Over the river, indie music venues await adventurous students

We Manhattanites are spoiled. We love our little island and, on most days, see little reason to leave it. Case in point: November of my freshman year, I bought a ticket online to see Wolf Parade. I was in New York, at the center of the universe, at last. No more coordinating rides to the nearest metropolis—from now on my favorite bands would come to me!
Imagine my shock upon realizing, just days before the show, that I’d unwittingly bought my ticket for a venue in—of all places—New Jersey. I didn’t go. I stayed on campus that Saturday night, and my e-ticket stayed in my inbox, unused.

It doesn’t have to be this way. For the adventurous indie fan, a longer ride on the subway can mean a far better experience—a more intimate setting, a refreshingly different crowd, and a chance to explore some funky, fun, and truly bizarre places.

Maxwell’s
Maxwell’s is an oasis of griminess in downtown Hoboken, NJ—an otherwise shiny, fake-looking stretch of fancy cars, fast food chains, and eerily quiet streets. The concert hall isn’t especially pretty—it’s twice the width of a Carman hallway and less than half the length, with glossy red and black walls and a gum-stained floor. But somehow, its casual atmosphere fosters intimacy.
Although shows here regularly sell out, I saw a Monday night concert with no more than 25 other people. As the opening act played, I watched the headlining artist sip a Snapple and chat with my fellow concertgoers in the back of the room.
Maxwell’s schedule juggles local groups with bigger acts. Upcoming highlights include Mason Jennings, Titus Andronicus, and the Fiery Furnaces. If your favorite band is booked here, it is definitely worth the trip. Bands often play at Maxwell’s immediately before or after appearances downtown and in Brooklyn, so a trek out to Hoboken is a way to avoid the New York crowds.

Maxwell’s is located at 1039 Washington St. in Hoboken, NJ.

The Bell House
The Bell House, surrounded by warehouses in the desolate outskirts of Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood, is a gorgeous place to see a show. The dimly lit lounge offers leather sofas, vintage wallpaper, and even a table with a built-in Atari console. Most concerts are held in the ballroom, which, with its wooden walls, rafters, and shiny chandeliers, resembles a summer camp dining hall gone glam. A huge painting of a buffalo hangs over the stage like Jesus over an altar, colored by ever-changing tropical lights.
Though it’s much larger than Maxwell’s, I didn’t feel lost in the crowd at the Bell House. The layout works a lot like that of Schermerhorn 501—a very wide standing space means that no one is ever more than 20 feet away from the stage. The sound is great, and the lighting effects change the ambience from ethereal to cozy and back again. Coming here is worth the extra subway stops because of its sheer pleasantness as a venue. Upcoming acts include the Hood Internet, Au Revoir Simone, and the Mountain Goats.

The Bell House is located at 149 Seventh St. in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

The Silent Barn
Some people say that New York City’s creative scene is dead, and a trip to the Silent Barn in Ridgewood, Queens, will either confirm this idea or shatter it to pieces. The entrance is sandwiched between a Caribbean restaurant and a livery service, and unmarked but for a street number. Stepping through the door is like stepping down Alice’s rabbit hole—all drug connotations fully intended. The place is a trip, and you’ll either love it or hate it.
The Silent Barn’s concert space walks the line between brilliant and ludicrous. Its pièce-de-résistance is a three-tiered mountain of cheap leather couches and chairs—a grungy, teetering play structure for grown-ups.
Wall decorations include a Lisa Frank-esque unicorn, a hoodie-clad creature with a mouth in the middle of its face, and a giant mural of teddy bears jumping off of rainbows. Inexplicably, behind the drum kits and amps is a fully functional kitchen area, complete with sink, fridge, toaster oven, and plenty of condiments. You probably won’t have heard of the bands, as the Silent Barn tends to bring in very obscure indie and noise-rock outfits, but this treasure trove of weirdness begs a visit.

The Silent Barn is located at 915 Wykoff Ave. in Ridgewood, Queens.