Ah, fuck. That’s about the only thing that can be said to the news that Tonic, one of the city’s most popular small clubs—to musicians and fans alike—will be closing next month, with the last night of music being lucky Friday the 13th. The well-liked owners, Melissa Caruso Scott and John Scott, have yet to issue an official press release describing their reasons for closing, but one can only assume that the enormous, appalling tower of condos that got thrown up literally next door is part of it. (It all brings to mind DeNiro in Brazil, gliding in on a wire after striking a blow against the powers that be, smiling and assuring us that “We’re all in it together.” But I digress—and anyway, I’m not advocating that sort of behavior, am I?)
Expect the days leading up to April 13 to be filled with special shows of one sort or another. For the moment, Melissa and John emit a vague optimism about carrying on Tonic’s mission; in the meantime, they’ll continue to put on shows at the nearby Abrons Art Center, as they have for months now. And there’s no small amount of good news to report, as well: Melissa very recently gave birth to her and John’s first child, a healthy boy who is graced with the sophisticated and regal name of Addison Wyatt Caruso Scott. I could say something hackneyed about endings and beginnings, but for the sake of us all, nah.
this just can’t be.
Nooooooooo. God-fucking-damn it. Just played there last night. I love that place so much.
Same night, our friends Die Romantik were playing Sin-E, another doomed room. This makes us feel like the walking dead ourselves.
I can’t see this being true. They would have something on the website and people who are playing there would have been told their shows are cancelled
Bryan (and others),
Sorry to have to confirm the (no longer) rumors, but in fact artists have been told. Mike Taylor and I co-curate the Little Theatre series, and got the word from Alan Licht on Wednesday.
Jeffrey M. Jones
It was inevitable, with that neighborhood changing so much, including all the new luxury living…However, seems rather sudden; when the lease still has another year (I think), and there’s such a massive community that will come out for a send off…
what’s the next chapter for great music in this city? And, I got dibs on one of those barrels….
What a coincidence, I just named my son Steele Ratledge!
I am so sorry to hear this news! It is a big loss for NYC!
So, this incarnation of Tonic is added to the long list, in a long history, of very valuable human things deemed expendable in the name of so-called “economic development”. But whether it’s an irrevocable loss or not remains to be seen. One of the reasons why places like this have always gone on existing is that their exponents resolve to endure adversities which the wealthy and powerful will not. Part of that outcome certainly depends on all of us.
it hurts. tonic was my sanctuary.
Well isn’t this one of the unfortunate symptoms of the entire LES and indeed Manhattan. I can’t stand these bottle-service horrid bars (who ever heard of ‘bottle-service’ bars until five years ago, anyways?), and all we will have left is bland, boring places with no style and even less class brought on by i-bankers and their alleged clout. I’m tired of this Disneyland in disguise.
What about the 3 nights of Arcade Fire in May?!?
dude, seriously, fuck tonic.
they booked some sick shows and supported my school and whatnot,
but the owner? (the older man) was an dick almost reliably.
that’s no way to represent ,
and meanwhile, there’s tonsa thriving places in NYC
(cake shop, the tank…)
another “victim of progress” in this age of mega materialism in search of “cheap” housing for the growing surge of hipster yuppies taking over the lower east side in a blind tidal wave of ineptitude ITS as surreal as CBGB’s turning into a dorm for our beloved NYU crushing the Bottom Line and the result is just bringing more and more rich kids who will pay whatever rent the greedy real estade bastards demand forcing the rest of us artists and musicians to sell our souls just to stay in NYC
It’s cool to see so many people writing about the sadness (and in many cases, disgust—shared by me) they feel over this—it’s the same affection for Tonic that helped stave off the forces of evil back in 2005, when they had repair costs that were well beyond their means. To Kunal: Methinks you got it twisted. There is no “older man” owner of Tonic; John and Melissa, the married co-owners, are universally held in high regard by musicians and patrons alike, and both are about as kind as people could be. It’s true of course that on occasion some staffers could be short with customers, but as someone who’s witnessed this very dynamic, it’s almost always due to fools trying to pull some stale old “No, YOU don’t understand, I am SUPPOSED to be on the guest list!” type of garbage at the door, or similar behavior.
But like Kunal says, there are still plenty of happening places around town—I’ll second that on Cake Shop and the Tank, and will add joints like Zebulon (in B’lyn), the Stone (of course) and…on and on. When you go to a club and have a good experience, tell someone—the bartender, the doorperson, etc. These people are at their jobs, you know? And who doesn’t like to hear that their work has helped someone have a good time?
I choose to remain hazily optimistic about the future—a potential new Tonic, or a new scene sprouting up somewhere (only to be squelched by the city, only to spring up somewhere else)—though no, I have none of that good feeling for the L.E.S.
I’m shooting/editing a video about the closing of Tonic,
would love input from anyone Musicians who’ve played there esp.
and everyone with something to say
I’ll be recording footage Fri-sat
The piece will air on current TV
email me at:
info@glaphics.com
thx
huh. thats too bad. well, i cant say i can remember a single show there, but i’ll always remember having sex behind the dj in that weird wine-cask atmosphere of sub-tonic.