In a bizarre and musical twist, the Lower East Side has seen its bygone landmarks come to life – or at least, that's what one can imagine when a 16-piece brass band makes an uninvited appearance on the cosmetics aisle of Duane Reade.
The spectacle, part of the annual Radiant Revelry event, was organized by Make Music New York, HONK NYC!, and Moment NYC to pay homage to shuttered cultural landmarks. The Ghost Band Plays Ghost Venues series, now in its third year, features bands making their way through previously beloved venues turned ghostly sites.
Tuba player Joan Jett once frequented Meow Mix, a once-thriving lesbian bar that's now home to the Mayfly, a different kind of nightlife destination. According to Mahayana Landowne, who witnessed the scene firsthand, "I think I saw Joan Jett in there once," and "it was so sexy and fun and interesting and friendly and kind."
Brass bands, dressed in white sheets and shower curtains, played their way through iconic spots like Gas Station, a metal workshop-turned-music venue that briefly served as the site of Lismar Lounge. Not everyone was thrilled to see the band, however – staff at d.b.a., a craft beer bar on the same block, promptly asked them to leave.
Despite a chilly December evening and some hiccups with the route, the procession continued to pay tribute to the Lower East Side's rich history. With puppets, thunder tubes, and makeshift percussion stations, revelers celebrated their favorite defunct businesses, including Mars Bar, which the band members fondly remembered as "a s--thole."
The event aimed to connect with the past while honoring the neighborhoods' energy and history. According to cocreators Stefan Zeniuk and Sara Valentine, "We tried to summon as many parts of the neighborhood and its history as we could." Though some stops were skipped due to frigid weather conditions, they hope to continue their Ghost Band Plays Ghost Venue series around the city in the future.
Ultimately, this eccentric Radiant Revelry serves as a poignant reminder that even abandoned spaces retain a lingering presence. As Zeniuk so poignantly put it, "Like the rings on a tree... there's still energy in those physical locations. There's still history there."
The spectacle, part of the annual Radiant Revelry event, was organized by Make Music New York, HONK NYC!, and Moment NYC to pay homage to shuttered cultural landmarks. The Ghost Band Plays Ghost Venues series, now in its third year, features bands making their way through previously beloved venues turned ghostly sites.
Tuba player Joan Jett once frequented Meow Mix, a once-thriving lesbian bar that's now home to the Mayfly, a different kind of nightlife destination. According to Mahayana Landowne, who witnessed the scene firsthand, "I think I saw Joan Jett in there once," and "it was so sexy and fun and interesting and friendly and kind."
Brass bands, dressed in white sheets and shower curtains, played their way through iconic spots like Gas Station, a metal workshop-turned-music venue that briefly served as the site of Lismar Lounge. Not everyone was thrilled to see the band, however – staff at d.b.a., a craft beer bar on the same block, promptly asked them to leave.
Despite a chilly December evening and some hiccups with the route, the procession continued to pay tribute to the Lower East Side's rich history. With puppets, thunder tubes, and makeshift percussion stations, revelers celebrated their favorite defunct businesses, including Mars Bar, which the band members fondly remembered as "a s--thole."
The event aimed to connect with the past while honoring the neighborhoods' energy and history. According to cocreators Stefan Zeniuk and Sara Valentine, "We tried to summon as many parts of the neighborhood and its history as we could." Though some stops were skipped due to frigid weather conditions, they hope to continue their Ghost Band Plays Ghost Venue series around the city in the future.
Ultimately, this eccentric Radiant Revelry serves as a poignant reminder that even abandoned spaces retain a lingering presence. As Zeniuk so poignantly put it, "Like the rings on a tree... there's still energy in those physical locations. There's still history there."
like what even is this?! but in all seriousness, its actually kinda beautiful how they're bringing life back to these old landmarks. i mean, the whole ghost band plays ghost venues thing is just genius 
and i love that they got staff from d.b.a to give them a hard time lol. anyway, its clear they were trying to capture the neighborhoods history and energy, and im def down for it 
. Still, it's awesome that they got to celebrate the Lower East Side's energy and history 
. Anyway, it's just so rad that people are finding ways to keep these abandoned spots in our collective memory 
.
It's all just a bit too weird for my taste. And what's with all the puppets and shower curtains? Can't they just stick to playing some decent tunes? The fact that staff asked them to leave from d.b.a. is kinda telling, though... it seems like people aren't always on board with this kind of thing.
They're like, totally taking over the streets and bringing back memories of old spots. I mean, who wouldn't want to see Joan Jett rocking out at a former lesbian bar? 
. I'm all for it, more music and less chill vibes, am I right? 
I'm not buying the whole ghostly venue thing. Anyone can tell you that Joan Jett was more likely at the punk rock shows than some abandoned lesbian bar 
. And what's with the brass bands and white sheets? Sounds like a bunch of hippies to me 
. Did they even get permission from the property owners? How did this whole thing go down? 
It was so cool to see the iconic landmarks come alive again, especially for those of us who grew up on the Lower East Side. Mars Bar is literally my favorite s--thole (just kidding, sorta) ! The way they incorporated puppets and percussion stations was genius! I love how it highlighted our neighborhood's rich history while still celebrating its energy 
it's like when we have spirit weeks in school and everyone comes together to celebrate different themes but in this case its like a big celebration for the old spots that got abandoned on the lower east side 
it's so cool how they used brass bands and puppets to make it feel more magical 
What's really going on here is that our city's got a lot more depth than just some fancy event. We need to dive deeper into what's making this place tick, not just scratch the surface with some flash-in-the-pan spectacle.
. The fact that Joan Jett herself mighta walked through those doors back in the day? Mind blown 
. Can't wait to see what they do next! 