One of New York City’s most iconic live music venues, which has provided nearly a century’s worth of music icons, has abruptly announced it will be closing its doors next year.
The historic Roseland Ballroom, situated at the business end of West 52nd Street, has hosted everyone from golden Hollywood-era stars like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire right through to rock elite like Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers across its 94 years, but all that is set to come to a close next year, according to a report from Billboard.
Citing an internal e-mail obtained by the website, Billboard reports that the venue’s operators will shut down the Roseland Ballroom in April 2014, just five years short of the venue celebrating its 100th birthday and just one year after the city lost an historic record store to a frozen yoghurt chain.
The 3,5000 capacity venue is owned by developer Larry Ginsberg and booked by the world’s largest concert promoters, Live Nation, and there has been little indication that the venue had been struggling, with bookings for concerts made through to February 2014.
But following the Billboard report, a statement from the legendary ballroom’s operators confirm that the venue will be shut and likely head-hunted by property developers. “Managing Roseland has been a labor of love, which is why the owners have deferred major changes for all these years…”
A statement issued to Entertainment Weekly reads: “The owners of 239 West 52nd Street have operated the Roseland Ballroom for over three decades. Managing Roseland has been a labor of love, which is why the owners have deferred major changes for all these years. Though final plans for the property will not be made until next year, redevelopment of the property is the likely outcome. Roseland will cease operations at the end of April 2014.”
The closure has come as a surprise to many of New York City’ concert promoters. Booking agent Steve Martin, who has scheduled shows at the Roseland Ballroom for bands like Dream Theater and Squeeze in the past, tells The New York Times, that “it’s a loss… Roseland always had a great feeling for the bands and for the audiences.”
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Likewise, Ken Fermaglich of the Agency Group tells Billboard he was shocked by the news, calling it a “huge loss for concerts in New York City… I love the venue and always have. I saw Nirvana there and will never forget that show.”
The Roseland Ballroom’s history stretches back to 1919, where it opened at its original 51st Street location and quickly became a go-to spot as the ballroom dancing of the roaring ’20s boomed, as well as appearances from popular jazz artists like Benny Godmann and Glen Miller, as well as shows from ol’ blue eyes himself: Frank Sinatra.
Following its relocation in 1958, around the corner to its current 52nd street address, the Ballroom remained a popular favourite for its rich history and unique feel; each decade bringing a new popular genre to its hallowed halls, from early rock and disco through to pop and hip hop acts, while EDM major and forthcoming Future Music Festival 2014 headliner Deadmau5 held a record 6 sold out nights there.
By the early 90s, the Ballroom underwent a $1 million renovation job to its production and rigging, thanks to Ginbserg, which led to even bigger bookings of its 3,500 cap room, with mainstream breaking acts – like Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Radiohead – selling out multiple nights at the NYC venue.
More recent years however have seen similar sized rooms crop up, generating competition in the concert market in the likes of AEG’s 2,500-capacity Best Buy Theater, the 3,500-capacity Hammerstein Ballroom, and Madison Square Garden’s 2,800-capacity Beacon Theatre, as Billboard points out.
Despite the shock news of its closure, the Roseland Ballroom has recently hosted performances from NYC’s post-punk finest Blondie, the Thom Yorke-led, Spotify-baiting Atoms For Peace, and Canadian metal group Danzig, the band that demanded their audience exert some mob justice on a smartphone user.
Other bands set to play the Roseland Ballroom ahead of its closure include Simple Minds, Lamb Of God with Killswitch Engage, Fitz & the Tantrums, The Wanted, Pretty Lights, Hoodie Allen and Panic! At The Disco.
