When the Lower East Side wasn't yet the ultimate destination point for all things ... uhm ... nightlife related? OK, let's start over. Many years ago (10, to be specific), a small bar opened on Ludlow Street. Eventually, bands started playing there. And before you knew it, Luna Lounge became a Lower East Side institution -- a place where people could see live music by promising new bands without having to pay a cover (!), and everyone loves no cover, no?
Well tonight, Luna closes its doors, hopefully only for the time being, though. One of the owners of Luna is Rob Sacher, the husband of a friend of mine, and back in August he was one of the first Gothamist Interviews we ever wrote. At the time, Rob was in the middle of searching for a new location for Luna because his lease was running out and the owner of the single-story building which had always been the bar's home was planning to tear-it-down in order to build a bigger, taller apartment building (or something). It's worst rereading Rob's interview. He was pretty frustrated back then with the commercial real estate situation in Manhattan; I can only imagine what he must be thinking and feeling now.
Sadly, here we are over eight months later and still no home has been found. Apparently, Rob is now looking at locations in Williamsburg, and hopefully Luna's absence from the NYC music scene will only be a short one. But for now, they're going out in style with five bands performing tonight starting at 8:30 PM, and culminating with The Picture, who will now be the answer to the trivia question: "Who was the last band to ever play Luna Lounge at its home on Ludlow Street."
Go celebrate or mourn, whatever you choose. But either way, check-it-out, and support yet another great Manhattan establishment that has had to (at least temporarily) close its doors because of how crazy expensive this town has become.
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