Marissa Paternoster recently said how Screaming Females played their 12th ever gig at Maxwell’s and I am guessing that if for no other reason, she and many other musicians would love the Hoboken rock club closing its doors July 27th after a month of sold out farewell shows.
I bet if I was in a band and given such a huge break so early, I’d love the place myself. ny.com offered this partial list: Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Neutral Milk Hotel, Soundgarden, the Melvins, Nirvana, Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins, Firehose, Blue Oyster Cult, Katrina & the Waves, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rufus Wainwright, Killing Joke, The Strokes, Joan Jett, Robin Hitchcock, Royal Crescent Mob, The Fleshtones, Matt Nathanson, Living Color, David Byrne, and countless other.
Opened in 1978 and beginning life as a rehearsal hall for the local indie band “a’ from whom we got the Bongos and personal faves the Individuals, the corner club has been around forever. And if I was in a band, or if I lived nearby, I guess I’d be very sad. But I’m neither and a farewell visit on Sunday reminded me why I’m not.
1. From my apartment in Queens it takes the subway, a path train and a cab to get there.
2. The 200 capacity club is long and narrow, if it was long and wide, you might be able to see something, but I couldn’t see a damn thing Sunday. I mean, why go so far out of your way to see a band you could see on the LES whenever you fancied.
3. CBGB’s had a rock ambiance that Maxwell’s doesn’t. Maybe it is the restaurant. But whatever it is, something is kinda missing.
4. I am a little late on this piece of advise, but, under no circumstances get drunk and try and get the Path around midnight, you’ll end up passed out in a park, trust me.
While I kinda get why the Bongos or the Feelies or any of those early 1980s are upset, and I definitely think a smart young entrepreneur should immediately begin construction on a club in the immediate vicinity (though rents are now sky high), still it is a case of utility. If you don’t need it, who cares? Does anybody think Yo La Tengo can’t play their Hanukkah gigs elsewhere?
To put it another way, you can’t cry for lost souls you might drown. Goodbye Maxwells, I appreciate your fans pains without joining in.