You’d be hard-pressed to find a more legendary New York City singer/songwriter venue than The Bitter End. Located on Bleecker Street in the heart of Greenwich Village, the nearly 60-year old club has hosted James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Lady Gaga and thousands of budding musicians with something to say, to listeners who appreciate the intimacy of the small, 230-capacity club.
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Like many clubs in today’s world of limited live music, The Bitter End is in trouble, facing potential closure. The Save Our Stages Act, spearheaded by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), would provide grants to qualifying independent venues and is a potential bright spot of security. But who knows if and when the bill will pass through both branches of government.
So, as is often the case, it comes down to its own community rallying to do what they can and prevent this from happening and help to defray the club’s operating costs.
The “Save The Bitter End!” benefit livestream will happen tonight with 20 acts performing over four hours beginning at 7 pm EST. Viewers can watch on YouTube here, show support and donate via GoFundMe here.
The roster of artists performing tonight is a ‘strength in numbers’ list of regulars, including primary organizers Phil Robinson (Roomful of Sky) and Louise Lau (Offstage Tunes).
“For NY musicians, playing The Bitter End stage is the first rung on the ladder toward gaining true notoriety & respect,” said Robinson, founder of Roomful of Sky Music. “For national touring acts, The Bitter End is THE definitive NY tour stop, if you want to be embraced as part of the narrative of the NY music scene. Simply put, The Bitter End represents the true soul of the city.”
“Playing at The Bitter End is a special experience because you can feel the history when you walk into that room,” says Rory D’Lasnow, a New Jersey performer profiled here recently. “Yet it simultaneously feels like a contemporary spot full of life and energy. It’s a rite of passage and an honor for any performer to have the chance to step onto that stage and I’m proud of being able to have done it.”
For Emily Zuzik, a LA-based singer/songwriter also featured here on American Songwriter with her single “Trouble,” The Bitter End is a special room. “Not only did Paul (Colby) and the folks there always greet me with kindness and respect, but that stage holds deep musical roots. Many legends started off there. Many just dropped in late night and got up as a surprise. It has all the history of Greenwich Village over the years and it’s in the heart of that energy. That’s why I think it’s kind of magical.”
FEATURED ARTISTS:
– Luba Dvorak [ @LubaDvorak ]
– Rachael Sage [ @Rachael_Sage ]
– Bump City [ N/A ]
– Olamide Faison [ @yoolamide ]
– The Bitter End All Star Jam [ @BitterEndJamNYC ]
– Birds in the Boneyard [ @BirdsInTheBoneyard ]
– Emily Zuzik [ @EmilyZuzik ]
– Bonfire Falls [ @BonfireFalls ]
– Rory D’Lasnow [ @RoryDLasnow ]
– The “Leave A Lasting Mark” Concert Series [ @LeaveALastingMark ]
– Phil Robinson [ @PhilRobinsonMusic ]
– JT Curtis [ @JTCurtisMusic ]
– Youth Moose [ @Youth_Moose ]
– Val Kinzler [ @NYCValkyrie ]
– The New York Songwriters Circle [ @NewYorkSWCircle ]
– Victor V. Gurbo [ @VictorVGurbo ]
– Jason Vitelli [ @JasonVitelliMusic ]
– Dave Kolker [ @DavidAKolker ]
– Minogue Madness [ @Kat.Minogue + @annieminogue + @merviolet ]
– New York Songwriters Collective [ N/A ]
HOST:
– Phil Robinson [ @PhilRobinsonMusic ]
PRODUCED BY:
– Roomful of Sky Music [ @roomfulofsky ]
MEDIA/PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS:
– Offstage Tunes [ @offstagetunes ]
– Victor V. Gurbo Productions [ @victorvgurbo ]
STREAMING SERVICES BY:
– Hot Indie Media [ @hotindiemediapresents ]
100% PROCEEDS TO SUPPORT THE BITTER END: @thebitterendnyc
#SaveTheBitterEnd #saveourstages #saveourstagesact #thebitterend #thebitterendnyc #bitterend #bitterendnyc #niva #nyiva
