The 20 Best New York Concert Venues of All Time. New York has some of the finest outdoor concert venues in the nation. With its warm weather and lively music scene, it’s no surprise that outdoor concerts have become so popular in New York. Whether you’re a fan of live music or just want to enjoy a night out with some friends, here are some of the best outdoor concert venues in New York.
New York Concert Venues
1. Beacon Theatre
Contact: +1 212-465-6225
The Beacon Theatre is a theater located on Broadway, next door to the Hotel Beacon. It was built by Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel as a movie palace with seats on three floors. The theater was designed by the architectural firm of Walter W. Ahlschelager and features decorations inspired by Renaissance, Ancient Roman, and Ancient Greek, as well as Rococo styles.
It is designated as a “New York City interior landmark” and is on the National Register. The exterior of the theater is relatively plain, constructed of brick and stone. A marquee stands above the entrance on Broadway. An outdoor ticket booth leads into a multi-level rotunda lobby beneath the hotel. The theater’s auditorium is located on the east side of the property, near the corner of Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.
The auditorium’s side walls feature ornate arched doors and murals. The multicolored ceiling features a chandelier, while the proscenium arch is adorned with Greek columns and is supported by large sculptures. The orchestra pit houses a Wurlitzer, one of three organs in the Manhattan theater. – New York Concert Venues
2. Carnegie Hall
Contact: +1 212-247-7800
Carnegie Hall is one of the world’s most prestigious concert venues for both classical and popular music. It is located in Midtown Manhattan on the east side of 7th Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Streets. It was designed and built by the Industrialist and Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and features three auditoriums, the largest of which is the five-story Stern Auditorium with seats.
Wankel Hall is also part of the complex, as is the Joan and Sanjay I. Well, Recital Hall on 7th Street. In addition to the auditoriums and offices, Carnegie Hall also hosts performances each season and is available for rental by performing groups. Originally known as the Music Hall, Carnegie Hall was built as a shared performance venue for the New York Oratorio Society and New York Symphony Society. – New York Concert Venues
3. Madison Square Garden
Contact: +1 212-465-6000
Madison Square Garden has become one of the world’s most iconic venues. Once known as “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” The Garden, located in New York City’s East Side, seats up to people for entertainment and sports events. The Garden has hosted some of the greatest sporting and entertainment events of all time, including New York Knicks games and New York Rangers games, as well as the ongoing monthly residency of Billy Joel. The Garden also provides fans with the opportunity to experience a unique tour of the venue. – New York Concert Venues
4. Radio City Music Hall
Contact: +1 212-465-6000
The Radio City Music Hall is a performing arts venue and theater in the Rockefeller Center area of Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States. It is often referred to as “the showplace of the nation”. It is also the home of the New York City Radio City Rockeries. The four-story, Art Deck-style Music Hall was constructed on a piece of land that had previously been the site of the Metropolitan Opera House.
Plans for the Opera House were abandoned, and the Music Hall opened in December. It was one of two venues constructed for Rockefeller Center’s “Radio City” section; the other was the Center Theatre. Although the Music Hall was largely successful, declining attendance threatened to bankrupt the theater. In May of the following year, Radio City was declared an N.Y.C. Landmark and was allowed to remain in operation. The theater underwent extensive renovations. – New York Concert Venues
5. Music Hall of Williamsburg
Contact: +1 718-486-5400
The Music Hall is a music venue in Brooklyn, New York City. It is located on North Street in Williamsburg. It is owned and operated by a group that was formerly known as North Six. Furthermore, it was purchased by AEG and is managed by a group known for its eclectic booking schedule.
The venue hosts shows almost every night of the week, and was the location of the opening scene for Richard Linklater’s film “School of Rock.” The fire department put the venue on hold due to an expired permit, but many in the NYC music scene believe it was because they had booked a band that was openly critical of the department. After months of negotiations with city officials, the venue was eventually able to reopen.
The Music Hall opened in the Spring as North Six. Before North Six, the main borough of New York City was Manhattan, and Manhattan was the place where indie rock concerts, underground shows, and cutting-edge rock concerts took place. The venue was also the location for the “School of Rock” opening scene. – New York Concert Venues
6. The Bowery Ballroom
Contact: +1 212-260-4700
The Bowery Ballroom is a live music venue in New York City, New York. It is situated at the corner of Delaney and Broadway in Manhattan’s Bowery district. The Bowery has a legendary reputation among both musicians and audiences. In a poll of industry insiders, Rolling Stone Magazine called the Bowery “the best club in the U.S.”
The magazine described the Bowery as “both intimate and majestic, with consistently good sound and viewings, and a touch of old school class.” Rolling Stone also named the Bowery the second-best music venue in America. The Bowery was founded by co-founders Michael Swier and Michael Winch. It was the team’s second music venue, after The Mercury Lounge.
The historic building was built to serve as a luxury shoe and haberdashery store just before the Wall Street Crash destroyed the city. The architects and co-founders of the Bowery were Brian Swier and Michael Swier. They designed the venue with an eye for acoustics and directed renovations for optimal live music. – New York Concert Venues
7. Terminal 5
Contact: +1 212-582-6600
Terminal 5 is an event venue located in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It is located at the intersection of West Street and Eleventh Avenue. Terminal 5 is a multi-level venue with five different room environments and capacity. The venue serves alcoholic beverages along with light snacks during events. A smoking section and bar is available on the roof deck on most nights. Terminal 5 is owned and operated by Bowery Presents, formerly known as Club Exit, a nightclub that was shut down by the DEA. Bowery Presents purchased Club Exit and renovated it for live music shows. – New York Concert Venues
8. Irving Plaza
Contact: +1 212-777-6817
Irving Plaza is an all-in-one ballroom music venue located in the heart of Manhattan, New York City. This year-old historic and beloved venue is ready for your next gathering or private event. The venue has been completely restored and remodeled to create a unique live event experience while preserving its 19th-century style. Irving Plaza offers a high-end VIP Lounge, a private bar, and balcony-level boxes with unobstructed stage views for the best seat in the house. It also has a large Music Hall, expanded lobby, and bar area for multipurpose and curated events. – New York Concert Venues
9. The Mercury Lounge
Contact: +1 212-260-4700
The Mercury Lounge, located on New York City’s Lower East Side, is one of the city’s most iconic live music venues. It shares the same acoustics and no-fuss, rock n’ roll presentation as its namesake venue, The Mercury Ballroom. It’s no surprise, then, that it’s been named one of Billboard Magazine’s top ten venues of all time. With a capacity of approximately people, the Mercury Lounge has launched the careers of some of New York’s most talented bands.
A scholarly account of the Mercury Lounge’s history and place in the broader history of rock music in New York and Lower Manhattan has been published. Michael Swier founded the Mercury Lounge along with his brother Michael Winch and brother-in-law Brian Swier to open a chain of venues and a promotions company. When Bowery acquired AEG, the founders of the two venues decided to keep their independence and began booking their shows instead of joining forces with Bowery. – New York Concert Venues
10. Webster Hall
Contact: +1 888-226-0076
Webster Hall is an iconic nightclub and concert venue situated on East Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues, at the corner of Astor Place in New York City’s East Village. It has been a theater and event venue in New York City since it was built as a “hall for hire” to host social events of all kinds. The Bollinger brothers opened the club, which now seats people and serves as a traditional venue for corporate events as well as a recording studio.
A scholarly account of the history of the club and the wider history of the rock music scene in Lower Manhattan has been published. In February, BSE Global acquired the operating rights and assets of the venue, and after nearly two years of renovations, the venue reopened in April. – New York Concert Venues
11. Barclays Center
Contact: +1 917-618-6100
The Barclays Center is an indoor multipurpose arena in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. It is home to the National Basketball Association Brooklyn Nets and the Women’s National Basketball Association New York Liberty. The arena is also used for concerts, conventions, and other sporting events. The Barclays Center is part of a multi-billion dollar future mixed-use business and residential complex that will be known as the Pacific Park.
The arena was first proposed when real estate mogul Bruce Rather bought the Nets for $1 million as the initial step in the process of building a new arena for the team. The arena faced several challenges during its construction, including the use of eminent domain, which raised concerns about the arena’s potential environmental impact, as well as the demolition of residential buildings and businesses, including the Ward Bakery, Freddy’s Bar, and the use of large amounts of public funding, which resulted in multiple lawsuits. – New York Concert Venues
12. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Contact: +1 212-875-5456
The Lincoln Center for the Performed Arts is an -acre residential and performing arts complex located in Lincoln Square on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. It features thirty buildings, both indoor and outdoor, and hosts 5 million visitors each year. The center is home to the world-renowned performing arts organizations of the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Juilliard School, among others. The Lincoln Center was built by a group of civic leaders and philanthropists, led by and on the initiative of John D.
Rockefeller, Jr., as part of the “Lincoln Square Resurrect Project” during Robert Moses’s program of New York’s urban renewal. respected architects designed the major buildings. Rockefeller became the inaugural president of the Lincoln Center and, upon his resignation, served as its chairman. He is said to have raised more than half of the $1.5 billion private funding needed to construct the complex, including contributions from his funds, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Numerous architects were hired to construct various parts of the center. – New York Concert Venues
13. Blue Note Records
Contact: +1 866-682-4413
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label in the United States owned and operated by Universal Music Group. It was founded by German Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion & Max Margulies and named itself after the blue notes found in jazz and blues. Initially, the label concentrated on recording traditional jazz & small group swing, but gradually began to focus on modern jazz. Over the course of the 20th century, Blue Note became one of the most successful, influential, and respected jazz labels in the mid-century, credited with contributing to the growth of hard bop, post-bop, and avant-garde jazz as well as iconic modernist artistic direction.
Some of the most notable artists who recorded for Blue Note include Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Grant Green, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutchinson, Jackie McLean, and many more. During its heyday, the photographer and graphic artist, Reid Miles, created a number of iconic album covers. These covers were often accompanied by session photos taken by Francis Wolff. – New York Concert Venues
14. Village Vanguard
Contact: +1 212-255-4037
The Village Vanguard was a jazz club. It was founded by Max Gordon and opened in February. Initially, the club featured folk music as well as beat poetry. However, it has since become primarily a jazz venue and has hosted many famous jazz musicians. Today, it is the oldest jazz club in the city. Max Gordon opened The Village Vanguard on Charles Street at the corner of 7th Avenue South in Manhattan. He wanted the club to be a place where poets and artists could hang out and where musical performances could take place.
Unfortunately, the club lacked the necessary facilities, and Gordon was denied a cabaret permit by the police department. He wrote in his autobiography, “I knew that if I wanted to be successful in nightclubs, I had to find another club with two toilets, two exits, and two hundred feet from a church, a synagogue, or a school, and the rent was less than a month.” He then moved his business to the Golden Triangle speakeasy on the Avenue South. – New York Concert Venues
15. Apollo Theater
Contact: +1 212-531-5300
The Apollo Theater is a multipurpose theater located on West Street in the Upper Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem, New York City, United States. It is one of the most popular venues for black American performers and is home to the television series Showtime. Designed by George Keister in the neo-gothic style, the theater has approximately 300 seats across three levels.
Both the facade and the interior are New York City-designated landmarks and are on the National Register of historic places. The theater is operated by the nonprofit Apollo Theater Foundation, which also operates two smaller theaters and a recording studio. The longest-running event at the Apollo Theater is the weekly amateur night at the Apollo, where the audience judges the quality of novice acts.
The theater has featured many of the most famous performers, and has commissioned many works and held educational programs. Numerous musical, dance, theater, and comedy acts have been performed at the Apollo Theater over the years, with several artists often appearing on the same bill at the same time. – New York Concert Venues
16. PlayStation Theater
Contact: +1 212-930-1950
The new Palladium Times Square is a live events venue located in the heart of New York City. It opened in September and features a standing-room orchestra section and a large seating area towards the back of the theater. The venue was designed by David Rockwell and is located at One Astor Plaza at Broadway and St. The theater was originally built as the Loews Aston plaza theater, a movie theater run by Loews theaters.
The theater closed in August, and the space was leased to the Anschutz entertainment group, who converted it into a live event venue at an estimated $21 million in total cost. The PlayStation Theater closed in December after a series of shows by the Philadelphia trance fusion band Disco Biscuits. The space reopened as Palladium Times Square. – New York Concert Venues
17. Gramercy Theatre
Contact: +1 212-614-6932
Gramercy Theater is a live music venue in Manhattan, New York, United States. It is situated on East Street in Manhattan’s Gramercy district. The Gramercy Theater was originally built as a concert venue. It is one of Live Nation’s two concert venues in New York. the theater was bought by Cinema V. Cinema V is a company that specializes in art-film presentations and distribution. Don Rugoff, the president of Cinema V, inherited the company from his father, who started the Rugoff & Becker theaters chain.
Rugoff expanded the chain by adding several venues, including Gramercy. The theater changed from a single booking to a double booking, which was a new concept for the era. The moviegoers were treated to a variety of films, including foreign films, subtitled mainstream films, Disney movies, and a variety of revivals. The theater also had an unusual policy of not allowing admittance toward the end of the movie. The waiting area also served coffee. – New York Concert Venues
18. Brooklyn Steel
Contact: +1 888-929-7849
The venue was named “Brooklyn Steel” by Rolling Stone and was named one of the Top 10 Live Music Venues in America. The venue was named after the original steel manufacturing plant that housed the venue. Most of the original steel from the building was recycled into the venue. There is a main floor with a balcony, restrooms, and bars. LCD Sound system played 10 shows at the venue and Wild Nothing recorded their live album “Live at Brooklyn Steel” at the venue.
LCD Sound system announced that they would be playing shows at the venue between November and December. This was the first concerts since the band’s departure from New York City, and the band said they would cancel the concerts if enough people cancelled their tickets for a refund on AXS. – New York Concert Venues
19. The Bowery Presents
Contact: +1 212-375-1200
Bowery Presents is one of AEG Live’s regional partners on the East Coast. They own and operate multiple venues in NYC, Boston, Philly, NJ, New Orleans, VA, and Maine, with capacities ranging from people to people. The company was co-founded by John Moore and Michael Swier, along with Michael Winsch, Brian Swier, and Jim Clancy, former CEO of Live Nation. The company partnered with Michael Swier and Michael Winch and began to expand into larger venues in NYC, including Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre, as well as Central Park Summer Stage and Madison Square Garden.
The company began to expand into other regions, including New Jersey and Maine, as well as Boston and Philadelphia. AEG Live announced that it had acquired a majority stake in the company, and the company terminated its relationship with the Bowery Presents. The Bowery now operates under the management of Jim Glance and John Moore. – New York Concert Venues
20. Joe’s Pub
Contact: +1 212-967-7555
Joe’s Pub, one of The Public Theater’s six performance spaces, is a music club and restaurant that features live performances of a wide variety of genres and arts, including cabaret, modern dance, and world music. Joe’s Pub is located at the corner of Lafayette Street and Astor Place in the Manhattan borough of New York City. The Public Theater was founded by Joseph Pap, a theatrical producer who founded The New York Shakespeare Festival, The Public Theater, and Shakespeare in the Park.
The venue played host to some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Amy Winehouse, Adele, and the Foo Fighters, all of whom performed headlining concerts for the first time in the United States. In its 50th anniversary year, Joe’s Pub was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Best Clubs in America. – New York Concert Venues
