Irving Plaza(known through sponsorship asIrving Plaza, powered by Klipsch[1]and formerly known as theFillmore New York at Irving Plaza) is aballroom-style music venue located within theUnion Squareneighborhood ofManhattaninNew York City.
 Irving Plaza's entrance in December 2018 | |
 | |
| Full name | Irving Plaza, powered by Klipsch |
|---|---|
| Former names | Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza(2007–2010) |
| Address | 17Irving Pl New York City,U.S. |
| Location | Union Square,Manhattan,New York City, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°44′6″N73°59′18″W/ 40.73500°N 73.98833°W |
| Public transit | New York City Subway:         at14th Street-Union Square NYCT Bus:M1,M2,M3,M14A,M14D,SIM7,SIM33,X27,X28 |
| Owner | Polish Army Veterans Association of America |
| Operator | Live Nation |
| Capacity | 1,200 |
| Opened | July 14, 1978 |
| Website | |
| irvingplaza | |
It was featured on theComplex City Guidelist of "50 Best Concert Venues of America" in 2013.[2]
History
editPolish Army veterans
editThe building was purchased by the Polish Army Veterans of America District 2 in 1948, and turned into a Polish-American community center. Generals and other distinguished Poles graced its stage including, in 1976, the futurePope John Paul II.[3]
Rock venue
editIn 1978, the hall was converted to arockmusic venue by futurePeppermint Loungepromoters Tom Goodkind and Frank Roccio, who after a year began to share promotional efforts with a "Club 57" crew headed by Jane Friedman and Louis Tropia.[4][5]Goodkind and Roccio brought in acts such as theB-52s,Talking Heads,theRamonesand, with Friedman and Tropia, a wealth of British bands, establishing the venue as a premier American location forpunkandnew wave.
The venue was reopened by Chuck Terzella in October 1983,[6]with management by Frank Gallagher and the English DJ Andy Dunkley,[7]presentingreggaeand other ethnic music, pluscollege rock,proclaiming in their ads "We don't have video".[8]Terzella's club filed forbankruptcyin December 1985, and closed in June 1986.[9]
Chris Williamson, who already promoted the punk and hard rock oriented "Rock Hotel" nights at the Ritz, then took over in November 1986.[10]He began programmingalternative rockoccasionally using the designation "Rock Motel". A New Year's Eve Rock Hotel show withThe Dictatorsturned nasty after the band initiated a food fight and a bouncer became upset and began beating up some of the patrons.[11]Plans by the Polish Veterans to convert the building to condos fell through. They had to spend $25,000 on bringing the venue up to firecode before, in April 1987, Chris Williamson re-opened the club, featuring improved sound and lights, with an inaugural multi-night stand ofBig Audio Dynamite.[12][13]Williamson continued putting on shows into 1988—including hosting the popular "Milky Way"hip hopnights—but, as Irving Place gentrified, there was increasing local opposition to the hall. A plan by Williamson to present a play in the winter of 1988 fell through and, in December 1988, it was announced that the club would close and be demolished and turned into condos.[13]The last show was The Ramones on December 31, 1988. Dee Dee Ramone praised the venue: "It was funky without being a dump."[13]
Ron Delsener took on management in the early 1990s.Live Nation,a spinoff ofClear Channel Communications,renovated and reopened Irving Plaza under the name "Fillmore New York At Irving Plaza" on April 11, 2007, reviving the name of the formerFillmore Eastin Manhattan'sEast Village,which had been open from 1968 to 1971.[14]However, in May 2010 Live Nation conceded that the new name had not caught on and due to "unrelenting demand" the name "Irving Plaza" would be restored as from June 23, 2010. A replica of the originalmarqueewas commissioned.[15]
On February 14, 2015,Paul McCartneyplayed a surprise show announced only that morning onTwitter.[16]
On May 25, 2016, four people were shot at aT.I.concert before T.I. took the stage. One of the victims died later at a hospital.[17]
In 2019, the venue closed for renovations, with completion anticipated in 2020.[18]After a fundraising concert that June,[19]the venue officially reopened in August 2021 with a forty-concert season that ran to May of 2022. The new capacity was 1,200 and the renovations included improved sightlines, a VIP Lounge and performer amenities. It is operated by Live Nation.[20]
See also
editReferences
editNotes
- ^"Audiovox's Klipsch puts name on amphitheater".Long Island Business News.The Dolan Company. Associated Press. October 28, 2011.RetrievedDecember 23,2016.
- ^Kimble, Jillian (May 10, 2013)."The 50 Best Concert Venues In America".Complex City Guide.RetrievedMay 31,2013.
- ^Dugan, George (September 5, 1976)."Polish Cardinal Warmly Greeted; Wojtyla Winds Up His Tour of the U.S. in New York".The New York Times.
- ^Rockwell, John (August 8, 1980)."After Politics, There's Rock, Disco or Pop Clubs to Visit".The New York Times.
Two organizations book concerts into the facility, with two different telephone numbers.
- ^Goodkind, Thomas S. (January 2, 2003)."Survivors of the Downtown Scene, Unite".Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2012.RetrievedJuly 6,2017.
- ^Jon, Pareles(October 5, 1983)."Rock: Devoto at Irving Plaze".The New York Times.RetrievedApril 3,2010.
- ^Christgau, Robert (January 8, 1985)."Human Jukebox".Village Voice.RetrievedMarch 24,2010.
- ^"Display ad in theEast Village Eyec. July 1984 "(JPG).Ephemeralnewyork.files.wordpress.
- ^"Irving Plaza Rock Club Closes for Lack of Rent".Arts.The New York Times.June 7, 1986.RetrievedApril 3,2010.
I used every resource I had to keep this place open for new music,he said.I'm tired, and I can't fight it anymore.
- ^Poster for Sonic Youth show November 22, 1986
- ^"Stop Breaking Down".The Village Voice.January 13, 1987 – via Google News.
- ^"Bowie, Frampton, Jimmy Cliff, Dave Stewart and Big Audio Dynamite".And what's next?.July 9, 2006.RetrievedMarch 24,2010.
- ^abcBrowne, David (December 25, 1988)."Curtains".City Lights.Daily News.
- ^Sisario, Ben (March 30, 2007)."Arts, Briefly; New Name for Irving Plaza".The New York Times.RetrievedJune 14,2009.
- ^Sisario, Ben (May 31, 2010)."Rethinking, Irving Plaza Keeps Its Maiden Name".The New York Times.RetrievedDecember 23,2016.
- ^Lawrence, Jesse (February 15, 2015)."Paul McCartney's V-Day Serenade: Beatles Legend Plays 1,000-Person Star-Studded Show in New York".Daily Beast.RetrievedMay 26,2016.
- ^Mele, Christopher (May 25, 2016)."One Fatally Shot and Three Wounded at T.I. Concert at Irving Plaza".The New York Times.RetrievedMay 26,2016.
- ^Brooks, Dave (April 2, 2019)."New York's Irving Plaza to Close for Eight-Month Renovation".Billboard.RetrievedJuly 9,2019.
- ^Nattress, Katrina (June 13, 2021)."Watch the Strokes Reopen NYC's Irving Plaza With 16-Song Set".RetrievedApril 7,2024.
- ^Angermiller, Michele Amabile (May 17, 2021)."Look Inside the Renovated Irving Plaza Ahead of New York Venue's Reopening in August".RetrievedApril 7,2024.
External links
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