Saint Vitus Bar

Address: 1120 Manhattan Ave (@ Clay St), Brooklyn, NY 11222 (Greenpoint)
Closest MTA: G- Greenpoint Ave (7 short blocks), B43 (right in front)
Web: http://www.saintvitusbar.com/ Phone: ?
Booking contact: David, bookingsaintvitusbar@gmail.com
Type: Live Venue & Bar

What is it with this ‘hood? We’ve been cursed by one half-assed venue after another.  Tommy’s Tavern (the closest neighbor to St. V) has probably the worst sound in the city; Club Europa‘s unfriendly Polish staff, weird Euro porn vibe and exorbitant house costs (we need 3 security guys for a garage show? really?) made everyone who booked shows there swear never to do so again.

Coco 66 has been the closest to a good venue we’ve had for the past few years… still, late & inconsistent sound guys and the slowest/most inexperienced bartenders around (multiple testimonials can be provided on request) have made people like me (who live 10 minutes away) reluctant to cross its threshold.

Thankfully, this new rock bar might be the venue that Greenpoint’s been waiting for all these years.   Opened in May 2011 by a number of folks including George Souleidis (of the Shalitas), you can tell right off the bat that St Vitus was designed by professional drinkers & rockers.

Despite the austere black door facing Manhattan Avenue, this place is pretty swank.  The interior is sort of the Richardson meets metal: a deep, dark, rock’n'roll cave.  And it’s big.  This is no hole-in-the-wall dive bar.  The front room, with its long wooden bar, can probably accomodate 100 people on its own.

The back room is a fully functional venue– it has doors that can close it off, a sound booth, and a beautiful wooden stage with great lighting right at the perfect height.  Movable banquette seating means the venue space can fit between 100 and 200 depending on the draw (and what furniture is in place).  The sound is yet another selling point– installed by “the guy who did Knitting Factory” (according to the owners), you’ll be amazed to hear this kind of undistorted, yet seriously meaty rock sound coming out of a venue in this neighborhood.  It’s on a par with the Mercury Lounge, or the way Union Pool used to be.  That good!

Let’s get to the downside.  There’s no avoiding it: this place is off the beaten track if you’re not a Greenpointer.  It’s seven blocks, albeit short ones, from the Greenpoint G– itself no major subway line.  The B43 bus does stop right in front of the door of the place, but who the hell likes waiting for the bus?  It’s like the tribal tattoo of public transportation.  If you’re coming from Manhattan, pack a book, because it’s going to take you around 45 minutes to get here (or worse).

Then again, the fact that this is a destination rock bar of the highest quality might make you reconsider.  As will the fact that there are always cheap beers (and swanky cocktails if that’s what you’re into).

St. Vitus has live shows 3 or 4 nights a week– hardcore, metal, heavy modern rock, garage and punk.  Live shows typically must end by midnight due to sound restrictions.  DJ nights are springing up including a weekly hardcore night on Wednesdays.  Check the website for more info.

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