The Living Room Reopens and Expands
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The music business drumbeat has been loud and insistent – and not in a lift-your-hands-in-the-air, EDM way. Declining sales. Musicians and songwriters left out of the new streaming economy. Venues closing in neighborhoods where rents have outrun audience. In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, several long- time music venues have closed in recent weeks. But Jennifer Gilson and Steve Rosenthal, owners of The Living Room, NYCʼs premiere listening room, simply said, “No. There remains a supportive audience hungry for an up-close experience with good music.” The couple built a 16-year story of presenting the soul and craft of song in an intimate setting on the Lower East Side, and now theyʼve staked their future on a bigger room and an expanded vision. The Living Room, their new 250- capacity venue with the Rust Bar in front and a roof-deck bar with a Manhattan view, is now open at 134 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklynʼs Williamsburg neighborhood.
“Weʼre a family-owned business that was built purely on our love for music – and our belief that there will always be an audience for great songs and great sound,” says Rosenthal. “We didnʼt see the type of intimate listening experience that we created with The Living Room. So now weʼre back.” Rosenthal knows sound: Heʼs also the Grammy-winning proprietor of The Magic Shop, the legendary recording studio featured in the New York City chapter of Dave Grohlʼs Sonic Highways series on HBO, which presented both a history of eight local music scenes and a cautionary tale of the changing music landscape. “This is personal for us,” Rosenthal maintains. “Weʼve put our familyʼs future on the line. But we just refuse to quit.”
His wife and partner, Jennifer Gilson, once again leads the creative and music programming at The Living Room. The new room gives her increased flexibility along with the added capacity. “Our main music room has a standing capacity of 250, including a wrap-around balcony,” Gilson says. “Perfect for rock, roots and indie-bands. We will have DJ sets as well. But we can quickly add tables, chairs and candles for intimate, close-up evenings with singer/songwriters and folk artists – itʼs like the Ludlow Street location that artists and audiences loved dropped into a larger rock club.” The Living Room launched the careers of a generation of singer/songwriters, and now Gilson intends to do the same for the next generation of musicians, many of whom now claim Brooklyn as their home.
For example, on January 21, Alex Bleeker of Real Estate will curate a much-anticipated night that includes the return of Alex Bleeker and the Freaks, with King Cyst and comedian Adam Friedland. Other upcoming performances include Jolie Holland on February 5; Son Voltʼs Jay Farrar in a rare acoustic setting on February 10, and British R&B showman James Hunter on April 22. Jim Campilongoʼs ongoing residency warms up Tuesday nights (recent guests included Wilcoʼs Nels Cline, and Jimʼs residency was covered in the New Yorker).
Upcoming shows at The Living Room
Tue Feb 10th
7pm Courtney Hartman & David Moss
9pm Jay Farrar with opener Chip Taylor
Wed Feb 11th
8pm Dylan Connor and the Epic Poets
9pm Milton
Thu Feb 12th
8pm Gumball’s Don Fleming
Fri Feb 13th
12am Verskotzi
Sat Feb 14th
7pm The Kennedys
8pm Janna Pelle
9pm Nicky Egan
10pm Vita and the Woolf
Mon Feb 16th
Dani Mari presents Lovefest
Featuring: Owl and Wolf, Lily Virginia, Shannon Pelcher,
Ashley Jones, Jesse Merandy from The Breakneck Boys,
Chelsea Mitchell, The Berries, Andi Rae Healy, Will Hanza,
Crystal Jurado, and J.R. Garcia
Tue Feb 17th
7pm Courtney Hartman & David Moss
8pm Chris Morrissey
9pm Jim Campilongo Trio with Chris Morrissey and Josh Dion
10pm Tim Kuhl’s St. Helena
11pm Motherwell Johnston
Wed Feb 18th
7pm Jeffrey Dean Foster
8pm Julia Joseph
9pm Milton
Thu Feb 19th
8pm Jared Saltiel
9pm Megan Cox
Fri Feb 20th
8pm Ryan Gibeau
9pm Miwa Gemini
10pm The Sea The Sea
11pm Tomás Pagán Motta Record Release
Sat Feb 21st
7pm Caitlin Mahoney
8pm Sharp Things
9pm Mary Lorson
Sun Feb 22nd
Charming Disaster CD Release with Not Waving But Drowning
Mon Feb 23rd
8pm Gabriel Gordon featuring Andy Hess, Tony Mason and Eric Deutsch
Tue Feb 24th
7pm Courtney Hartman & David Moss
8pm Margo Valiente
9pm Zephaniah and the 18 Wheelers featuring Jim Campilongo, Gerald Menke, Roy Williams, Scott Colberg, Nick “Crime” Anderson, Zephaniah O’Hora
Wed Feb 25th
7pm The Universal Thump
8pm Benjamin Cartel
9pm Milton
Thu Feb 26th
7pm Ife & Danny
8pm Simi
9pm-11pm Abby Payne Single Release Show With Pete Francis
Fri Feb 27th
7pm-10pm Dave Doobinin “The Left Side” CD release featuring Sandy Bell
11pm King Radio
Sat Feb 28th
8pm Winterpills
10pm The Truthseekers
Check out the LMN&R Facebook page for content announcements and additional photo galleries.
Check out the reviews of two nights of Golden Gate Wingmen featuring John Kadlecik, Jeff Chimenti, Jay Lane and Reed Mathis in Long Beach CA February 6 and 7 Night one: Check out the review of Long Beach night two here!
Check out our review of the John K. Band at the State Theater
Check out our recent review of String Cheese Incident at the Capitol Theater
Check out the recent review of the Golden Gate Wingmen at Terrapin Crossroad
