A Traveler’s Guide to Brooklyn’s Best Music Venues
Safest Bet if Money Isn’t Much of a Concern: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Where it is: 66 N 6th St, Williamsburg
Who to see: Smith Westerns (7/24), Ty Segall (8/29), Screaming Females with Waxahatchee (9/14), Surfer Blood (10/5), The Men (11/5)
As Brooklyn’s arm of the revered Bowery Presents booking empire, MHOW churns out the borough’s most consistent cycle of shows featuring national touring acts (often paired with buzzy local talent in the supporting slots), in a somewhat characterless, albeit great-sounding, 550-capacity room. Tickets can get a bit pricey in the $30-range for some shows, but as it turns out, lots of people in Brooklyn read Pitchfork and are willing to to shell out a few bills to see the latest act crowned “Best New Music.” Bonus: The couches in the basement bar area are quite comfy for pre- and post-show drinking and/or judging the band in question.
Worthy alternative: The Bell House