Winner – Barclay Center – What do all these bands have in common: Beyonce, Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode, Fall Out Boys, Phoenix, Atoms For Peace, Jay-Z, Barbara Streisand …? They all chose Barclay over Madison Square Garden in an act of unprecedented dissing to the world’s greatest arena. Barclay Center, less than a year old, are slam dunking one show after another and I don’t see why. I am guessing the reason is money but how much more are they paying? Either way, MSG must be right on their toes now.
Loser – 285 Kent – Look, I don’t mind small clubs. Indeed, I thrive on em. But I have certain rules, for one thing, they can’t be a 20 minute walk from the closest subway station. I don’t leave in new York because I want to drive a fucking car. I don’t drive, I don’t want to and I expect clubs next to subway stations. You know, like Mercury Lounge and Pianos and Arlene Grocery. Does 285 really think I wanna take the fucking L and then pay ten bucks for a cab? To go to a club that doesn’t have a sign reading: here we are, come and take us. But much worse, rule one of great clubs is great acoustics. CBGBs might have been a bit dodgy but nobody could complain about the acoustics. The acoustic at 285 are the pits. And even if they were great, if somebody coughs in Glassland, you can hear it in 285. A naff dive in a dodgy area with crap acoustics.