Webster Hall After Prom - Webster Hall Nightclub NYC

After Prom @ Webster Hall NYC

History of Webster Hall:

When it was the Ritz, the club at 125 East 11th Street had been the home for the ultimate Manhattan rock showcase; nearly every important rock band to visit New York City played there since it opened under that name in 1980. What a history. Everyone but everyone played there including Frank Zappa, Johnny Rotten, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Prince, Sting, KISS, B.B. King, and Guns N' Roses are among the many groups and artists that performed there. The club was routinely called, "the best stage in New York City."

Then in 1992, it became Webster Hall, or rather returned to its original name. This 40,000 square ft. landmark nightclub located in the heart of New York's historic East Village remains a cornerstone for nightlife. The new owners restored the Hall's original color scheme while updating its audio, video, and lighting technology. With six separate lounges, and the most advanced lighting system in North America, its stage continues to make it a great venue.

Originally built in 1886 by architect Charles Rentz, Webster Hall quickly became the country's first modern nightclub, a place where one historical figures such as Emma Goldman (the outspoken Anarchist philosopher) would herald the cause of free love and birth control on one night and, on the next night, offer the refined atmosphere for a turn-of-the-century society function by New York's elite. Margaret Sanger led strikers to the building in 1912; other patrons from those early years included artists Marcel Duchamp and Joseph Stella as well.

During Prohibition, balls were held within the hall that reflected the hedonistic attitude of the speakeasy. A blind eye was turned to the merrymakers who attended while there were whispers that the venue was owned by an infamous mobster like Al Capone. After prohibition's repeal and after WW II, the Hall began featuring concerts from Latin performers such as Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez to folk artists such as Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie.

Then, RCA Records converted it into an East Coast recording venue-Webster Hall Studios-where Carol Channing recorded "Hello, Dolly!," Harold Prince recorded "Fiddler on the Roof" and stars such as Julie Andrews, Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Harry Belafonte, and Frank Sinatra all added to the list of stars that used the venue.

But that's only part of its legacy. Since becoming Webster Hall, it is a cool space where two or three different genres of music are played at once on weekends, with rave/house music in their large dance room and rock in the upstairs billiard area. The Hall can be comfortably accommodate 100 to 2500 people so it continues to be a great location for events whether they be concerts, strange parties, or corporate get-togethers.

As a darling of the business world, Webster Hall has hosted events for such companies and organizations as American Express, Chase Manhattan, Christian Dior, Conde Nast, Harper Collins, H.B.O., Miramax, and Morgan Stanley among others.

Beside such coprorate affairs, prominent high-profile events such as the Grammy Awards Announcements, Worth Magazine's Birthday Party, the Vibe Magazine Launch, and President Clinton & Vice President Al Gore's Campaign kickoff were held there as well.

Then there's all the benefits held there including AMFAR's "Mask for Aids," the NRDC's "Two Steppin for the Planet" show, the Housing Works "Dada" Ball, The Children's Aid Society "Springtime in Paris" event and Liz Smith's 60th Birthday.

The hottest bands and musicians still continue to perform there, maintaining Webster Hall's status as a major venue. Everyone from Alicia Keys, Ashlee Simpson, Avril Lavigne, Beenie Man, Cafe Tacuba, Cheap Trick, Cindy Lauper to Crystal Method have played there.

The place has become enough of a signature club that it has been used as a locations for such films as "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar" and "Awakenings" to television show such as Fox's "New York Undercover" to Universal's "Law and Order."