The Bum's Rush for Resurgent Tramps
A collective shudder ran though New York music aficionados when word hit the streets that Tramps—the city's finest small venue—is closing. For more than a decade, the intimate storefront soundstage has been almost everything to almost everybody: the East Coast's best roots music roadhouse, world-class indie rock room and a longtime artist favorite — hosting gigs from last year's Prince tour warm-up to Blondie's first reunion gig to Bob Dylan's secret performance in July. While other clubs are skittish of "urban" audiences, Tramps has been a hip-hop leader, presenting breakthrough rap like the Fugees, De La Soul and this summer's return of Public Enemy.
With Chelsea's booming real estate market and a backlash against nightclubs, the building's owners have suddenly decided to enforce a disputed noise abatement clause buried in the venue's lease. Tramps can no longer hold daytime sound checks, effectively eliminating the club from most touring performers' itineraries.
Downtown music power and soon-to-be former Tramps talent buyer Steve Weitzman, however, is undeterred. While keeping the locations secret, Weitzman told CitySearch that he will open an astonishing three new clubs "to accommodate different crowd sizes from 600 to 1,500 by December of this year. The details are still being worked out. Right now, I'm busy moving what would have been Tramps shows to venues like the Bowery Ballroom, the Westbeth and the Bottom Line."
Asked whether all the recent club closings represented a new low in New York City's live music scene, Weitzman responded, "No, this has always been a tough business. Venues have always opened and closed. You may see a temporary lull, but there will always be a good supply of live music here as long as there is such a healthy demand. I'm coming back better than ever." Tramps' last live music night will host alternative country rock icons Son Volt on September 23.