East Village photographer's fascination with empty bars at dawn is the subject of a new book

Photo at McSorley's by Daniel Root 

An East Village photographer's "bars at dawn" series has seen the light of day! 

While out on early morning walks in recent years (dating to 2016), Daniel Root began taking pictures through the windows or doors of empty neighborhood bars at daybreak. The shots became part of an ongoing #nybarsatdawn project on Instagram. In the end, he shot 974 bars and walked some 1,500 miles. 

Now that project in the subject of a new book, "New York Bars at Dawn," which debuted yesterday via Abbeville Press. The book includes 200 of his most compelling bar portraits, many of them in the East Village. 

A description: 

Nearly every day, Daniel Root sets out before sunrise to wander the streets of Manhattan with his camera. In those comparatively quiet hours, the entire city wears a different face, but Root is particularly fascinated by the scenes to be glimpsed through the windows of its bars. Empty of patrons and illuminated by an odd mix of artificial lights — neon beer ads, red EXIT signs, a single bulb above the cash register — they present a more hushed and mysterious aspect than in the busy evening hours. Nonetheless, each one — whether a dive bar, a sports bar, or a restaurant bar — still conveys an individual character, a distinct personality. 

We interviewed Root about the project in 2019. Revisit that Q&A here.

There is a book signing at 7B/Horseshoe Bar/Vazac's — which graces the book cover — on Seventh Street and Avenue B Friday evening from 6-8.

This post's for you: The East Village connection behind Neil Young's new box set

Photo by Daniel Root

Today, Neil Young delivers Official Release Series #4 as a box set. 

And there's an East Village connection to this four-LP/CD collection of Young's music from the 1980s.

Gracing the cover is a photo of Young that East Village-based photographer Daniel Root shot in 1988 at the long-gone venue The World on Avenue C and Second Street. (Read more about The World in this article.) 

How did this selection happen? 

"Neil picked it from their files," Root told me. "I suggested alternatives, but they said once he picked it, that was it." 

I asked Root a few questions about all this, starting with the night he took the photos. 

What I remember about the night was the packed house and the decrepit state of the place. It looked like the balcony and/or the chandelier could come down at any minute. Don’t remember much about the music except for the taping horn section and Neil’s wonderfully unhinged solos, but that’s usual for me when I shoot live shows and music videos. I’m listening for the "form of the music" more than the music itself. When I say form I mean I listening for "here comes a solo, here comes the big finish, group interaction, last song of the encore is about done and get ready for the big group hug/wave/smile." 

And on the selection process... 

The amount of luck and happenstance that got all this together is somewhat amazing. Shot in 1988, the stock photo house that represented my music photos sent them to him. They sent back most of them but kept some. The Neil Young Archives found them in the drawer when they decided to put out a 1980s collection and he picked that one. 

Thankfully the slide was still stamped with my name and phone, and thankfully none of that had changed. They had to clean it because it was in a drawer for 35 years but they did a great job. 

The release date was pushed back three times over two years. I started thinking it wasn't going to happen.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• After the last call: East Village photographer captures bars at dawn 

'Gimme Five Minutes' with East Village photographer Daniel Root

East Village-based photographer Daniel Root (we've featured his work here and here) is the subject of a new exhibit that opens today at LaMama Gallery on Great Jones.

Here's more via the EVG inbox:

"Gimme Five Minutes: Daniel Root's Production Stills (1984-2005)" includes more than 300 prints of Root's photographs, featuring an impressive cast of pop culture icons illuminating the downtown ethos. The images impress that production stills and quick portraits are in their own right a separate and unique art form. In addition, the exhibition will be supported by archival material from the artist's collection, including professional artifacts, ephemera, CRT video installation, and live performances.

Some of the downtown personalities in the photos include Lydia Lunch, Ann Magnuson, Joey Arias, Tina Weymouth and Chris Franz. Other photos on display include Frank Zappa, Cher, Mary J. Blige, Jimmy Cliff and Robert Smith.

The opening is tonight at 6 and features live performances by Helixx C. Armageddon, Silver Relics and Augusto Machado

The exhibit is up through Dec. 12 at La MaMa Galleria, 47 Great Jones St. between the Bowery and Lafayette. Gallery hours: Thursday-Sunday 1-6 p.m. Find more details here. 

A bars at dawn slideshow tomorrow night

[Sophie's at dawn via Daniel Root]

Earlier this year, we highlighted an ongoing project of East Village-based photographer Daniel Root.

While out on morning walks, he began taking pictures through the windows or doors of empty neighborhood bars at daybreak. The shots became part of an ongoing #nybarsatdawn project on Instagram.

Tomorrow (Oct. 20) evening at 6:30 at the Sam & Sadie Koenig Garden on Seventh Street, Root will be sharing a sideshow from this project — which tallied 974 bars! — as well as offering commentary about the ongoing changes in downtown NYC....



The Sam & Sadie Koenig Garden is on Seventh Street (north side) between Avenue C and Avenue D...



Previously on EV Grieve:
After the last call: East Village photographer captures bars at dawn