The East Village in New York City is located east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side. The East Village is a neighborhood characterized through artistic expression.

The sixties yielded a social and musical revolution across America. At the time, the current East Village neighborhood was a homogenous territory. Before this, in the 1950’s, from 14th street to below Houston Street, the entire neighborhood was considered the Northern part of the Lower East side. However, as the politically charged sixties came around a migration of beatniks, artists, poets, musicians, and philosophers migrated into the area. The neighborhood became known as the “East Village” to remove the image of slums and tenements evoked by the Lower East side reputation. Also, at the time the West Village was becoming home to artists and musicians like Bob Dylan who was gaining worldwide popularity from their home base just a few blocks to the west. The newly formulated East Village became a new neighborhood for these musicians to venture to, play music and create a whole new style.

The East Village is known as the birthplace and home of many artistic movements, including punk rock and glam. The neighborhood is a melting pot of experimental live music clubs, theaters and cutting-edge fashion.

Through the voices and riffs of The Ramones, Iggy Pop, The Beastie Boys, and The Velvet Underground, rock and punk rock exploded in the East Village. The Village became known as a safe haven for musical exploration and, challenging conformity, and experiencing musical genius.

CBGB
CBGB OMFUG (Country, Blue Grass and Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers) opened its doors 1973 and almost single handedly turned the East Village community into a rock and roll fairytale. Bands like Blondie, Talking Heads, Television, Patti Smith, and The Ramones. The club closed in October 2006. The final show on its stage was performed by Patti Smith.

Here at Hipster-Music-Scene we celebrate the legacy of CBGB and the bands that passed through the streets of Avenue A to the Bowery, from Second Avenue, down to Houston Street. At Hipster-Music-Scene we sort through all of the hype and buzz to bring you the best of the best in live music in the East Village in New York City. We will keep you up-to-date on the greatest shows and finest bands in the neighborhood. Plus, check out our original band profiles, read our weekly features, find venue details, and more!

Stayed tuned for our weekly show listings and local artist profiles.