Yes, it is that time of the year again, the best (and worst) places to see a concert. Incidentally, taking over from T5 -the worst is Roseland…
Pianos – Not just a great little room on Ludlow Street, but a top booker who really knows what s/he's doing. Grade: A+
Joe's Pub – Great bands, cheap prices, small enough to reach out and touch em. Grade: A+
Arlene Grocery – Down a flight of stairs so it is a bitch to text. Grade: A
Bowery Poetry – The room is a little strange and flat but small enough plus they have more than just rock concerts. Grade: A
Carnegie Hall – Best acoustics in the city but the seats really suck. Grade: A
Le Poison Rouge – Interesting set up, kinda wide and long with a balcony, Grade: A
Radio City Music Hall – Best seats in the city, great acoustics, looks dream since its refurbishment. But when you get Row A in the orchestra you really got Row 37 because the nearer seats are AA. Grade: A
Mercury Lounge – Big names -i Mean big, Juliana Hatfield, Titus Andronicus, neon Indians, in a tiny venue, Grade: A
Music Hall At Williamsburg – In the middle of nowhere (aka Brooklyn) but if you can take the commute and get there early, go to the extreme left, up some stairs, and the sitelines are excellent. Grade: A-
Madison Square Garden – Just renovated so we will see, but forget floor seats, they are the absolute pits; cost a fortune and you can't see a thing. Everywhere else is pretty good. The acoustics are all over the place. Grade: A-
Bowery Electric – In the basement but with a balcony overhang. You can watch the DJ in the booth all night. Grade: A-
Rockwood Music Hall – Two stages, next to each other and very easy to miss a show while you are waiting at the wrong one. Smart up and coming bands. Grade: B+
Bowery Ballroom – It depends, if the room is sold out and you get there late, you're fucked. If it isn't and you aren't it is pretty good. Grade: B+
Webster Hall – One good thing about this room is, they make sure the band goes on on time, because they are waiting to give us the boot and start the disco,. Grade: B+
Irving Plaza – It bottle necks on the side and if you can't get upstairs you'll spend a lot of time craning your neck. Grade: B+
Hammersmith Ballroom – Get on the first balcony and there are few better sitelines in the city. But the seats really suck, it is like High Auditorium seats. Grade: B+
Highline Ballroom – In its own way it sucks as bad as Roseland, but it is so much smaller it doesn't feel as bad. And if they are serving dinner, you can see over the heads of the seated diners. Grade: B
Summerstage – The acoustics really suck. They should fix it. Plus they stretch every show so it will end at seven even when there is no reason to. Grade: B
Terminal 5 – Can't see a thing on any floor, except if you wait on the ground to the side YOU MIGHT be able to get close. Grade: C-
Roseland – Forget about it. If you are five rows deep from the stage you still can't see a damn thing. Grade: F