Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Report: Irving Plaza closing for 8-month renovation


[That time I saw the Damned last October]

Just as Webster Hall is returning to concert action, another area music venue is closing for renovations.

Irving Plaza on Irving Place and 15th Street will close this summer for an 8-month rehab.

Billboard has the story:

[T]he renovations at Irving Plaza will be overseen by Live Nation clubs and theaters division and include revamps of the lobby area and the music hall, new bars on all levels, the addition of a downstairs VIP lounge and remodeling of the mezzanine including a new box-seating section configuration.

Shows are booked through June 30. Live Nation officials say the venue will reopen in 2020 after eight months of work.

The 1,200-capacity venue has been in use for concerts the past 41 years. The Polish Army Veterans of America have owned the building since 1948.

Here's more history via the Irving Plaza website:

Originally, the building was four separate brownstones, which were eventually combined into a hotel in the 1870s. In 1927, the building was gutted and turned into a ballroom-style theater and christened Irving Plaza.

Over the next few decades Irving Plaza would serve as a union meeting house, a performance space for folk dance troupes, and a Polish Army Veteran community center, as well as a venue for the Peoples Songs Hootenannies with Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie.

In 1978, Irving Plaza was converted into a rock music venue ...

I've always liked the Irving Plaza, though not everyone shares that sentiment.
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 3, 2019 at 8:50 AM

    Finally! WE MUST HAVE SOCIAL CLASS CLEARLY DEFINED!
    "...addition of a downstairs VIP lounge..."

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 3, 2019 at 3:46 PM

    In 1978, The Plasmatics played the first ever “Rock” show at Irving Plaza. They sold out the venue every night and are why Irving Plaza became nationally known. If you don’t know who the the Plasmatics are, it’s time to learn...
    https://youtu.be/X1gmbBrRoEs

    ReplyDelete
  3. Scuba DivaApril 3, 2019 at 11:26 PM

    I recall (circa 1980 or so) the front of the marquee said "DOM ZOLNERZA;" at the time I didn't know what that meant, but clearly it meant "Soldiers' Club."

    (Remember the Dom on St. Mark's was composed of three brownstones.)

    I went there in 1980 or so, when they were called the Ritz.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Scuba DivaApril 5, 2019 at 1:21 PM

    Oops…two corrections:

    1) Spelling was "DOM ZOLNIERZA" with a slash through the second "Z."

    2) Duh…the Ritz was the former name of Webster Hall.

    ReplyDelete

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