Remembering the Stone

The Stone ended its 13-year residency on Avenue C and Second Street in late February. John Zorn relocated his experimental performance space to the Glass Box Theatre at the New School.

It was time for a change, he has said.

Sasha Frere-Jones talked with Zorn about the Stone for a piece published at Artforum yesterday.

An excerpt:

You know, thirteen years, we had a lot of complaints from artists about the space, about this, about that.

You would think they wouldn't complain.

But there's a variety of things to complain about! You know, I mean, not the best equipment in the world, there was a long time when it was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. We didn't really have a good air conditioner.

Right.

The radiator's clanking, the woman upstairs walks around, sometimes she waters her plants, overwaters it and the water comes dripping down. Someone left their barbecue chicken in the basement for a week and the stupid guy who's volunteering didn't clear it out, and it stinks, or a rat got to it, or someone saw a rat in the basement. Now that we've closed it, of course, it's a very nostalgic place now, now they're not remembering all of that.

It’s people talking about the East Village. “Oh, you should've been here.”

That’s bullshit. You want to relive your days of beatnik glory? Sorry man, it's now, it's today, this is what's happening. Dig it or get the fuck out. I don't live in the past. I'm very happy with the present.

Last weekend for the Stone on Avenue C

The Stone wraps up its 13-year run (some 7,500 performances, and no refreshments or merchandise!) this weekend on Avenue C at Second Street.

John Zorn announced back in December 2016 that he would be relocating his experimental performance space ... which turned out to be at the Glass Box Theatre at the New School. (Zorn has been hosting weekend residencies there since June.)

As the Voice reported in early 2017:

He will continue as artistic director of the nonprofit venue, with musicians doing all the curating and volunteers providing support. Artists will continue to receive all revenue from tickets, which will remain priced at $20. The seating capacity — 74 — will stay the same. “And our aesthetic will not alter one bit,” Zorn said.

For Zorn, the move isn’t one of need, his club’s lease wasn’t up. “It was simply time for a change,” he said.

The final show on Avenue C is Sunday night. Find the lineup of remaining shows here.

The corner space hit the market last August. The listing, which stipulated "no bars," is off the market as of Dec. 17.

The current home of The Stone is for rent on Avenue C

Late last year, John Zorn announced that The Stone, his experimental performance space on Avenue C (No. 15) at Second Street, would close in its current location in February 2018.

That space is now on the rental market, with a March 2018 move-in, per the listing. Here are a few details about the rental:

PRIME CORNER STORE
1000 sq. feet + 400ft basement.
Currently used as music performance space The Stone
Suitable for retail, office, white box gallery, etc. NO BARS
Rent on demand.

As you can see, the listing says NO BARS.

The Stone will be taking up residence in the New School's Glass Box Theater on West 13th Street beginning in March 2018, as the Voice first reported.

The Stone opened in 2005, and has played hosted to an estimated 7,000 performances.

The Stone is moving to the New School

Late last year, John Zorn announced that The Stone, his experimental performance space on Avenue C at Second Street, would close in its current location in February 2018.

Zorn told the Times that he hoped to find another venue. Now, as The Village Voice reports, Zorn and the Stone are taking up residence in the New School's Glass Box Theater on West 13th Street beginning in March 2018.

Here's the Voice with more:

In a physical sense, the move seems radical — from an unmarked windowless former Chinese restaurant at the far end of the East Village to a sleek climate-controlled space featuring a glass wall facing a busy Greenwich Village street.

“Nothing else will change,” Zorn said. He will continue as artistic director of the nonprofit venue, with musicians doing all the curating and volunteers providing support. Artists will continue to receive all revenue from tickets, which will remain priced at $20. The seating capacity — 74 — will stay the same. “And our aesthetic will not alter one bit,” Zorn said.

For Zorn, the move isn’t one of need, his club’s lease wasn’t up. “It was simply time for a change,” he said.

And via the news release on the move:

Beginning in March 2018, The Stone at The New School will operate five nights a week, presenting one show a night in The Glass Box Theater, a ground level performing arts space surrounded by windows to the street and Arnhold Hall lobby and designed as part of the gut renovation of much of Arnhold Hall, led by the architectural firm Deborah Berke Partners.

Starting this June, in anticipation of the formal move to The New School, The Stone at The New School will present two shows a week on Friday and Saturday evenings...

The news release includes a full listing of the weekend shows that will take place beginning in June.

The Stone opened in 2005, and has played hosted to an estimated 7,000 performances.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: The Stone said to be closing in 2018; new venue in the works

Report: The Stone said to be closing in 2018; new venue in the works

With news that Cake Shop and Elvis Guesthouse are closing after New Year's Eve, it has been a tough time for fans of the area's live music venues.

Now comes word via The New York Times that the current home of The Stone, John Zorn's experimental performance space on Avenue C at Second Street, will close, though not until February 2018.

Per the Times:

In an emailed statement, Mr. Zorn confirmed the timing of the closure, but added that there was a likely future for the Stone in another space. “We hope to secure a new location and discussions are proceeding but as yet nothing has been definitely decided,” he wrote.

“We do hope you will all enjoy this last year in our historic underground East Village location and that you will all follow the music wherever it leads...

Check out the Stone's schedule here for a look of what's to come in the year ahead.

The Stone opened in 2005.

A chance for people who shit their pants at least 3 times a month to get some recognition

Been a few months since we checked in on the wall outside The Stone on East Second Street at Avenue C. Been some back and forth with tagging the wall, painting the wall, tagging the wall, etc. In August, this appeared...

... and most recently...

Previously.