Sure there are lots of good venues in New York for music, but the Bowery Ballroom has the advantage of being just the right size--large enough for a group that has a good following, but not too large for the scene to get crazy. I usually prefer to go upstairs and watch from the back gallery but sometimes ya just gotta go to the main floor. One of the best shows, in October 2004, was folk singer Dan Bern, who asked people to sing along to "Bush Must Be Defeated." Ah, nostalgia.
It's right near the J train, too, for those who can take that unusual line.
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