Where To Hear The Music: Acoustic Clubs

CB's 313 Gallery
An art gallery by day, the Gallery is located next to CBGB nightclub and has been showcasing acoustic rock bands every night for at least the last six years. Performances begin at 7 p.m., with a band performing every hour until closing. The venue's cozy and comfortable setting features tables and couches, and the club's booking agent, Micheline, says that the music stays at a moderate level so 'you can hold a conversation with the person you came to the club with.'
When searching for acts, Micheline looks for bands with 'a certain level of expertise, but we'd rather (showcase) a band who's sort of new and raw and whose material is original.'
The Gallery serves drinks, while pizza is available downstairs at Downstairs @ CB's.
Hotel Galvez
'We're looking for great songwriters,' says Ivy Markaity, a musician who books acts for Hotel Galvez, located at 103 Avenue B. 'We want to make this a fertile ground for the next wave of songwriters.'
Celebrating its one-year anniversary Nov. 13, Hotel Galvez has been serving up live acoustic performances Tuesdays through Sundays, with open-mike nights on Mondays.
Hotel Galvez is also a restaurant serving Southwestern food; its 40-person performance room is separated from the rest of the establishment to provide an intimate listening room. 'We try to keep conversation (in the performance) room to a minimum. I know whenever I'm in there I tell people to shut up or go in the other room,' Markaity says.
Performances generally begin at 7 p.m., with three to four acts booked each night. They wrap up at around 10 p.m. during the week and 11 p.m. on weekends. Since there's no cover charge for performances, musicians are given free food and beverages instead of cash.
Fast Folk Cafe
Located at 41 N. Moore St., the Fast Folk Cafe showcases new acts five or six nights a week, with open-mike opportunities on Mondays. For the last three years, the club has catered mostly to the bluegrass and traditional folk crowd, but its booking agent, Steve Nemerovsky, began expanding the repertoire to include more gay and lesbian acts, artists of color, and different musical blends a year ago. 'We have a range of performers,' says Nemerovsky. 'We are open to any type of acoustic music, not strictly folk.'
To play the intimate venue, which has a stage at the center of a 74-seat room, Nemerovsky requires that bands have a steady following.
'There are hundreds of things to do in New York, from Madison Square Garden to the Bottom Line to us,' Nemerovsky says. 'If we only (run the club) once a month or once a week, people who really want to come out to hear good music would come out. Doing it six nights a week, there's no way people will (just) show up most of those nights. The artists' talents and ability have to bring the audience.'
Fez
Fez Under Time Cafe, at 380 Lafayette St., has been showcasing new talent during its entire five-year existence. The club books about 50% unsigned and local acts but also showcases acts on national tours and artists on indie labels. The club garners its local and unsigned acts via recommendations from other clubs, artists, and very occasionally through unsolicited demos. Recently, Fez has booked artists for one-monthlong Tuesday-night residencies. Such well-known artists as Freedy Johnston and local New York musician Heather Eatman have been recent residents.
'An act has to have the right sound for Fez,' notes booking assistant Brian Winters. 'We're a seated venue, which is different, and an act needs to have charisma to fit our atmosphere, which is a red-velvet curtained, almost cabaret-style room.' Fez's audience is composed of what Winters calls 'eclectic, independent-minded people who think for themselves.' Many are fans of obscure folk, jazz, or rock music, which Fez is likely to book. 'We showcase all styles of music,' says Winters. 'It just has to be good.'
Rodeo Bar
Showcasing live performances seven nights a week, the 10-year-old Rodeo Bar, on the corner of 27th Street and Third Avenue, features rockabilly, blues, swing, country rock, roots rock, and bluegrass bands.
'We're looking for good entertainers,' says GM Jolie Karuso, who fields demo tapes in conjunction with club booker Marc Campbell. 'We don't really want groups who do psychotically loud music.'
In addition to local bands, the club hosts national and international acts. The venue also offers a full restaurant and bar separate from the performance room, which accommodates about 60 people.

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