Piano’s is located on 158 Ludlow Street, Manhattan, between Stanton and Rivington Streets.  It lays on the same block as venues The Cake Shop and The Living Room, around the corner from Arlene’s Grocery, one block west of the late Annex, and within the circle of venues in the Bowery (roughly between Houston, A, Delancey Street, and Bowery), which includes those four, Mercury Lounge, Bowery Ballroom, Crash Mansion, Rockwood Music Hall and others.

The front room at Piano’s is a bar, not as skinny as other Bowery venue-bars, but with tables and chairs kind of haphazardly laid out, making it still a relative crush.  Things are especially cramped on Friday and Saturday nights, with the security sometimes responding by being heavy-handed.  The bar itself is popular in its own right, as there is a small space upstairs used as a dance club and occasionally as a venue (such as during CMJ).  The entrance to both that, the floor-level venue, and the stairs down to the bathrooms are all at the back of the bar, increasing the crush.

The stage and stage floor at the back are relatively cramped, though at least it doesn’t have the low ceilings of Bowery basement venues.  However, the bar on the house-left side only adds to the crush, though it does create a space between it, the entryway, and the single-occupancy bathroom at the back.  Like the front bar, there are tables and chairs in the small stage floor, but they are usually limited to hugging the sidewalls.  The stage itself is removed enough off the ground, with strong lighting, to make the band quite visible to all on the stage floor, something other small Bowery venues also lack.

Piano’s is one of a group of low-end venues in the Bowery – small, lesser facilities, low price, cheap drinks, etc.  Generally, the acts occupy the lower end of the touring spectrum, but that can include up-and-coming new groups, side projects, and solo performances (the small, visible stage is particularly well-suited to one-person shows).  Such artists as Nicole Atkins and Sam Champion’s Noah Chermin also serve it as a place for name-making residencies.  Piano’s actually bats somewhat above its weight, not Mercury Lounge level, but higher than say, Cake Shop (though, in price, it falls between the two as well) - of the tiny Bowery venues, it's the 'classy' one.  It often hosts New York City one-offs by bands that have played the venue before on tour.  An intriguing place that often isn’t quite what it seems.

Capacity: 100

21+

Address:

158 Ludlow Street (Between Stanton and Rivington Streets)

By Subway:

QRO Coverage:

-Shout Out Louds, March 2nd, 2010 - photos

-Bluebrain, with Fredrik, February 15th, 2010 - Fredrik review, Bluebrain photos, Fredrik photos

-Bear Hands, with Imaad Wasif and Superdrag, October 23rd, 2009 (CMJ) - CMJ coverage, Bear Hands photos, Imaad Wasif photos (upstairs), Superdrag photos

-Alec Ounsworth, with Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Holly Miranda, Chris Denny, Lovvers, and Surfer Blood, October 22nd, 2009 (CMJ) - CMJ coverage, Alec Ounsworth photos, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson photos (upstairs), Holly Miranda photos (upstairs), Chris Denny photos (upstairs), Lovvers photos, Surfer Blood photos

-Evan Dando, with These United States and Kanipchen Fit, October 21st, 2009 (CMJ) - CMJ coverage, Evan Dando photos, These United States photos, Kanipchen Fit photos (upstairs)

-Middle Distance Runner, with The Love Language and Fanfarlo, October 20th, 2009 (CMJ) - CMJ coverage, Middle Distance Runner photos (upstairs), The Love Language photos (upstairs), Fanfarlo photos

-The Grates, July 15th, 2009 – live review, photos  

-The Rest, May 18th, 2009 – live review, photos

-The Features, May 14th, 2009 – live review, photos

-The Octagon, with The Heavenly States, Harlem Shakes, The Cringe, and Sean Bones, May 6th, 2009 – The Octagon photos, The Heavenly States photos, Harlem Shakes photos, The Cringe photos, Sean Bones photos

-Young Galaxy, March 4th, 2009 – live review, photos

-stellastarr*, with The Picture and Princeton, December 2nd, 2008 – stellastarr* live review, stellastarr* photos, The Picture photos, Princeton photos

-Takka Takka, with Sam Champion, October 22nd, 2008 (CMJ) – CMJ coverage, Takka Takka photos, Sam Champion photos

-Pwrfl Power, with Lissy Trullie, Pattern is Movement, and Au, October 21st, 2008 (CMJ) – CMJ coverage, Pwrfl Power photos (upstairs), Lissy Trullie photos (upstairs), Pattern is Movement photos, Au photos

-LoveLikeFire, October 8th, 2008 – live review, photos

-Zambri, with Hooray For Earth, Paul Holmes, and Caspian, April 12th, 2008 – Hooray For Earth live review, Zambri photos, Hooray For Earth photos, Paul Holmes photos, Caspian photos  

-Bon Iver, with The Meat Puppets, October 18th, 2007 (CMJ) – CMJ coverage, Bon Iver photos, The Meat Puppets photos

-Tulsa, with Foundry Field Recordings, August 4th, 2007 – Foundry Field Recordings live review, Tulsa photos, Foundry Field Recordings photos

Fredrik - "11 Years", New York, NY, 2/15/10
Fredrik - "Viskra", New York, NY, 2/15/10
Evan Dando (of The Lemonheads) - "It's a Shame About Ray", New York, NY, 10/21/09
Evan Dando (of The Lemonheads) - "Confetti", New York, NY, 10/21/09
Evan Dando (of The Lemonheads) - "Rudderless", New York, NY, 10/21/09
Evan Dando (of The Lemonheads) - "My Drug Buddy", New York, NY, 10/21/09
The Features - "Lions", New York, NY, 5/14/09
Harlem Shakes - "Old Flames", New York, NY, 5/6/09
Harlem Shakes - "TFO", New York, NY, 5/6/09
Sean Bones - "Sugar In My Spoon", New York, NY, 5/6/09
Sean Bones - "Act So Casual", New York, NY, 5/6/09
stellastarr* - "My Coco", New York, NY, 12/2/08
stellastarr* - "Graffiti Eyes", New York, NY, 12/2/08
stellastarr* - "Robot", New York, NY, 12/2/08
stellastarr* - "School You", New York, NY, 12/2/08
LoveLikeFire - "From a Tower", New York, NY, 10/8/08
LoveLikeFire - "When to Say When", New York, NY, 10/8/08
Zambri, New York, NY, 4/12/08
Hooray For Earth - "Videostore", New York, NY, 4/12/08
Hooray For Earth - "Izod", New York, NY, 4/12/08
Hooray For Earth - "Corporeal" (Broadcast cover), New York, NY, 4/12/08

Click here for the venue's website