Interpreting the songs they loved the best.

Address: 151 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

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Pier 17 Rooftop

The Rooftop at Pier 17 is New York City’s most scenic concert stage. A dynamic open-air entertainment venue, set five stories above the East River, concert goers annually see their favorite artists within an intimate atmosphere (3,500 capacity), all from a one-of-a-kind rooftop location with direct views of such iconic skyline landmarks as the Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, and One World Trade Center.

Address: 89 South St, New York, NY 10038

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Groove

Groove is a venue that remains, honoring the rich musical tradition of Greenwich Village. Groove has seen many changes since opening in 1998, but the mission to uplift local musicians and fans and to preserve the soul of American music continues to this day. 

Address: 125 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

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Shake Rattle N Roll Pianos

Dueling Pianos is an all-request, rock-and-roll party where you pick the playlist. Two top piano entertainers, mixing music, comedy and audience interaction in a singalong, laugh-along, dance-along show! It’s everything from Billy Joel to Bon Jovi, Britney Spears to Bruno Mars. Nothing is off-limits from pop, rock, country, hip-hop, hairbands, disco, punk rock, standards, showtunes.

Address: 152 W 26th St, New York, NY 10001

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Beacon Theatre

The Beacon Theatre was developed by Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel and built as a movie palace with 2,894 seas across three levels. The theater is designated as a New York City interior landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Address: 2124 Broadway, New York, NY 10023

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Park Avenue Armory

Part palace, part industrial shed, Park Avenue Armory fills a critical void in the cultural ecology of New York, supporting unconventional works in the performing and visual arts that cannot be fully realized in a traditional proscenium theater, concert hall, or white wall gallery. With its soaring 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall and an array of exuberant period rooms, the Armory enables a diverse range of artists to create, students to explore, and audiences to experience epic, adventurous, relevant work that cannot be done elsewhere in New York.

Address: 643 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065

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Brooklyn

National Sawdust

The National Sawdust commissions, produces, and presents cultural programming rooted in sound, supporting artists in various disciplines who are passionate about experimentation and innovation. In its intimate venue equipped with a state-of-the-art spatial sound system, National Sawdust connects audiences to the performing arts’ powers to inspire deep thinking, joy, and uphold human dignity.

Address: 80 N 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249

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Elsewhere

Elsewhere is a multi-room music venue, nightclub, and arts space in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Our focus is underground and unbound music, presented with love. Since 2017, Elsewhere’s three stories of dance floors and stages have been home to expansive sonic offerings for all New Yorkers to explore. We are and will forever remain fiercely independent.

Address: 599 Johnson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237

Website

The Meadows

Located next door to The Brooklyn Monarch, The Meadows is quickly becoming a late night hotspot. This 500 capacity venue is an oasis, complete with a full bar, food, and trippy picturesque backyard with a seasonal outdoor stage.

Address: 17 Meadow St, Brooklyn, NY 11206

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Skinny Dennis

Skinny Dennis is located in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The bar features 18 beers on draft, our signature cocktails, a vintage jukebox and our INfamous Willie’s Frozen Coffee. Since February 2013, Skinny Dennis has been home to the some of the best live country & roots music in New York City. Offering high quality musical entertainment 7 nights a week. 

Address: 152 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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Freddy’s Bar

Quirky Brooklyn bar prized for ‘divey’ vibes, eclectic decor & live performances in the back room. The eclectic decor within the bar adds and build unique character and is a local favorite.

Address: 627 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

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The Bell House

Opened in September of 2008, the warehouse venue hosts big-name acts & up-and-comers. Before opening, the space was used for recording the NPR program “Ask Me Another.”

Address: 149 7th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215

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Brooklyn Paramount Theater

On November 24, 1928, Brooklyn Paramount introduced the most immersive entertainment experience the world had ever seen. Crowds stretched around the block to leave the world behind for a baroque palace of overwhelming spectacle and groundbreaking performances. Emboldened as ‘America’s first movie theater built for sound,’ Brooklyn Paramount set the stage for a storied saga of beginnings.

Address: 385 Flatbush Ave Ext, Brooklyn, NY 11201

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Public Records – The Atrium

Located within the former horse stable of the ASPCA HQ, The Atrium is a cocktail bar and plant based restaurant that transforms into a late night music space. The room is crowned by a historic skylight and imposing 20′ columns that frame a monolithic travertine bar. The Atrium hosts a diverse range of record selectors over dinner service and internationally touring DJ’s later in the evening.

Address: 233 Butler St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

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The Brooklyn Hangar

With 15,000+ square feet of space on each of two floors featuring high ceilings and ample open space.  3,000 person capacity uniquely positioned to take advantage of the burgeoning Hollywood movie and TV rental business in Brooklyn. The Hangar also has a pre-approved NY State-certified Soundstage/New York State Qualified Production Facility (QPF) for usage rights.

Address: 2 52nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11232

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Pete’s Candy Store

Opened in 1999, Pete’s Candy Store continues as Williamsburg’s original live music venue. Featuring acts such as Will Oldham, Beth Orton, Devendra Barnhart and Norah Jones, this small venue and neighborhood tavern developed an early reputation for special shows and rare treats. While the list of noteworthy performers is quite lengthy, Pete’s Candy Store has always been a free venue and has booked mostly unknown and unsigned bands, many of which have gone on to greater recognition.

Address: 709 Lorimer St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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Kings Theatre

The Kings Theatre, formerly Loew’s Kings Theatre, is a live performance venue in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. Opened by Loew’s Theatres as a movie palace in 1929 and closed in 1977, the theater sat empty for decades until a complete renovation was initiated in 2010.

Address: 1027 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226

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Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk

The Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island is an outdoor live entertainment venue within the Childs Restaurants building on the Riegelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. The venue opened in June 2016.

Address: 3052 W 21st St, Brooklyn, NY 11224

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C’mon Everybody

Founded in 2014, C’mon was born out of a desire to amplify the underserved creative voices of LGBTQ/QTPOC people (and allies) and to serve as a safe space for the queer community.

Address: 325 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

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Brooklyn Music Kitchen

Brooklyn Music Kitchen is Brooklyn’s newest music infusion giving local and global artists the opportunity to perform, record and stream their live performances from a fully loaded sound and video stage.

Address: 177 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205

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TV Eye

TV Eye is a new kind of night club on a geographical and cultural frontier, proudly occupying both a space on the edge of the Bushwick/Ridgewood border and in the vanguard of contemporary nightlife.

Address: 1647 Weirfield St, Ridgewood, NY 11385

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Our Wicked Lady

Industrial-chic venue of rehearsal space, art studios & rooftop bar with live music, films & snacks. From indie to R&B offers a great offering of rising artists.

Address: 153 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237

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Baby’s All Right

Established in 2013, Baby’s All Right is an independently funded & operated music venue in the heart of Williamsburg. Its intimate, 250-capacity show room has hosted past perfomers including SZA, Cypress Hill, Lil Yachty, Blood Orange, Charli XCX, Mac DeMarco, James Murphy, David Byrne, Hot Chip, Courtney Barnett, Willow Smith, Jack White, Billie Eilish & many more.

Address: 146 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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Gold Sounds

This spot is a favorite hangout and go-to spot for live music and draft beers. Regularly hosting live performances, the venue has the perfect atmosphere for a casual night outing.

Address: 44 Wilson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237

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The Paper Box

A late night party venue on a dark street in Bushwick, The Paper Box is home to a variety of music shows in a big warehouse with two different spaces.

Address: 7 Meadow St, Brooklyn NY, 11206

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Music Hall of Williamsburg

The Music Hall of Williamsburg us operated by the Bowery Presents, a group stemming from Bowery Ballroom that was brought by AEG in 2017. The Music Hall of Williamsburg has a capacity of 650 people and has shows on most nights of the week.

Address: 66 N 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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Lucky 13 Saloon

Established in 2003, Lucky 13 Saloon is the FIRST Metal Bar to grace Brooklyn and now a Live Music Venue.

Address: 644 Sackett St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

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Brownstone Jazz

Imagine retreating back in time to enjoy live jazz in an intimate, restored 19th-century Victorian brownstone in the historical district of Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Brownstone Jazz presents jazz concerts complete with a piano, bass, drum set and other acoustic instruments as well. A Southern fish-fry buffet and open mic sessions add to the experience.

Address: 107 Macon St, Brooklyn, NY 11216

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Gemini and Scorpio Loft

Gemini & Scorpio, two funky Brooklyn gals, have been running the second-largest non-commercial New York City events list since 2002, spreading the word on underground happenings you’d otherwise never hear about. They are also the makers of themed costume parties with live entertainment: legendary happenings from wild circus throw downs to dazzling vintage dance socials to one-of-a-kind Russian baths bashes.

Address: 267 Douglass St 3rd floor, Brooklyn, NY 11217

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Issue Project Room
A pioneering Brooklyn-based performance nonprofit founded in 2003, ISSUE presents projects by interdisciplinary artists that expand the boundaries of artistic practice and stimulate critical dialogue in the broader community. ISSUE serves as a leading cultural incubator, facilitating the commission and premiere of innovative new works spanning genres of music, dance, literature and film.

Address: 22 Boerum Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11201

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The Owl Music Parlor

The Owl hopes to bring to Brooklyn a fresh concert experience for both artists and audiences.

Address: 497 Rogers Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225

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Queens

Queens Theatre

Formerly Queens Theatre in the Park and before that Queens Playhouse, is an American professional theatre, located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City, New York.

Address : Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 14 United Nations Ave S, Queens, NY 11368

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Terraza 7

Terraza 7 is a live music venue and community center; the perfect hub for local art, political expressions, and your favorite coffee or mixed drink. Located in the heart of Queens, New York, between Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, two locations containing the most diverse population of immigrants on the planet, is committed to a progressive model of business that grows within its community base on local values.

Address: 40-19 Gleane St, Queens, NY 11373

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The Wolfhound

The Wolfhound is a contemporary Irish pub in Astoria Queens NYC. We serve lots of Guinness as well as craft beer + domestic favorites along with a seasonal cocktail list We pack the calendar with weekend events – live music, DJ parties, and more. Trivia on Tuesdays. Rocking since August 2016.

Address: 38-14 30th Ave., Astoria, NY 11103

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Forest Hills Stadium

Forest Hills Stadium is a historic outdoor music venue that has welcomed fans to the picturesque New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens for over 100 years. Designed to optimize acoustics and with no obstructed views, the 13,000 capacity stadium is the only outdoor venue of its kind and size in the city.

Address: 1 Tennis Pl, Forest Hills, NY 11375

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Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall is a performing arts center and historic town hall at 137-35 Northern Boulevard in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens in New York City. It served as the seat of government of the village of Flushing until the village became part of City of Greater New York in 1898.

Address: 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY 11354

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The Knockdown Center

Featuring programming of diverse formats and media, Knockdown Center aims to create a radically cross-disciplinary environment. The particularity of our architectural environment and history leads us to gravitate toward projects that demonstrate a sensitive reactivity to site and environment.

Address: 52-19 Flushing Ave, Maspeth, NY 11378

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Trans-Pecos

Pronounced TRANS-PEAK-Os. The venue is dedicated to showcasing new music. The space is a hub for rising artists to gain a starting platform.

Address: 9-15 Wyckoff Ave, Ridgewood, NY 11385

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Gantry Plaza State Park

Gantry Plaza State Park is a 12-acre state park on the East River in the Hunters Point section of Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens. The park is located in a former dockyard and manufacturing district, and includes remnants of facilities from the area’s past.

Address: 4-44 47th Rd, Queens, NY 11101

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Bronx

Paradise Theatre

The Paradise Theater, formerly Loew’s Paradise Theatre, is a movie palace-type theater located at 2417 Grand Concourse in the Bronx. Constructed in 1929 at the height of grand movie theaters, in the later 20th century the building was used also for live entertainment.

Address: 2403 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10468

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Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

The Loew’s Paradise Theatre is a 2,310-seat venue with programs, concerts & other events by well-known & emerging artists.

Address: 250 Bedford Park Blvd W, Bronx, NY 10468

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Bronx Music Hall

The Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco) developed the Bronx Music Hall (BMH) as a performance venue and community cultural center dedicated to honoring, showcasing and cultivating music, dance, theater, and interdisciplinary arts in the Bronx.

Address: 438 E 163rd St, Bronx, NY 10451

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The Bronx Brewery
The Brewery is committed to using what we create and where we create it to bring people together, while celebrating the rich and diverse creative scene in our home borough and across New York City and Manhattan.

Address: 856 E. 136th Street, Bronx, NY 10454

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Pregones/ Puerto Rican Traveling Theater

Pregones was founded in 1979 when a group of artists led by Rosalba Rolón set out to create new works in the style of Caribbean and Latin American “colectivos” or performing ensembles.

Address: 575 Walton Ave, Bronx, NY 10451

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The Point CDC

THE POINT Community Development Corporation is dedicated to youth development and the cultural and economic revitalization of the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. Its programming falls within three main headings all aimed at the comprehensive revitalization of the Hunts Point community: Youth Development, Arts and Culture, and Community Development.

Address: 940 Garrison Ave, Bronx, NY 10474

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An Beal Bocht Cafe

An Beal Bocht Cafe, in operation since 1991, began as a small cafe.  Serving only non-alcoholic beverages, it centered as a spot for artist to gather and performs, and quickly cemented itself as a neighborhood favorite.

Address: 445 W 238th St, Bronx, NY 10463

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Orchard Beach

Orchard Beach is the only public beach in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The 115-acre, 1.1-mile-long beach is part of Pelham Bay Park and is situated on the western end of Long Island Sound. Orchard Beach indeed has music, with Salsa Sundays held every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, from noon to 5 pm, as well as Pride in the Bronx in June, Camping, Pelham Bay Park canoeing and much more!

Address: Bronx, NY 10464

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Staten Island

St. George Theatre

The St. George Theatre is a performing arts venue, picture palace, and office complex at 35 Hyatt Street in St. George, on the North Shore of Staten Island, New York City. The 2,800-seat St. George Theatre was built for Staten Island theater operator Solomon Brill and opened on December 4, 1929. 

Address: 35 Hyatt St, Staten Island, NY 10301

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The Harbor Lights Theater Company

Harbor Lights is Staten Islands own professional Theater Company presenting Broadway actors in beautifully designed productions at an affordable price.

Address: 358 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10301

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Mother Pug’s Saloon

The Saloon host live music on most Friday and Saturday nights. Shows can be held inside or outside depending on the weather.

Address: 1371 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10302

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Center for the Arts

Located at the heart of the 204-acre campus of the College of Staten Island (CSI), a four-year senior college of The City University of New York (CUNY), the Center for the Arts (CFA) is one of the leading, state-of-the-art, performing arts centers in Staten Island.

Address: 2800 Victory Blvd #1P-116, Staten Island, NY 10314

Website

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