Beauty Bar – Brooklyn

I swear its a bar... no really!

So this is where we got a residency.

Oh wait. Did I tell you guys about this? Ahh ok let me explain:

So a few weeks ago, Jay and I decided we needed to do some research on venues for us to play at. Now, Jay and I are in the band, The JSE and we want to perform but Jay also does solo shows as well. He’s played The Delancey in NYC a couple of times solo but eventually I would go up on stage to accompany him on backing vocals. Well now its Jay and Nat at these type of shows. Its more like rehearsal and experimentation since Jay has sooooo many awesome songs that either don’t fit his other projects or are new enough that they need to be tested or just tried out in front of an audience.

So I was contacting venues in general for both Jay and Nat and The JSE. One venue I contacted was one I didnt know much about: Beauty Bar.

I checked out the website, http://www.beautybar.com/brooklyn/home.html

I realized they were a chain venue that had bases in NY, Cali, and Texas. Originally salons that were hollowed out and became bars, they usually have djs, cool happy hour deals, and a really cool decor that highlights the allure of salons from the 60’s and 70s.

I also contacted a few other places including Arlene’s Grocery, and other places I cant seem to remember for some reason.

Within AN HOUR of my email to Beauty Bar, I got a response asking what we were looking to do. Eventually one of the owners, Dave, contacted me and asked if I was interested in booking Jay and I for a residency. Every Thursday night for the month of February.

I was so shocked. I mean they never heard of us and they never heard us sing but were willing to give us one day a week for a month.

Now its not just Jay and I performing on Thursday nights. There’s more to it. Beauty Bar in Bushwick, Brooklyn wanted Jay to fill the entire night. So its not just Jay and Nat. Its Jay and Nat and a bunch of our friends. Its actually a really fun plan. I truly feel honored to know so many talented musicians and Jay knows even more so we have tons to get to perform with us on a weekly basis. This passed Thursday night it was Jay and Nat, Aviv and…. uhh I dont know the bass player’s name, Martin and Ben, Phil and Seaflux, Guitar Bomb, and then a few djs.

Now here are some of the setbacks of the place but honestly they arent drastic:
1. The stage is small so a huge a big band can’t play
2. Its a bar so no one under 21, two band mates of The JSE are 18 and 20 respectively so they cant come out
3. The bar is not equipped for such things. No sound guy. They do want to go the route of having more live acts so thats great they just dont know much about it.
4. Because its such a bar and not live band venue, loud acts have to stop by 11pm.
5. The door doesnt close behind you. You have to close it yourself so it tends to be cold in there since most people dont close the door behind them and the stage is right by the door and window.

Those are actually the only things that arent perfect but some work out in a good way. Like the fact that the stage is by the window makes people stop and look at whats going on, which then makes them come in and have a drink and listen to some new music. Even though we have to book until like 345 am, ending the bigger band gigs by 11pm leaves time to recup and enjoy the venue for what it is, a bar.

Sooooo Jay and Nat (thats Jay and Me btw) are performing yet again this week. We are playing with the band Seaflux opening, our friend Ethan Donway from The False Alarms, Aviv from Widest Smile Faces, and Joe Cantor. The night starts at 8pm and continues until 3:45am. Its a free show as well. How kick ass is that???
Get there by 7 ish cuz its happy hour and the drinks are cheeeeeeeeeap! omg the cheapest around, Im not even joking. Jay kept on getting red bull and vodka for 4 bucks. FOUR BUCKS? Where have you heard that for red bull and vodka ever?

So to review:

8pm Seaflux
9pm Ethan Donway
10pm Jay and Nat
11pm Aviv
12am Joe Cantor
1am and on, djs will be playing.

Come on out if you can, its really easy too. Just take the J train to Myrtle Ave/Broadway. Once you get off the train its within a block away. Not even.

Check out the website!