Webster Hall Announces Reopening, First Wave of Programming

Brad Barket / Getty Images – Webster Hall
Fans wait outside Manhattan’s Webster Hall for a show in 2007.

Beloved Manhattan club Webster Hall announced its reopening and initial programming on Thursday.

The venue had closed in August 2017, months after it was acquired jointly by Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and AEG Presents’ regional partner The Bowery Presents.

In early January, Webster Hall teased a spring 2019 reopening. According to a press release, the venue has undergone a “comprehensive renovation.”

Patti Smith and Her Band kick off the new Webster’s first wave of programming with a May 1 gig. The venue’s initial calendar runs through November and includes headlining appearances by MGMT, Built to Spill, Sharon Van Etten, Old Dominion and more.

But Smith’s show won’t be the first at the refreshed venue. Webster’s press released promised the club’s opening act and date will be announced soon.

“It has been an honor to undertake this project with AEG and The Bowery Presents, understanding how much Webster Hall means to the history of New York City and the music community,” said BSE Global CEO Brett Yormark in a statement, emphasizing that “maintaining the integrity of this iconic venue has been of utmost priority throughout the entire renovation process.”

Ticketholders will notice many changes upon entrance. Webster Hall has implemented central air conditioning, expanded restrooms, and added stairwells.

The venue’s Marlin Room has been rechristened as The Lounge and turned into a bar and congregation point for attendees. Basement-level room The Studio at Webster Hall will return; programming remains unannounced. Backstage, the venue improved amenities for performers and their teams.

“Our collective goal was to ensure the history and legacy of this iconic theater while preserving its charm and character and creating an unequaled New York City concert experience for fans and performers,” AEG Presents CEO Jay Marciano said in a statement.

The changes extend to the sound itself: L-Acoustics provided acoustic design to bolster audio quality. (For more about the audio company, revisit Pollstar‘s recent interview with North American CEO Laurent Vaissié.)

OTJ Architects and Shawmut Design and Construction served as architect and contractor for the renovation, respectively.

“After a decade-long relationship with the venue, The Bowery Presents is truly excited to return to Webster Hall now in both an operational and booking capacity alongside our new partners at BSE Global,” Bowery Presents partners John Moore and Jim Glancy said in a statement. “As we honor the rich history this venue holds with fans and artists alike, we are excited to begin this new chapter with artists that we love and respect.”

Webster Hall won the Pollstar Award for Nightclub of the Year for 2016. Several of the artists announced played the venue shortly before its closure. TroyBoi sold 1,143 tickets for a gross of $25,740 on Sept. 23, 2016, and FKJ sold 1,521 tickets for a gross of $33,720 on March 23, 2017. Chromeo sold 1,400 tickets for a gross of $35,000 on Nov. 14, 2013; the following April, Real Estate sold the same amount of tickets for a gross of $28,640.

Tickets for the renovated Webster Hall go on sale to the general public at 12 p.m. ET on March 1, with the exception of Empire of the Sun, which goes on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET.

Find Webster Hall’s initial 2019 calendar below.