Comments (2) Best Old-Timey Venue - 2008

Jalopy

With the shrinking number of Gotham music venues—who’re mostly worried about surviving—it’s getting harder to find interesting places. That’s why it’s a relief to come across a locale like the Jalopy Theatre and School of Music. Situated within the confines of the Columbia Street Waterfront District of Brooklyn, Jalopy has not only hosted shows by Marc Ribot, Sam Shepard, and Peter Stampfel, but offers eight-week classes on guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and ukulele. Don’t have an ax to play? No problem—they also have instruments for sale, with the banjo ukuleles being the most popular. You can also find Sunday workshops on vocal harmony, finger-picking, barrel-house piano, and the how-to’s of booking a gig. And if you’re tired from jamming, you can stretch out in their café and enjoy beer, wine, espresso, and fresh popcorn before your next session.