The KING of New York City Live Music Makes a Royale Entrance in Boston.
The Bowery Presents is set to put on 100 shows a year at the re-vamped Roxy, now Royale, capitalizing on a void in the Live Nation evil empire and expanding Boston's developing music market. Bands that can't quite fill House of Blues, but are too big for Paradise, will fit perfectly and will see their new home at Royale as not only a suitable place to grow but also as an invitation into the club of bands that have had their careers launched by this thriving company.
The Bowery Presents is known for developing young acts through a range of appropriately sized venues in New York City, one for every step in a band's career, and with their first big step into the Boston market seek to take the ball out of the Live Nation's hands and put it back in the hands of the musicians. The Bowery Presents creates a loyalty among bands that rewards bands for hard work and dedication to getting their fans out to see them. From the 200 capacity Mercury Lounge, bands graduate to Bowery Ballroom at 600 capacity, and some make it all the way up to Terminal 5 or even Madison Square Garden. The Bowery Presents thrives on developing talent in a way that Live Nation has turned their back on. They give emerging bands a loyal friend in the business and will become Boston's new backbone in independent live music. According to Boston Music Spotlight, the first chance to see Bowery Presents in action at Royale will be with Public Image LTD., with Sex Pistols leading man Johnny Rotten driving the bus, on May 4th and 5th. GO TO THIS SHOW.
The Bowery Presents Boston arm will include a new office, a strategic partnership, and will be filling a piece of the market missing in Boston. According to an article in the Boston Globe, dated February 24th, 2010, "Boston is an unusual concert market, because it does not have many mid-size venues. Booking agents often face a question of whether an act can sell 500 tickets or 2,500, because there is not much in between." (
http://tinyurl.com/ydp7nmq) With a capacity right around 1,000, Royale will fit perfectly. While the similarities in stature among bands that now play HoB, and the bands that will play Royale, will be similar, The Bowery Presents will challenge Live Nation for diversity in programming. In an article last week in The New York Times, Jim Glancy, a Bowery partner, was quoted “It’s a fantastic market,” Mr. Glancy said. “The type of music we book totally lends itself to Boston.” (
http://tinyurl.com/yao66lf) Their success in the New York City market, an ever-competitive place, the new expansion to Boston will be a force to be reckoned with, one that Live Nation will struggle to keep up with. There is a new competition brewing the live music market, with the fans benefiting most, and the answer to the question seems to be Bowery Presents. In a later article, also in the Globe, the question is already answered. "Royale co-owner
Dave Ralph says, "It’s really good for music in Boston", adding that Bowery tends to deal with up-and-coming acts that will work well at Royale, which has a concert capacity that falls between the Paradise Rock Club and the House of Blues. Artists that have been booked by the Bowery group at venues around New York have included the White Stripes, Bright Eyes, and more commercial acts such as
John Mayer." (
http://tinyurl.com/ygt7fey) (at left, John Mayer Secret Show at Bowery Presents' first born, Mercury Lounge, 200 cap., last year) The Bowery Presents will bring life back to the Boston music market, marking an immediate alternative to the Live Nation powerhouse that has neglected the emerging artists that are so important to the future of music.
There's also the money. The Boston Globe, in the article referenced above quoted Pollstar in saying, "[...] the House of Blues sold 314,597 tickets in 2009, restoring luster to the city’s diminished nightlife scene since Avalon and Axis closed in 2007 and outdrawing well-established venues in New York (Hammerstein Ballroom), San Francisco (the Fillmore), and Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)." (
http://tinyurl.com/ydp7nmq) Note that none of the venues listed are associated with Bowery Presents. With this new addition, that falls directly into the wheelhouse of House of Blues - meaning Live Nation will be faced with a direct competitor to the club with the highest number of ticket sales in the country in it's class, and direct competition to their talent buyers. Bowery Presents has the advantage here, as the developing talent will surely follow them out of New York City to Boston trusting the hold that Bowery has on that market and the community that they've developed. The company has grown organically, filling the need at every level. Looking back, the two original partners, both of whom invested personally in opening Mercury Lounge by maxing out credit cards, should be very proud of the movement they've created.
It's an exciting time for Boston, marking a competition that will not only benefit musicians, but also the fans, with more and more programming, and more options. If you're going to SXSW, check out The Bowery Presents showcases. It'll be a perfect taste of the genius booking this company regularly executes.
GO TO THIS SHOW:
IFC Crossroads House @ SXSW (612 Brazos St.)
Daily from 11am-7pm.
http://austinist.com/2010/03/04/sxsw_party_update_brooklynvegan_ifc_1.php
