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[stepmaster5000]

On my travels this summer, I have a 12 wait in between flights in JFK, assuming I can leave the airport, where should I visit in New York?
What historical music venue/pub/record shop/hang out/ art gallery would you visit?
I’ve been to New York before when I was young and have done all the tourist sites, so was looking for some good suggestion for music related tourist spots.

[Sam L4]

Alan Cynic is the man to ask.

[Alan Cynic]

Cheers Sam!

For music related sight-seeing I'd head to Greenwich Village first, and nip into Bleecker Bob's record store on West 3rd St.....
MySpace.com - Bleecker Bobs - 40 - Male - New York, New York - www.myspace.com/bleeckerbobs

Very close nearby (on MacDougall St) is Cafe Wha (where Dylan, Hendrix etc played),...
Cafe Wha?

and in the same area used to be Gerde's Folk City...where Dylan played his first NYC gig (supported by John Lee Hooker, I think)..
Gerde's Folk City

it's not far to a good record shop on Thomson St (the name escapes me, but it has quite a few bootlegs)

and it's a very short walk to the Bitter End, on Bleecker St...
The Bitter End Web
(on your way you can stand on the corner of Bleecker & MacDougall, just like Fred Neill did ! (and Bigsy, Mrs Bigsby and myself!). The 4 (?) cafes (one on each corner) are where Kerouac, Ginsberg etc used to hang out.

Then I'd walk to Other Music on East 4th St (not far) which had a pretty good selection....
Other Music - MP3 Downloads and CD & LP Mail Order

Again, it's a short hop to the Bowery....if you go direct, then turn right you should pass a really good record shop for jazz/avant-garde (again, can't remember the name, but Balvack put me onto it). Then, on the other side of the road a wee bit farther you'll come to CBGB's...now closed, but I'm assuming the facade is still there yet. I was asked to come along to play the open-mike there by one of the organisers, but I was out of NYC by the time his night came along, dammit!!......
CBGB Online - Home of Underground Rock

Then I'd head to St Mark's Place on the Lower East Side....there's Kim's Music & Video at 6 St Mark's Place....
Untitled

and just down from it is the tenement building which is on the cover of led Zeppelin's 'Physical Graffitti' album.

At the end of St Mark's it joins Avenue A...if you turn right, and walk a couple of hundred yards you'll see the Sidewalk Cafe on the other side of the street (it's the home of 'antifolk'...plus I've played there twice). If you keep going along Ave A you'll pass a lot of interesting shops, cafes etc

Then, if you cross Houston St and turn right you'll find Katz's Deli (as seen in the orgasm scene in 'When Harry met Sally)...great food!...
Katz's Delicatessen New York

and it's on the corner of Ludlow St (I think...or else it's the next one along), the street where the Velvet Underground used to rehearse....head along it for more cool shops (inc a good guitar shop), cafes etc.....I recommend Cake Shop (which is a cake shop/cafe with a little record shop through the back, and a live music venue underneath). Look for the blue plaque which says 'Kitchen Cynics played here'! ...
Cake Shop Records Bar Shows Cafe

In the same area is Arlene's Grocery...
Arlene's Grocery

and the shop ('Paul's Boutique') which is on the Beastie Boys album of that name (although it's something else now...I forget what exactly).


There endeth my short music-related tour....personally I'd then head for McSorley's Old Ale House for some dark beers ...
McSorley's Old Ale House

(I found a great record shop not far from there once, but then couldn't find it again on my next trip)

Alan

[stepmaster5000]

wow thanks that is really helpful, alot more information than i was ever expecting. I'll be printing this and taking it with me. I'm now really looking forward to the time inbetween connecting flights, which must be a first. thanks again.

[Alan Cynic]

No probs, ..........enjoy yourself!!!!