Bowery Ballroom

27 Under 26;The Best Of NYC

The Extras: Stop by Good World for some liquids before or after the show.

Know Before You Go: The cash-only box office is at the Mercury Lounge, 217 E Houston St.

A certified "kool" destination for indie rock performances, this triple-decker LES concert venue books both "big-name" and "lesser-known" acts into a midsize hall that allows for decent sight lines and "excellent acoustics" throughout; bars are strategically situated on each level to lubricate the "hip crowd."

Bowery enthusiasts go on and on about this concert hall's intimate stage, stellar acoustics, and Beaux Arts charm, but what they're really after are the bragging rights that come with catching the most buzzed-about bands of the moment. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wilco, and Interpol all played the Bowery before moving on to mega-venues. Catch current hot young things like Fleet Foxes, Laura Marling,...

The Bowery Ballroom has been open since 1998 and has emerged as one of the top midsize venues in the city. The sound is excellent and the architecture is classy. A former vaudeville hall, the space retains much of its original Beaux Arts construction such as the brass rails, the brass and iron exterior metalwork, the mahogany lined VIP rooms and the coffer-vaulted plaster ceiling of the...

When it opened in 1998, the Bowery Ballroom was the first major music venue to appear on the Lower East Side in generations. Now, this one-time vaudeville hall and former shoe store is perhaps the...

This Lower East Side venue for live concerts routinely showcases the best in new and underground music. The space, which was once a vaudeville theater, boasts an excellent sound system and plenty of ideal viewing. Those wanting to hang back should check out the balcony. If you want more action, you will be happy to learn that the front rows routinely turn into dancing pits.