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, and within the circle of venues in the Bowery (roughly between Houston, A, Delancey Street, and Bowery), which includes those two, Mercury Lounge, Bowery Ballroom, Arlene’s Grocery, and others.

The front room at Piano’s is a bar, not as skinny as other Bowery venue-bars, but with tables and chairs are 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.  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 is 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, The Cake Shop (though, in price, it falls between the two as well).  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:

-Zambri, with Hooray For Earth, Paul Holmes, and Caspian - 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

Zambri, New York, NY, 4/41208
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