Tonic (music venue)
Tonic was a music venue located at 107 Norfolk Street, New York City which opened in the Spring of 1998 and closed in April 2007. It described itself as supporting "avant garde, creative and experimental music" and known for its commitment to musical integrity.[1][2] A former kosher winery, the small and unassuming building provided a sense of intimacy by setting the performers within arms length of the audience.[3] Tonic was the location of numerous live recordings by a variety of musicians.
Tonic's closing was related to soaring rent on the Lower East Side.[4] The final show on Friday, April 13, 2007 was an evening of improvisation organized by John Zorn and a techno party, the venue's weekly resident, The Bunker, hosted by Bryan Kasenic (DJ Spinoza).[1] The closure the following day was accompanied by a symbolic protest. There were more than 100 protestors.[4] Refusing to leave, two musicians, Marc Ribot and Rebecca Moore, were arrested for trespassing while cheered on by supporters across the street.[1] The Bunker moved the following week to Luna Lounge in Brooklyn which was itself a club recently displaced from the Lower East Side.[5]
Selected recordings
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- Medeski Martin & Wood, Electric Tonic, July 4, 1998
- R. Stevie Moore, More Moores Than Smiths – Live at Tonic, September 6, 1998 (DVD)
- Medeski Martin & Wood, Tonic, March 16–20 & 23–26, 1999
- John Zorn and Masada, Masada Live at Tonic 1999, Summer 1999 (DVD)
- Erikm, DJ Olive and Christian Marclay, September 17, 2000 (during the Electroluxe Festival)
- William Parker Clarinet Trio, Bob's Pink Cadillac, August 1, 2001
- Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Deakin, Campfire Songs, November 2, 2001 (only full performance of the album, later classified as an Animal Collective album)
- John Zorn and Masada, Live at Tonic 2001, 2001
- Wally Shoup, Paul Flaherty, Thurston Moore and Chris Corsano, Live at Tonic, September 14, 2002
- Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Live at Tonic, June 25, 2002
- Fred Frith and John Zorn Duo, July 15, 2003
- Dennis Gonzalez NY Quartet, NY Midnight Suite, August 2003
- Marina Rosenfeld, Toshio Kajiwara and Christian Marclay, August 21, 2003 (Subtonic phOnOmena)
- Milford Graves and John Zorn, September 8, 2003
- Sunny Murray, Perles Noires Volume I, October 10, 2003
- Xiu Xiu, Live at Tonic, March 20, 2004
- Club d'Elf, Live at Tonic, May 26, 2004
- White Out w/ Jim O'Rourke and Thurston Moore, Senso, December 18, 2004
- Christian McBride, Live at Tonic, January 10, 11, 2005
- Wood Brothers, Live at Tonic EP, July 25, 2006
- Marco Benevento, Live at Tonic, November 1, 15, 22, 29, 2006
- John Zorn's 50th Birthday Celebration Series recorded at Tonic
References
- ^ a b c Requiem for a Club: Saxophone and Sighs Nate Chinen, The New York Times, April 16, 2007, Retrieved September 29, 2007
- ^ Ben Sisario Avant-Garde Music Loses a Lower Manhattan Home nytimes.com, March 31, 2007
- ^ Federico Cribiore (2000). "Tonic is a special place.". Tonic [CD booklet]. Hollywood: Blue Note.
- ^ a b Lower East Side Is Under a Groove Allen Salkin, The New York Times, June 3, 2007, Retrieved September 29, 2007
- ^ The Listings: April 20 – April 26 April 20, 2007, The New York Times, Retrieved September 29, 2007
External links
- t o n i c – official site
- The Bunker – official site
- Tonic Group Photo Pool at Flickr