The 31st edition of a Night of 1000 Stevies — the longest-running Stevie Nicks fan event on the planet (Earth) — is happening this Saturday night ... back at Irving Plaza for the first time since 2019.
About this year's Steviethon:
This year's theme pays homage to the many angels in Stevie's songs and artwork, including the iconic Fleetwood Mac title song "Angel," in her songs "Sleeping Angel," "Street Angel" and many more. A tribute will note the passing of her longtime bandmate and stage angel Christine McVie.
The recently renovated Irving Plaza is announcing something this morning at 10... likely reopening plans for the venue here on Irving Place at 15th Street... (Updated: They announced 41 shows starting in August.)
The 1,200-capacity music venue closed back in July 2019 for what was to be an eight-month rehab, which ended up putting the potential reopening right at the start of the pandemic PAUSE in March 2020.
As for the renovations, here's what Pollstar reported:
Improvements at the 150-year-old Union Square building will include revamps of the lobby area and the music hall, new bars on all levels of the venue, a new downstairs VIP lounge, and the remodeling of the mezzanine including a new box-seating section configuration located on the mezzanine.
The venue has been in use for concerts for 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 concert hall, where EVG once saw Dogstar for some reason.
In late 2017, Michael Swier, co-owner of Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge and an original founder of the Bowery Presents, and Live Nation Entertainment created promotions and booking venture called Mercury East Presents. Their combined venues include the Mercury Lounge, Bowery Ballroom, Irving Plaza, Gramercy Theatre and Warsaw. The other facilities already have shows books in the months ahead.
Irving Plaza, the 1,200-capacity music venue on Irving Place and 15th Street, closed back in July for an eight-month rehab.
For anyone interested in renovation updates, the Irving Plaza Instagram account (where we spotted this top photo) is now promising weekly updates ahead of its reopening in the first quarter of 2020.
As for the renovations, here's Billboardwith the story from this past April:
[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.
The 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 ...
Irving Plaza is now officially closed for an eight-month rehab. The 1,200-capacity music venue on Irving Place and 15th Street closed after a show Sunday night featuring headliner Anberlin.
As for the renovations, here's Billboardwith the story from this past April:
[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.
Live Nation officials have said the venue will reopen in the first quarter of 2020.
The 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 ...
As for more recent history, here are some bands that I've seen at the Irving Plaza in recent years... courtesy of the framed posters at the venue...
[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.
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.
According to various published reports, one man died and three others were wounded in a shooting at Irving Plaza where rapper T.I. was headlining last night.
A 33-year-old man who was shot in the stomach died at Beth Israel, police sources told NBC 4.
With the headliner T.I. set to appear, the chaos erupted backstage shortly after 10 p.m., with a fight in a green room above the stage of the Union Square venue, NYPD officials and witnesses told the Daily News.
Hip hop artists Maino and Uncle Murda were performing when the sudden sound of gun shots sent hundreds into a frenzy.
An employee told The News that the carnage started as a beef between two rival crews associated with Maino and rapper Troy Ave. The gunman and the victims were all credentialed guests with access to the VIP area, a source said.
There's one report confirming that Crown Heights-based Troy Ave was shot in the leg. There are unconfirmed reports that the man who died was Troy Ave's manager.
Police say they're investigating how the gun(s) got into the venue on Irving Place at East 15th Street with the metal detectors set up.
Updated noon:
DNAinfo has more here... along with this Bratton quote: "The investigation is moving forward very rapidly and we expect to close it quickly," NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said Thursday during a radio interview on 710 WOR.
Updated 7 p.m.
Police have arrested Troy Ave in the shooting, via Gothamist. His friend and bodyguard, Ronald "Banga" McPhatter, was also confirmed as the fatality in the shooting.
The NYPD also released this surveillance video... showing a man who police ID'd as Troy Ave firing a gun ...
"The fact of the matter is that [the] shooting took place in a location where a man had a beef and a gun," says Steve Adelman, VP of the Event Safety Alliance and head of Adelman Law Group. "That's obviously not specific to a genre of music, location of the club or much of anything else. It could have happened anywhere where those two criteria exist, including an elementary school, a movie theater or a military base."
And:
Historically, violence at rap shows often occurs in areas where artists and their entourages enter discreetly, such as backstage, VIP areas, green rooms or at off-site afterparties; this may have been the case at Irving Plaza on Wednesday, since talent and crew frequently use the building's smaller entrance on East 15th Street rather than its front doors. Given these areas are relatively exclusive, security is tight as far as access (one must have the proper laminate or sticker), but lax on metal detectors and pat-downs. From the smallest club to the highest-capacity stadiums and festivals, too often "whatever wants to walk in through the back door walks in through the back door," observes Peter Tempkins, managing director, entertainment, for HUB International, a leading insurance brokerage firm covering the live business.
Hanson is halfway through a two-night stand at the Irving Plaza to celebrate the release of their latest release, "Anthem."
Hanson, of course, was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, its best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists.
OK. I know that's not funny.
Anyway, EVG reader Christina spotted people sleeping outside on the sidewalk this morning for tonight's show. And as for last evening's show? Per Christina: "A lot of screaming happened. Not as much as when the Jonas Brothers were there, but still a lot of 30 year olds were having a really good time."
"Middle of Nowhere," which the brothers released in 1997, sold 10 million copies worldwide.
I really always hated the crappy looking sign...But! You know, Irving Plaza recently got its name back from the Evil Empire (read more here at Stupefaction...)
I haven't been on Irving Place for a few weeks... Thanks to EV Grieve reader evilnyc for these shots of the new old marquee from last night...
To build a replica of the old marquee, Live Nation hired Ken Lubin, a graphic designer who specializes in signs for Broadway theaters. (He removed the original Irving Plaza marquee in 2007 when he installed the new one for the Fillmore, which he made.) It wasn’t easy, Mr. Lubin said, because the old one had been left in an alley behind the club, with chunks of it missing. But there was just enough to serve as a model for its stainless-steel letters and red neon lighting.
“They wanted it to have the look and feel of what it was prior to changing it over to the Fillmore,” Mr. Lubin said.
Uhhhh, as someone who has attended and worked shows there. Where are they planning on setting up operations? does anybody actually think about eating when they got to a show there? Or, perhaps this will be one of "lifestyle marketing" attempts at sucking off what money is left with the music buying public. $7 budweiser and a $15 puck personal pan cardboard pizza. AWESOME!!!! maybe MOMOFUCKO can open a flavored milk stand? this AINT rock n'roll.
Eater reports that Wolfgang Puck will be catering the food at the Fillmore thingee that should really just be called the Irving Plaza. "Tellers at the venue tell us that Puck has taken over the bar areas and will introduce food sometime in the next two months. And finally, your chance to watch Spoon while eating a pre-wrapped turkey sandwich has arrived."
The show is produced by longtime East Village residents (and NOTS founders) Chi Chi Valenti and Johnny Dynell. 
