Bell House

Bell House is located on 149 7th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, in Brooklyn’s Park Slope, near the Gowanus Canal.  It lays eleven blocks southwest from Union Hall...

The Bell House

Chilly Gonzales

Bell House is located on 149 7th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, in Brooklyn’s Park Slope, near the Gowanus Canal.  It lays eleven blocks southwest from Union Hall and Littlefield, and a few blocks more from the old Southpaw.  It is operated by the same management of Union Hall, and opened on September 18th, 2008, with a free show by The Lilys, Matt Pond PA, Robbers On High Street, and Takka Takka.

A converted warehouse, Bell House starts with a large, sparse entryway that opens to the back house-right of the stage floor.  The stage itself juts out into the stage floor in a curve, with a curtain behind it.  There are two raised areas with tables and chairs, at the back and house-left, with the bar located on the house-left wall.  The bathrooms are at the back house-left.  There is also a front lounge area, with its own bar.  The stage floor is beneath wooden, warehouse/log cabin-like beams, but also chandeliers, while the lounge area is classier.

Bell House is kind of the Bowery Ballroom to Union Hall’s Mercury Lounge, Park Slope versions – nearby, same management, but larger, and able to accommodate larger acts (less than a week after opening, Low’s sold-out Union Hall show was moved to Bell House).  The ticket price is higher, though not exorbitantly so, and there is a large range of drinks (though curiously no PBR – but three dollar Gennessee cans fill that slot).  Bell House is also easier to get to, being closer to local and express subway stops (though the Smith St. F & G stop is notoriously creepy, as one has to walk under the elevated rail, across the Gowanus Canal, and past numerous boarded-up buildings and some sort of depot for chartered buses).  In some ways, it’s more reminiscent of nearby Southpaw (especially the stage that juts into the crowd – but Bell House’s does so from the long side, making the stage floor wide, rather than long and skinny), though far cleaner and classier.  It might not be enough to make Park Slope ‘the next Williamsburg’ all on its own, but the area is going in the right direction.  With the high turnover of Brooklyn venues, and the loss of McCarren Park Pool and Luna Lounge (which itself had moved from the Lower East Side), it’s very nice to see growth.

 

Capacity: 350 (stage floor), 150 (front lounge)

21+

Address:

149 7th Street, between 2nd & 3rd Avenue

By Subway:

D, F, G, N & R trains to 9th Street/4th Avenue – walk two blocks north, one-and-a-half blocks west on North side of 7th Street
F & G to Smith Street/9th Street – walk one block east on 9th Street, two blocks north on 2nd Avenue, turn right on north side of 7th Street

 

QRO Coverage:

-The Felice Brothers, May 10th, 2019 – live review, photos

-The Clientele, with Hoops, November 5th, 2017 – The Clientele photos, Hoops photos

-The Make-Up, May 20th, 2017 – photos

-Eugene Mirman & Friends, October 30th, 2015 – photos

-Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, Night One, September 18th, 2015 – live review, photos

-Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, Night Three, September 20th, 2014 – live review, photos

-Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, Night One, September 26th, 2013 – live review, photos

-The Breeders (playing Last Splash), March 29th, 2013 – live review

-The English Beat, January 31st, 2013 – photos

-Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, Night One, September 13th, 2012 – live review, photos

-The Vaselines, August 30th, 2012 – live review, photos

-Chilly Gonzales, April 20th, 2012 – photos

-Slow Club, February 16th, 2012 – photos

-Shonen Knife, including special guest CJ Ramone, with Hard Nips and Heavy Cream, November 18th, 2011 – Shonen Knife & CJ Ramone photos, Hard Nips photos, Heavy Cream photos

-Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, September 15th to 18th – live review of 15th & 17th, photos from 17th & 18th

-The Felice Brothers, May 18th, 2011 – photos

-Clinic, August 16th, 2010 – live review, photos

-Freelance Whales, June 19th, 2010 (Rachael Ray’s Feedback) (outdoors) – photos

-Au Revoir Simone, with The Postmarks and Still Flyin’, October 24th, 2009 (CMJ) – CMJ coverage, Au Revoir Simone photos, The Postmarks photos, Still Flyin’ photos

-Japandroids, with James Husband and Cale Parks, October 23rd, 2009 (CMJ) – CMJ coverage, Japandroids photos, James Husband photos, Cale Parks photos

-Bling Kong, with Motel Motel, Arms, Noel Heroux & Paul Holmes, Holas and Ivana XL, October 3rd, 2009 (‘What’s Good For You is Good For Me’ 1st anniversary) – Bling Kong photos, Motel Motel photos, Arms photos, Noel Heroux & Paul Holmes photos, Holas photos, Ivana XL photos

-Grant Hart, June 1st, 2009 – photos

-The Submarines, with The Morning Benders and Dawn Landes, February 11th, 2009 – The Morning Benders live review, The Submarines photos, The Morning Benders photos, Dawn Landes photos

-Ford & Fitzroy, with The Forms, Frances, and Arms, January 18th, 2009 – Ford & Fitzroy photos, The Forms photos, Frances photos, Arms photos

-Okkervil River, January 6th, 2008 – live review, photos

-The Jealous Girlfriends, October 23rd, 2008 (CMJ) – CMJ coverage, photos

Japandroids

The Bell House

Click here for the venue’s website

Categories
Venue Reviews

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