Last Dance: Lafayette Street live music venue closes tonight after just 4 months

The Dance, the live music venue opened by Billy Jones (Baby’s All Right, Elvis Guesthouse) last fall, closes tonight after four months and change at 428 Lafayette St.

As Brooklyn Vegan first reported: "With astronomical Manhattan rent and a lack of overnight profits, investors allegedly got cold feet and have pulled the plug."

The Dance released this statement on Instagram:

We were invited into this project by a team that we felt, like us, were dedicated to proving Culture could live and thrive again in Manhattan. It was a long, hard, and complicated development process for everyone involved. When we finally opened to the public in October, we were already facing many significant challenges, both logistical and financial.

In spite of those challenges, we set about in making The Dance something truly special. Over its short lifespan, The Dance felt like an incredible moment of creativity and rejuvenated nightlife in a borough that desperately needed it.

Unfortunately, the ownership group has respectively decided to pull the plug on this dream and go in another direction, thus ending The Dance as it is known today. We’re personally devastated about all of this because we, along with so many artists, promoters, agents, and staff, have put so much time, energy and heart into this labor of love.

We’re very sorry for the inconvenience it caused all the acts and parties that were scheduled and the fans who were excited to come to The Dance especially those that never got a chance. We will do everything we can to make things right...

The venue closes up after tonight's sold-out show by U.S. Girls. Shows scheduled there in the weeks ahead are being moved elsewhere.

The Dance, featuring multiple spaces, including a main stage room that could hold 250 people, officially opened in October in the landmarked Colonnade Row just south of Astor Place.

During its short run, the place hosted an impressive array of shows, including Wavves, Beach Fossils, DIIV, Twin Peaks, Wild Nothing, James Chance and Shannon & the Clams, among many others.

This had been a long time in the making. The Times first mentioned that an "indie music hall and restaurant" was coming to this address in October 2016. No word on the status of the pending restaurant in the space above the Dance.

About the for rent sign outside Somtum Der on Avenue A

A for rent sign arrived outside 85 Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street this past week.

An EVG reader asked if this meant that Somtum Der, the Thai restaurant, was going to be closing.

The sign is for the subterranean space, not Somtum Der. As previously noted in January, the storefront below the restaurant that previously housed Elvis Guesthouse is on the rental market.

There's a new broker now... and a new price. (Was $11,500 in January; $9,000 now.)

Here's the latest listing:

An East Village iconic location which housed Arrow Bar and most recently Elvis Guesthouse is back on the market. Approximately 1000 square feet of unique space. Surrounded by DROM, a Thai Restaurant, Sushi Restaurant and several established small commercial rentals. The asking price is approximate $9,000/mo. The best use of this space is a restaurant/bar.

Space is offered as-is and any prospective tenants will have to do a walk-through. It is advisable you bring professionals (engineer/architect/plumber, etc) to determine build-out costs. Landlord will grant concessions relative to build-out work.

Please note: There shall be NO cabaret, NO live performances allowed and NO dancing. The landlord is VERY STRICT on this.

During its two-year run, Elvis Guesthouse drew some noise complaints about the bands and DJs who performed in the subterranean space from residents who live building.

Elvis Guesthouse closed after service on New Year's Eve.

Elvis Guesthouse space for rent at 85 Avenue A

Elvis Guesthouse reportedly wrapped up its nearly two-year run on New Year's Eve at 85 Avenue A.

The bar, located in a subterranean space between Fifth Street and Sixth Street, had featured an impressive array of DJs and live music during its time (which also annoyed a few neighbors).

According to the listing at Eastern Consolidated, the asking rent for the 1,100-square-foot space below Somtum Der is $11,500. Not to mention $275,000 in key money.

Elvis Guesthouse co-owners Zachary Mexico and Billy Jones, who operate Baby's All Right in Williamsburg, are opening a venue on Lafayette near Astor Place described as an "an indie music hall and restaurant."

2 live music venues, Cake Shop and Elvis Guesthouse, closing after New Year's Eve

[EVG file photo of Elvis Guesthouse]

Live music takes another hit as two venues are shutting down after New Year's Eve.

• Elvis Guesthouse, 85 Avenue A

The bar, located in a subterranean space between Fifth Street and Sixth Street, recently confirmed — via Brooklyn Vegan — the rumors of a pending closure.

The venue opened in early 2015 ... and by November 2015 had drawn complaints from neighbors who say the owners didn't do enough to mitigate the noise from the space. At that time they were said to cut back on the number of shows in the space.

Elvis Guesthouse co-owners Zachary Mexico and Billy Jones, who operate Baby's All Right in Williamsburg, are opening a venue on Lafayette near Astor Place described as an "an indie music hall and restaurant."

• Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow St.

The 11-year-old cafe/live music venue between Stanton and Rivington has had its share of financial struggles ... which owners Nick and Andy Bodor were able to overcome with a crowdfunding campaign in 2012.

Earlier this year, the owners were looking to sell the ground floor cafe/bar while maintaining the well-curated live-music spot downstairs.

BoweryBoogie has more on what's ahead for the space via an email from the Bodors...

We will close for improvements January 1, and reopen as soon as possible, but the end of Cake Shop in its current incarnation is this coming New Year’s Eve. Tonight is the start of some very, very special goodbye shows, and we’d love to see you all!!

Location and sustainability in our current and long running model have been an issue for more than a long time, as I’m sure you’ve heard me whine about for years. As beloved to you and me as it is, we are failing to keep up with the bills, we have been for years. It’s been the longest, most fulfillable, most enjoyable project of my entire life.

You can find a list of their final shows here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Comeback special: Arrow Bar owners opening Elvis Guesthouse on Avenue A

Elvis Guesthouse officially ready for occupancy tonight

Report: Live music ends for now at Elvis Underground

Cake Shop will rock on

'Indie music hall and restaurant' in the works for Colonnade Row

The other day, the Times checked in with a roundup of fall bar openings.

Here's one intriguing new venue: The owners of Elvis Guesthouse on Avenue A and Baby's All Right in Williamsburg are reportedly opening "an indie music hall and restaurant" at 428 Lafayette St. (See photo above with helpful arrow.)

The preview didn't mention that this will be in Colonnade Row, the landmarked series of Greek revival buildings near Astor Place. No. 428 is next door to Indochine.

The unnamed, two-level venue will be similar to Baby's All Right, with a bar and restaurant. Said Co-owner Billy Jones: "If you have a space and the rent is so high, you have to come up with creative ways to activate it for longer periods of time." Said co-owner Zachary Mexico: "Pay your rent with brunch."

There wasn't any mention of a possible opening date.

Report: Live music ends for now at Elvis Underground

Elvis Guesthouse, which has hosted some pretty good shows since opening back in February, is temporarily suspending its live music program, The Village Voice reports.

The bar, located in a subterranean space at 85 Avenue A between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street, has reportedly been drawing complaints from residents who live in the building.

Elvis Guesthouse co-owners Zachary Mexico and Billy Jones, who operate Baby's All Right in Williamsburg, were also behind the previous occupant here, Arrow Bar, which closed in January.

Per Mexico in the Voice:

"There was a bar there that wasn’t very busy, but then it became a bar that was pretty busy, and people were not used to having people out there and they got upset – that’s it. Anywhere where the real estate value – both of commercial rent and apartment rent – is this high, it’s always going to be difficult. Neighbors complain. And when neighbors complain all kind of other stuff starts happening."

He hopes to come to some resolution with neighbors and the live music by the end of the year.

Back to the Voice:

"Our landlords are not bad people. They’re just trying to protect their tenants. And the tenants aren’t bad people, they just live in a building on a crowded street and don’t like people hanging around smoking and being loud. Everything can be worked out. Everything can always be worked out."

Tonight's concert featuring Wild Moth and Perfect Pussy is still on… and it will be the last for now.

This is a busy stretch of Avenue A, with people waiting for tables at Thai hotspot Somtum Der above Elvis Guesthouse as well as next door at sushi restaurant Takahachi and the live music venue Drom below that.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Comeback special: Arrow Bar owners opening Elvis Guesthouse on Avenue A

Elvis Guesthouse officially ready for occupancy tonight

Elvis Guesthouse officially ready for occupancy tonight

Elvis Guesthouse, the subterranean space at 85 Avenue A between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street, has been in soft-open mode since February.

Now co-owner Zachary Mexico, who also runs Baby's All Right in Williamsburg, passes along word that the bar officially opens tonight.

The bar will have a rotating group of DJs, including Chances With Wolves. There will also be an occasional live act as well. (Punk duo Girlpool played back in February.)

Gothamist had a preview here.

Mexico and Billy Jones previously ran the Arrow Bar here, which closed in January.

Image by Clay Williams/Gothamist

Previously on EV Grieve:
Comeback special: Arrow Bar owners opening Elvis Guesthouse on Avenue A

Comeback special: Arrow Bar owners opening Elvis Guesthouse on Avenue A

[85 Avenue A]

Arrow Bar, the subterranean space with a good happy hour at 85 Avenue A between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street, closed last month.

The same owners (who also run Baby's All Right in Williamsburg) have now turned the space into a venue called Elvis Guesthouse. There was a soft opening this past Friday night featuring DJs and the Los Angeles-based punk duo Girlpool. Brooklyn Vegan has a rundown on the show with a lot of photos.

And this arrived in our inbox last week...

On August 16, 1977, the morning after Elvis Presley theoretically met his end on the toilet in Graceland, a chubby man in a white linen suit and an ill-fitting blonde wig bought a one way ticket from Memphis to Istanbul. He paid in cash and used the name John Burrows.

Once he arrived in Turkey, he bounced around the hippie trail, hitchhiking from Tehran to Peshawar, Kabul to Lahore, Delhi to Goa, Kathmandu to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Instead of staying in the finest hotels, where he would have certainly been noticed, he bunked in guesthouses, small lodgings run by local families and foreign Heads.

In 1979, political changes in the Middle East put an end to the hippie trail. John had grown tired of his nomadic lifestyle and settled on the outskirts of Kathmandu, where he opened a small bar inspired by his years spent in guesthouses. He named it ELVIS GUESTHOUSE.

After the place had been open for a year, John disappeared one day. A gin soaked journalist claimed to have spotted him on the beach in Occupied Cambodia, and others said that he had made his way into the ethnic minority areas of Southwest China. Eventually, the building was demolished to make way for a shopping mall. But a few photos of the bar survived, and we have created its exact replica here.

We haven't heard anything just yet about an official opening date for the bar.