| photo
gallery |
 |
| Opening Night Photos Courtesy of Rob Sacher |
 |
My Photos from
the Next Night |
After being forced out of their Lower East Side digs in June of 2005, the Luna Lounge has finally found a new home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (361 Metropolitan Ave). Opening night was Friday, January 19 and the place was packed with plenty of well-wishers. I stopped by on Saturday with my friend Helen to see Motel Creeps. Walking thru the doors I was amazed at the shear enormity of the new space. The old live room on Ludlow Street had a capacity of about 90 and their new Brooklyn location holds about 350.
I stood for a moment and soaked in sheer newness of the red floors and gold walls as well as the redwood paneling and large mirrors that backed the blonde-top bar and pub tables. Then I spotted owner and long-time indie music supporter Rob Sacher. He told me that, since the place had been drowned in white light during the year-long construction, he was awestruck himself when they turned down the lights for the first time. I had interviewed Rob back when the old Luna shut down and we connected on the fact that we were both fans of Motel Creeps. So it seemed fitting for me to be here tonight.
Last night, industry folks and locals crowded in to serve up kudos and celebrate the Luna Lounge's opening. Even the management of larger Manhattan clubs such as Irving Plaza and Bowery Ballroom came to scout around. Although there are still some great small basement clubs, there are no real decent mid-sized clubs left in Manhattan for bands with large followings looking to take it to the next level. The new Luna Lounge is perfectly set up to act as a proving ground for such bands.
Of course opening night did not come completely without its scary moments. While testing the PA earlier on Wednesday evening, a wiring problem nearly sacked the whole system. Thankfully Rob's electricians practically rewired the entire joint, plus a staff of hard workers put the finishing touches in place in just two days. And, a few hours before the first show on Friday, Rob finally got to test the PA and thankfully all worked fine.
After all of the problems the Luna Lounge, CBGB and other Manhattan clubs had been facing—and ultimately crumbled under—for the past few years, I was curious to know how Brooklyn was treating Rob's new business. I was happy to hear that the borough was very welcoming. In fact, one of the members of the community board had once been in a band that played the old Luna. Other local musicians and residents also showed a great deal of support during construction. It would seem that Manhattan could learn a lot from Brooklyn.
Tonight, as Motel Creeps played their set, I snapped a few pictures and imagined the future of this venue. I'm glad to see that Brooklyn is continuing to nurture a stable home for original live music. There's an ongoing fear that this is only temporary, that greed and development will eventually infect this area. I can only hope Brooklyn does not slip down that same slope as Manhattan's nightlife.
If all goes well, it looks like I'll be spending even more time in Williamsburg from now on. And so should you.
See Also:
 Luna Lounge
Motel Creeps
My Interview with Rob Sacher (2/22/05)
|
