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Categories: Performing Arts, Bars
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - South Sidei did that thing. where you walk past, then turn around, when everyone outside is looking at you, and walk back.
here for a benefit for a cool dude who passed away.
interesting space.
probably will be back.
I was there for VADIM's latest CD release party.
The cover was a bit pricey. The venue is (temperature) hot. The drinks are not cheap... however, the bartender hooked me up with a couple buy-back since I tipped him decent.
The sound system was only bearable because the DJ's (Vadim, Nappy G & the legendary $mall ¢hange) brought in extra sound. Otherwise, it would've sucked. But I heard they mostly do indie rock/acoustic rock there so the PA is only used for vocal amplification (makes sense).
Not THAT great, definitely not horrible . . . with so many things having gone to hell in NYC (for the past 10 yrs. or more), GLASSLANDS ain't so bad. If you dig the aforementioned genres of live music, it's probably right up your alley.
Was better when it was Glasshouse, remember that kids? Didn't think so. Gets really crowded on weekends, and one night it was like a total douche fest, like 20 dudes in shorts and baseball caps, literally just grabbing girls. But normally it's one of the best spots in Williamsburg for live bands and DJs. As mentioned previously, trumps most places with its decor, booking and crowd. Brooke Baxter (proprietress) deserves props. Just watch out for the toilets. Floating poop is not uncommon.
Sorry guys, your place is too hot. If we don't draw the ratings down it might get popular with the wrong crowd and get ruined. I do have a couple of criticism's. That black floor with the step between the entrance and the bar and dancefloor is dangerous. A painted on glow strip might help. Also a little diversity would be nice: contrary to young white hipsters beliefs, there are plenty of gorgeous people out there who don't look just like you. They may be a little older, or people of color, but so what. We all know the best clubs are populated by beautiful people who have no hang-ups (except they don't want stupid people around who might mess up the fun).
Aside from those 2 minor problems, I had a great time Fri nite, and will return.
Great dancing! Went for the soul dance and clap off (or whatever it was called). Biggest turn offs? The judges of the dance off and the dj really loved hearing themselves talk. They would constantly shut off the music to babble about whatever hipster nonsense they felt was appropriate. I really wanted to wipe their smirks off their faces and destroy their pompadours.
Ended up peeing on the street several times. Bathroom line is pretty unpleasant. The decor is...eccentric. I enjoyed smoking on the balcony and convincing the bartender to give me a pint of my dirty whiskey/coke instead of the standard wimpy plastic glass. My friend got hers for free...guess I should invest in an edgier haircut...and some piercings.
When I'm sweating balls at a Bacchanalian musical orgy in a monetized art space, I want to be pouring wine all over my face and exposed chest. They got that covered at Glasslands. But if you're gonna go legit with the licensure, get some liquor that's worth drinking too! To their credit they do have small bottles of sake, not a bad option. There's always sobriety. :(
I've seen several shows here and been at a party or two. I only walked out once after some performance art that caused my eyes & ears to bleed. The rest have all been late, sweaty, filthy, wonderful nights. A recent Black Mountain show was pretty hot, if not a little over capacity. There's always the balcony to get away from the fondlers (there's one in every crowd) but it's more fun on the floor.
If there's a band you want to see that's playing Glasslands, GO! You won't want to miss it, just don't wear shoes you give a shit about, I might accidentally spill some celebration on them.
This place is cool as shit. The upstairs deck is especially nice if you want to take a break or relax. It also sounds really good from up there.
Uber-hip, as you can expect in this neighborhood, but everyone is enjoying themselves. Beers we're $4-8, and there was a $5 cover.
I also enjoy that it's 3 blocks from my apartment, and right around the corner from Death by Audio.
Went to some sort of DJ event here on what I think was a date. It ended up being a lot more fun than I thought. Could've been the crowd. The place is kind of off the beaten path and it took us some time to find it, but the staff was friendly, bartenders competent, and the drinks (and their prices) not terrible. The bathroom however, was downright scary. (Points to the staff for fixing a clogged toilet midway through my visit.)
wannabe Animal Collective live music so I don't have to hear my friends saying stupid shit and alright priced drinks. hooray.
Just checked out their website and saw they do local outreach work (teaching teens how to DJ? adorable!) and donate portions of their profits to different organizations and charities every month. I've never heard of a hipster venue doing such a thing. Five stars!
The best venue of its kind (trumping Death By Audio, Silent Barn, Bodega, etc ...) in Brooklyn.… Read more »
so maybe i'm just mad that the people i thought should win the dance off here didn't win. it should've been me or another lady that i was dancing with, but apparently getting wild and thrashing about is considered better dancing at this venue. which is fine ... it's their dance party not mine.
that being said, lots of friendly folks here, delicious hot cider (which they should consider putting in a different kind of cup than a small plastic one ... it nearly melted to my hand. not kidding. way too hot for a plastic cup!) cool beer specials. heating units which will also melt you into little lumps. it's a cool space, and the people that work there are pretty friendly. i probably won't be back for awhile (if at all), but we had a pretty good time.
Glasslands is a total dump and is perfect in every way.
There's art, there's "art," there's artists and there's an abundance of pretty-ugly-pretty people willing to get sweaty with you and make an ass of themselves. It smells like rock, liquor and sex at the end of every show. They have no control over the door, the smokers from outside somehow still manage to impede on the air inside and people routinely try to dive from the balcony to the floor during particularly rowdy sets.
What a wonderful piece of shit.
We went to Glasslands last night for the soul dance party and eventual dance off. It was $2 to get in an the winner took half the door money. I didn't enter and thus didn't win anything but watching man after man in American Apparel gold stretch pants kept me going for a while.
This place is like a visual amusement park. All of the artwork is DIY, really sloppy in a fun and exciting sort of way. In the back there is a room with hula hoop-esque rings set up in sculpture form. Upstairs is a painting room where you can write things like "I love MB forever" or "MB was here" or "Make love not war." Whatever. You get it. No one here is going to judge, and that's a good thing.
Oh, they had open bar for an hour or so, which was great if you're a beer drinker. I'm not. Other choices were sake bombs, "sangria" in the form of cheap jug wine with floating fruit anndddd regular wine (without floating fruit.) I don't know if this is always the case, just be prepared if you don't enjoy what's on tap.
I'm giving this place five stars because the concept of an art commune is really interesting and progressive. They've lasted a while, seems like they are doing something right. Plus, a soul dance party? How amazing is that?
things that happened:
there was a middle aged guy in miami vice gear (but sadly no crockett stubble) who danced almost the whole night. more than anyone, probably. we made up a biography for him. he might have been the most interesting person there.
in between bands a dj played "no tears" by tuxedomoon and i noticed one of the bartenders do a (very brief) happy dance.
the air conditioning had to be shut off so the smoke machine could run properly for the last band. even though it was hot, it was worth it when the strobe lights went on. this is coming from someone that doesn't like strobe lights. or being hot.
i saw three girls that thought they were betty page. i am sure they weren't, though. she's either in her 80's or dead or something. they didn't look that old or dead to me but you know, i've been wrong before.
some girl in a white dress was dragging around a guy that looked like the winner from a recent season of project runway. that guy with the bird hair that said "fierce" way too much. it wasn't him. too bad, because i wanted to tell bird man to pick a new word. i probably wouldn't have though.
the hefeweizen they were pouring was really, really good.
i like it here.
It's an art/performance space that looks and feels the part. Out of the way location in Williamsburg. Slapdash, DIY decor. Place looks like total crap. But you wouldn't take it seriously as a venue for local, independent artists otherwise, would you?
I personally get a kick out of how your vodka choices are limited to well and Goose. They cut right to the chase here, LOL.
Anyway, it's not so much about the place itself as it's about the events it hosts, right? I can't really say, oh yeah, this place is worth checking out, because it really depends on what's going on. But if the event seems interesting, there's no reason to avoid this place. I've always been here with good people. And it's got a good vibe. When you're there, you kinda sorta feel authentically edgy for a moment. If that's still possible these days.
Hands down one of my favorite venues in New York City. As a producer and curator I appreciate the owners' artist-centered approach, and it is something that is reflected in the spirit of the place and the audiences who come to see shows here. It's located conveniently enough to the L and the J, M, Z so as to be accessible but not so convenient as to be overrun with the type of crowds you find wandering the East Viilage and LES on the weekends.
There are great sight lines to the stage, and the sound system is particularly good for a seemingly DIY venue. Sure, I would like it if they served hard liquor, but Chimay, champagne and sake mojitos make it the lack of a full bar a small concession for an otherwise dynamite venue.
Glasslands is a bit of an anomaly, as it has the look, feel and price of an all ages venue but it's 21+. This means a couple things--first, Todd P. won't promote or put on shows here. Second, well, no one under 21 is here. Take these as you will.
Glasslands books all the bands that play Uncle Paulie's and Silent Barn and Don Pedro's, but they aren't in the middle of f-ing nowhere, which is big plus. I am pretty sure that alcohol is almost always procured, arranged and sold by the person promoting the show and not the venue itself, which means it often runs out and varies broadly in price. Frequently there's free events, and when they aren't the price is usually limited to under $10, like most venues like this.
The sound is tolerable--better at least than the aforementioned all ages venues!
Glasslands is basically a good middle-of-the-road independent venue. It's definitely not upscale, but it's not nearly as grungy as some of the more borderline legal venues deeper in North Brooklyn.
just lovely, nice local spot especially for those lots of different venues all the time, fast bar with cheap drinks, love the backroom art display 'n the nightly dance-off judging panel.
if you need instant hipster cred, this is your place.
I was pretty trashed when I went here last night but overall I enjoyed the grimey experience. It is a 21+ venue with lots of cool DIY art all around. Like others have said, they have different promoters for different events and the dance night last night was decent. Unfortunately, some of the crowd can be douches but overall everyone I encountered was nice enough.
if a band you like is playing a few shows in the city and one of them is at glasslands, go to the show here.
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