Best Concert Venues in New York City

There are a lot of reasons to love New York – the restaurants, the museums, the Bodegas – but the music scene is among my favorites. Because the music experience is highly subjective, I've brought in two of the most music savvy people I know: my stepbrother Ben French, Executive Producer at Rolling Stone and Stern '05 grad and my friend Jonathan Cohen, Music Booker at Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. This is our collective list of the best indoor concert venues in NYC and a few of the best shows we've seen at each – plus some good upcoming shows where you can experience things firsthand!

Also, don't forget to support your fellow Stern musicphiles at the most anticipated concert of the year, as Stern-based cover band MBA Jam headlines at Crash Mansion (Lower East Side) on Thursday, February 24th at 10:30!

10. Union Pool

484 Union Ave, Capacity: 74

The Skinny: This Williamsburg locale is a cool and super-small venue, where the people-watching ranges from fascinating to nauseating, depending on your outlook. The venue itself is more like a bar that happens to have a stage in back. There's also a spacious outdoor area and a taco truck that serves up some tasty treats. Drinks are cheap, too. HOWEVER, this is literally the epicenter of hipsterism, in case that affects your concert-going buzz.  Still, the tiny concert venue is a great place to see great new bands cut their teeth.

Best Shows We've Seen:

JC and SM: Appamatox (2011)

Good Upcoming Shows: I've honestly never heard of any of the upcoming bands, so if you're curious just go on a Saturday!

9. Webster Hall

125 East 11th St., Capacity: 1,500

The Skinny: So much potential, yet so poorly handled. The good: it's a cool-looking venue. It's got the feel of an old mansion as you walk up rickety old stairs to the stage. However, a Bud Light bottle will set you back an outrageous $9 and they frequently have sound issues. The bathrooms are unisex so don't be surprised to see the opposite gender walk out of the stall. Still, some good bands come through and its location makes it easy to find a fun spot after the show.

Best Shows We've Seen

SM: Dismemberment Plan (2011); BF: "I've never seen a good show here. Ever."

Good Upcoming Shows

Beach House (2/23), Mogwai (4/21-22)

8.  Terminal 5

610 West 56th St., Capacity: 4,000

The Skinny: Located in Midtown, Terminal 5 suffers from a few deficiencies. First, the layout isn't ideal: it has a large rectangular floor that feels like a concrete pit, and the sight lines are poor. Balcony seating is available, but tough to get. It makes the list because its size attracts great acts and has a steady stream of them year-round. There's not a ton of after-show options, so I'd save this spot for a band you're dying to see.

Best Shows We've Seen:

BF: "Watching Built to Spill play Perfect From Now On in its entirety."

Good Upcoming Shows: Dr. Dog (2/18), The Pogues/Titus Andronicus (3/17)

7. Irving Plaza

17 Irving Place, Capacity: 1,200

The Skinny: Located just off of Union Square, this is a good venue but the acts here are not consistently good (changes in management). The bar can be costly: a domestic beer will run you $7 and cocktails can be $10-$11 or more. I've never heard serious complaints about the acoustics, so you're likely to get a good performance. The surrounding area doesn't offer many post-show bars, but it's in a central location.

Best Shows We've Seen

BF: "Guided By Voices final tour, when our brother Jeff jumped on stage and sang a song with Robert Pollard." JC: Pearl Jam (2006); SM: Jay-Z (2010).

Good Upcoming Shows: Meh, not much. 

6. Radio City

Music Hall

1260 Ave. of the Americas

Capacity: 6,000

The Skinny: You can't have this list without including a venue as iconic as Radio City, nicknamed "The Showplace of the Nation." It was crazy to see our high school friends The National have their name on the marquee last summer. The venue has plenty of seats so if you're looking for a real rocker, this isn't the venue for you. However, it's definitely worth a trip if you haven't been.

Best Shows We've Seen:

JC: Aretha Franklin (2010); BF: "Yo Gabba Gabba with my daughter." (2010)

Good Upcoming Shows: Interpol (2/17); Bright Eyes (3/8 – 9); Janet Jackson (3/18-21)

5. Madison Square Garden

4 Pennsylvania Plaza, Capacity: 20,000

The Skinny: Purists out there will probably question having a stadium amphitheater so high on the list. But this isn't just any stadium: this is MSG! And if you're there, you're probably seeing an epic show from a legend. When I saw Pearl Jam play here in 2003, the stadium was actually shaking! As with any stadium show, there are vast differences in the experience depending on where your seats are, but it's easy to get beers (at typical $7-$8 stadium prices). It's likely that you'll be so enthralled that you won't even care.  

Best Shows We've Seen

BF: "BRUCE [Springsteen] last fall - two night stand of Wild Innocent and The River."  JC: tie between Prince (2004) and Stevie Wonder (2007); SM: Pearl Jam (2010).

Good Upcoming Shows: Lady Gaga (2/21-22), LCD Soundsystem (4/2)

4. Bell House

149 7th St, Capacity: 350

The Skinny: Undoubtedly, this venue is less well known, most likely because it's in Park Slope, Brooklyn. However, for the Brooklyn-fearing Manhattanites out there, this place is well worth the trek. It has an excellent front area bar that is very relaxed. Bar prices are more Brooklyn-esque, with pints of good domestics in the $5 range and cans running about $3. The main venue is wide, making it easy to get close to the stage, and you're likely to be among knowledgeable yet friendly music fans. A great summertime venue, and afterwards you can hit the bars on 5th Ave or Smith Street.