If there’s one thing I know by being an avid concert-goer, it’s concert venues. More specifically, Brooklyn concert venues.
One of the greatest things about Brooklyn on top of its shopping and is its incredible nightlife. And that especially applies to live music and concert venues. There are a ton of Brooklyn concert venues both big and small that you can check out while you’re in the area!
Where To See the Best Concerts
Whether you’re a fan of seeing your music in a more intimate setting or you like the arena vibe, there is the perfect venue for every concert go-er! The area offers venues with both general admission seating and assigned seating, making your life experience that much better!
1) Barclays Center
I’m starting off this list with one of the biggest and best Brooklyn convert venues! It’s located near the Atlantic Terminal station on Atlantic Avenue. First opened in 2012, Barclays Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena!
Holding both concerts as well as sports games, the venue is home to the NBA team The Brooklyn Nets! Similar to large-scale New York venues such as Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center has a capacity ranging from around 16,000 to about 18,000 depending on the event being held.
Barclays Center is a huge part of the Brooklyn entertainment industry, hosting huge sports games and concerts and events. Notable events include the 2013 MTV Music Video Awards and huge concerts like Neil Diamond, The Who, and Demi Lovato (with Nick Jonas, of course! It is one of the largest and most iconic Brookly concert venues!
2) Brooklyn Steele
Another one of my favorite concert venues that Brooklyn has to offer is Brooklyn Steel. Compared to Barclays Center, this venue is on a much smaller scale, especially when it comes to the variety of events that are hosted as well as the capacity!
Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the venue is owned by The Bowery Represents, a company that operates multiple venues such as Terminal 5. Brooklyn Steele is still relatively new, being that it’s building was completed in 2017!
Brooklyn Steele uses the general admissions style, having only a capacity of around 1,800 people. One of my favorite things about attending a venue this small in general admission, is the intimacy of it all! Some notable performers of the venue include Arctic Monkeys, LCD Soundsystem and Catfish and The Bottlemen!
3) Baby’s All Right
Ok, my turn to brag. I was actually a huge fan of Billie Eilish back in the day and had the privilege of seeing her perform at this amazingly intimate venue! Baby’s All Right is a cozy little setting, serving not all as a concert venue, but also a bar and a restaurant!
Also located in Williamsburg, one of the things about this place is how quaint it is. If there’s one thing that I learned from going to concerts, it’s that sometimes it can be super overwhelming if you’re attending in a large crowd.
But, you don’t need to worry about that here, because the venue itself only has a capacity of 280 people! Notable performers of the venue include Billie Eilish, Ryn Weaver, and Mac Demarco!
4) The Knitting Factory
As you can see, one of the running themes of Brooklyn concert venues is intimacy. And it’s no different when it comes to the small-scale venue The Knitting Factory. Located on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, The Knitting Factory doubles as a bar and a Performance and Event Venue!
The venue now at its third location since it first opened over 30 years ago back in 1987! It’s the perfect underground music location with a capacity of about 300. With the bar located in the front section of the venue, you can grab a drink and even catch small sounds of the live music! One of the most notable performances at the venue includes one by none other than Lady Gaga in 2007.
5) Rough Trade NYC
Maybe I’m a little biased when it comes to this one, but this next one has to be one of the coolest Brooklyn concert venues ever! One of the best and most unique things about it is the fact that it doubles as a record store! It has multiple locations, both in New York as well as the United Kingdom!
One of the best things to come of this venue being a record store is the fact that the venue offers admission to many of their shows if you purchase a copy of an album by that particular artist! On top of that, many of their concerts include a meet and greet, where you can meet, take a photo and get an autograph from the artist performing!
6) Elsewhere
Ok, we’re going to be moving a little bit away from Williamsburg, where many Brooklyn concert venues are located. This next venue is located on Johnson Avenue in Bushwick.
Elsewhere is a converted warehouse that serves as a venue, nightclub, and art space! This venue has hosted many up and coming artists including pop singers Charli XCX and Kim Petras.
7) Music Hall of Williamsburg
Last definitely doesn’t mean least. Especially when it comes to Brooklyn concert venues! Music Hall of Williamsburg is one of the classic intimate concert venues in the area.
Music Hall of Williamsburg is another one of the venues that are owned by The Bowery Presents group. Opening in 2001, the venue has somewhat of a bigger capacity compared to the other Brooklyn concert venues on the list at around 650 people!
A Night Out On The Town
Now you have become somewhat of an expert on some of the best concert venues located in Brooklyn! It’s time to plan a night out for dinner and show in order to check out some of these incredible venues and spaces!
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