Bottom Line, The (former)
About This Listing
Place Details
- Borough: Manhattan
- Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
- Categories: Performance, Theater
Place Matters Profile
From its opening in 1974, the Greenwich Village rock and folk music club, the Bottom Line, was host to some of the greatest legends in music–from a then-unknown Bruce Springsteen, to Lou Reed, the Ramones, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and a revered Aaron Copland playing piano at age 79. The club closed in January 2004 after eviction proceedings were filed by its landlord, New York University.
Nominations
Thomas Boyd (Cooper Union)
Springsteen danced on my table. I sat in the green room and listened to Maura O’ Connell badmouth Bela Fleck. My buddy and I shouted the lyrics to Tom Chapin when he went up. Visiting Hoosiers keep buying me drinks, asking me to tell them about the time Springsteen danced on my table.
Anonymous Nominator
Opened in Greenwich Village in 1974 as a rock and folk music club with occasional jazz. Since the 1980s, jazz comprised a small but constant part of the club’s presentations, including avant garde, modern and mainstream jazz
Sharon Friedberg
The Bottom Line has been open for almost 30 years and has introduced New Yorkers to a wide range of jazz, rock, and folk artists. The Bottom Line is a small, intimate club that reminds us of a time when Greenwich Village was a destination for live music in intimate settings. Many artists, including Bruce Springsteen, had their start at this club. The very location of the Bottom Line, at the corner of West 4th and Mercer Streets, reminds us of a time when the Village was alive with diverse music. The club itself is cozy, with wonderful acoustics that result in exciting live performances. The club is deeply rooted in the downtown community and opened its doors to artists and New Yorkers shortly after 9/11 as a gathering place.
