Live @ Shea Stadium

This is not to be confused with the actual stadium in Flushing, nope this little venue is located in east Williamsburg. This is like so many places in Bushwick a DIY venue spot that is hidden to the average eye. But if you have ears you can figure out that this is not band practice but indeed a rock venue.
L.A. Witch was headlining last night and I’ve been wanting to check out the venue to boot. And who wouldn’t want to see a cool all girl, surfy, gothy band from L.A.
You go through some strange unmarked door and up the stairs. I got cool friends so I was on the list. There’s a little bar on the side. Two bathrooms on each side. I suggest the second one since, people don’t realize it’s there. Drinks are $ 5 for Modelo or $ 6 for IPA, both are cans. And there’s other beer options, no taps and hard liquor.
The bands had a distinct surf sound. One of the most popular bands that comes to mind is Best Coast. It’s almost romantic, high school dances in some version of Back to the Future or some youthful Pulp Fiction. The opening band, named «High Waisted» was into it! They even ended with a cover from Pulp Fiction, Dick Dale’s «Miserlou».

It was trickier to get a good view of the headliner. Since, this place is small it’s got obtrusive poles and people are standing by the very large amps and when people paparazzi the band from some publication then everyone is blinded by the light!
There’s also a large balcony outside for the smokers and a giant fish on the wall. I personally enjoyed all the drawings in the first bathroom. I would recommend standing against the wall closer to the balcony and away from the bathrooms and bar.

The left bathroom smells EXACTLY like the bathrooms at Camp Modin circa ¹⁹⁹⁸⁄₁₉₉₉. EXACTLY.

This is my favorite venue in NY! Only went twice last year as Silent Barn or Palisades seem to book shows more to my taste, but I often wished those shows were here.

Good venue! I saw some great bands here last summer, such as Jerry Paper and Elvis Depressedly!!! However, on hot summer nights the venue becomes suffocatingly humid/​hot. I had to spend most of the Elvis show outside on the balcony because I literally would have passed out in the room where the bands played. Wish the ventilation was better. There was a couple of fans and an old a/​c in the window but they had little effect on cooling the place down. Would definitely come back though, perhaps in the winter.

It might just be the state of Brooklyn or New York overall but this feels more like a simulacrum of a DIY venue with security and a cash bar and how nonorganic it feels relative to almost every other major warehouse spot on the east coast. The balcony is cool though, and watching jets come in from what I guess is LaGuardia.

Cold beer is three dollars!

Some of the best music programming in the country is happening in this 150 person room right now. If you have not been, go experience it. Say hey to Adam and Sean at the bar and recognize that where you are, is a time capsule in music history.

Super cool venue that pulls amazing talent. Acoustics aren’t the best but they make up for it with plenty of room, a balcony, and cheap drinks.

To call Shea Stadium «dive-​y» is to announce to the world that you’ve never been to Death by Audio down the road. So head on over to DBA sometime soon to set your dive-​o-​meter straight. Shea Stadium is a dive, but it’s by no means the standard bearer for its genre. First a bit about the neighborhood. I drove to Shea Stadium from suburban Connecticut. Meadow Street is reminiscent of old New York, circa 1980. If I were young enough and pretty enough, Meadow Street, Williamsburg would be a great place to be raped, murdered or disappear entirely. The exterior door is unmarked, so be advised that you might have to try a few doors on Meadow before you find one that opens. Once inside, it’s a long flight of stairs up to a largish open space that is too dimly lit to do justice to the thoughtful décor, an homage to mid 70s subway graffiti, which is great for puzzlers trying to decide if the person who spray painted «Cheap Fuck Sluts» was making a statement or promoting their band. Ticket was a super affordable 8 bucks – much cheaper than you’d pay to see some 3D shit show at the local multiplex. And the drinks, though limited in selection, are equally cheap. Five dollars for a Yuengling is a relative bargain seeing as there’s a place in Westport that sells comparable beers for $ 13!!! (you know who you are, The Whelk!). Because this is a self-​designated DYI venue (that doubles as a recording space) expect to not be able to find anything when you first enter. Tips: «bar» is immediately to your right. Do not expect an array of trendy bourbons, but do expect to find a nice guy happy to grab a beer from the fridge behind him. To your immediate left there is a short flight of steps to what looks like a trailer someone dumped there and which may or may not be the bathroom. The stage is elevated and decorated with what looks like an upside Burger King crown like the kind they used to give to the kiddies, done up in Merry Midgets to lend a glow-​y ambiance. To the left of the stage is the little room the bands use to store their gear, where I was able to charge my phone – a real plus that you won’t find someplace less downscale. Also if you’re lucky, midway through the night you might be able to grab a seat on the leather sofa and get a contact high. Which reminds me. This is one of those places that allows smoking indoors, so pick your outfit out of the pile of dirty clothes on the floor of your Bushwick flat. Bad beards, fake glasses and pot bellies are de rigueur for the men. And Brooklyn being a mediocre-​looking, chubby guy’s dream world where anyone can get laid, ladies should just slap on the funky skater skirt they got at their last clothes swap, biker boots and Deva Shan hair gel.
Acoustically Shea Stadium kicks DBA’s ass, I’m sorry to say, because I am fond of DBA. I don’t know if this is a function of the space, the equipment or the sound guy, but I was actually able to discern vocals over the incessant triple forte of the instruments. Anyway, so this place is a great live music venue, affordable and so cool they probably shouldn’t have let me in.

Saw a few of my friends perform here, its pretty dive-​y. But its a nice intimate space for small shows.

Hole in the wall DIY venue that usually sounds better than you expect it will.

Hipsterlicious indie rock band venue. Only shots and beer though, but if you’re okay with sitting on old ratty coaches, socializing with starving artists and underground rappers, then this is your place.

This is quite an interesting, but awesome, DIY indie venue. As I followed my printed walking directions to the place, I realized it’s down some side street off the beaten path, but soon heard loud music, which I followed to literally an open door in a wall. There is an immediate staircase where a man was seated at a booth atop, so I knew I was in the right place.
The actual floor is a bit roomy and the «bar» is a table with bottles of soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, and more drinks in a fridge. I honestly didn’t find the bathroom to be disgusting, but it does take a lot for me to be disgusted by a public bathroom anyway (I’m not sure what one could expect from a public bathroom after all, especially one in a venue, DIY or not) — it had soap and running hot and cold water, so that’s good enough for me!
Now, the sound quality is surprisingly excellent — I really have to give this place massive ups for the sound. It’s better than some bigger venues I’ve been to in Manhattan. The show I was at also followed the set times and ended at the time I expected it to end. I’m very impressed by this place and won’t hesitate to return for another show!

The DIY music/​art-​damage continuum in Brooklyn exists in a state of perpetual flux, with new spots opening, old spots shutting down or rebranding themselves, and pop-​up events happening pretty much wherever anyone has an idea and floor space, but Shea remains a constant for me. In fact, in the two years and change I’ve been in Brooklyn, I think it’s only gotten cooler — either that, or the music I like is just becoming cool again; I dunno.
You get kinda dulled to the magic of the East Williamsburg Industrial Park sometimes, y’know? («Where are you guys playing tomorrow?» «Ohhhh, uhhhmm, another hot, overcrowded loft with a broken PA and a destroyed bathroom…» — Not to say that description fits Shea; more on that in a second.) But then, a few months back, I was entertaining a friend of mine, a boho indie rock dude who had joined the armed forces and was briefly back in the States on leave. He spent a few hours telling me a ton about his experiences in Afghanistan, the kind of stuff we civilians very rarely hear about and that would assuredly break a lot of people’s spirits. Then I took him to Shea. After climbing that long flight of stairs, we walked into the main room — always slightly bigger in real life than in my memory, a long room with a very high ceiling, an actual stage against one wall and actual sound booth against another, full of hipsters sippin’ bodega beers. His eyes were just popping out of his head, man. «WHAT THE ACTUAL F — -??,» he said. «HOW IS THIS EVEN REAL?» And, y’know, I really liked how I could take a guy who’s seen things I can hardly imagine, lead him down an unassuming industrial block and up a flight of stairs and blow his mind.
When you think about it, as DIY venues go, Shea kinda has everything. It’s just a few blocks from the L, and a ton of people who fit its target demographic live within walking distance. It’s off the main drag, but it’s a secure block (see that furniture shop across the street? its owners and their friends like to hang out on the sidewalk at all hours, and yes, they own the building that Shea is in, and yes, they are totally in favor of what the Shea crew is doing). There is, as I’d said, a proper stage and a good PA. (The place was actually set up with the intention of recording bands. The acoustics might not be perfect, but they have good audio gear.) In terms of visibility of the stage, there’s not a bad spot in the room. There’s a porch of sorts on the overhang in front of the building — not that Shea’s denizens tend to refrain from smoking inside, but it’s good to be able to get some fresh air when the air inside is thick with Bushwick artkid sweat. A lot of the bands most active in the Brooklyn DIY scene play here, but the people who book shows here tend to round out the bills with newer bands that are just starting to come up. The crowd this place draws typically wants to be sociable — I’ve come here alone a lot, because I do almost everything alone, because I’m old and pathetic and unpopular, but someone always ends up talking to me out of the blue. Best thing is, Shea almost always feels like a party. I went into a mosh pit here for the first time in seven years! It was awesome. I once broke my glasses here in a freak making out accident! It was awesome.
I recognize DIY loft spaces are not for everyone, but for a certain type of countercultural niche person, being at Shea can give you the sense that might very well be at or near the epicenter of relevancy. And, y’know, you kind of are.
The bathrooms are really only okay if you’re a dude. Also, be a good bro/​sis and stay out of private rooms and off-​limits areas.

Look at all these long-​winded reviews. I’m gonna keep it simple.
Decent mid-​level indie talent plays here. Shows can be well-​run and timely or obscenely late at night depending on who’s playing or who is running the show that night. The outdoor patio is a great touch, even if it can get stupid-​packed to the point where getting in or out is futile. The bathrooms are completely disgusting and I feel bad for anyone who ever needs to sit down in there. There are some filthy couches that I’ll never sit on because I don’t want bedbugs.
But its an anything-​goes, small/​mid-​size loft venue– the most important thing is the sound system, which is actually decent (a serious compliment in the world of temporary/​DIY venues).

Brooklyn, I hear you loud and clear. This is one of those places that makes you love this city and its capacity for great things out of the muck of obscurity. And by «muck of obscurity,» I’m pretty much talking about this venue. Seriously, the floor feels like it’s going to collapse at any second, and the last time I went the (only) toilet was overflowing. But having Ted Leo rocking out 20 feet in front of you pretty much makes it worth it.
Word of advice: B.Y.O. catheter if you plan on drinking a lot!

Great spot for one reason… the place makes you feel like you’ve successfully thrown a kick ass loft party for your friends. We saw great music at Shea Stadium, and the atmosphere definitely makes you feel like you’re back home at a house party with old friends from high school. Not too far from the L, it’s worth the trip.
That being said, from a musical standpoint this place is definitely not a première venue, so sound quality is just not held in high regard. For 90% of people this will not impact your experience, but for those of you who are music buffs you might be frustrated when the bass line on your favorite song washes out the vocals entirely.

This is a great all-​ages DIY venue. The vibes tend to lean more toward party/​energetic compared to places like Death by Audio, but maybe that’s just the high ceilings and spacious floor talking to me. The stage is high, $ 3 beers, friendly Mets-​clad staff, great sound. The main drawback: I still smell like smoke from last night.
You’ll have fun.

If your band has arena sized dreams, then Shea Stadium may be a good place to start. The crowd will love and cheer for you as if you were winning the World Series. As for the team uniform, Shea Stadium was a plethora of plaid, unbrushed hair, and skinny jeans on a Saturday night.
This Shea Stadium isn’t in Queens and it’s definitely not in Manhattan. The vibe was free flowing complete with a beach ball in the air. Shea Stadium has the feel of a high school gymnasium and a suburban garage. The décor is makeshift with decade old couches and cartoon canvases. The stage even dons a wooden tidal wave border. It’s elementary and raw.
The bands I saw that night were a bit all over the place. One act played with their backs against the crowd. Another jumped so hard it looked like the stage was going to collapse. The music verged on alternative with a mix of rock influenced by the sounds of the 60’s. My favorite band of the night did not play on the stage but in the middle of the crowd and busted country. They played acoustic and it was refreshing to be able to understand them clearly. At times the bands at Shea Stadium sounded like a garbled mess. The instruments were louder than the mics, making it difficult to hear the artists sing. Shea Stadium is an experiential music venue, recording house, and open forum. It is part of the young Brooklyn scene and what goes on there is fluid.
Shea Stadium is in the middle of nowhere so keep the address handy because unless you are familiar with industrial warehouses and concealed music venues, you may have trouble finding the place. Cover is the price of a beer. Shea Stadium gets warm inside. For some cool air and a smoker’s break, one can sneak away to the balcony which stares right at the Empire State Building. There are surprising little gems like these in Brooklyn. Luckily, Shea Stadium is so underground that there are no velvet ropes or lines out the door. All you need to know is the address.

more than just another diy music venue, shea is also a recording studio that specializes in recording live performances. what that means is every band that play there is recorded, audience and all.
a great concept, and a cool space.
about the size of a bklyn loft apartment, the space is big-​enough, and also clean (as clean as you want a diy venue to be). the short walk to the L train was also nice, and made this pretty convenient — not always an adjective used when describing diy venues.
there’s something special about diy venues and performances that you just can’t get at the bowery, mhow or dare i say terminal 5. i don’t go to these shows enough, but when i do they’re always amazing.