169 Bar - New York City

The historic Lower East Side "169 Bar", located in New York City, NY, has been around for 80 years and is infamous for being a rough place. Beginning in the 1940's with the Merchant Marines, this venue was formerly nicknamed the "Bloody Bucket" for being a venue for gangs, drugs and thugs and having the most fights of any place in New York City. Located on the edge of Chinatown, the "169 Bar" is no longer the denizen of a variety of gangs, but now plays host to a variety of musical styles from some of the best local and international talent.



Constantly being nominated for best dive bar, it is now a very relaxed venue where the only menacing thing is their fish "Jeff", who can be seen on episode 9 of "Flight of the Conchords". Throughout the week, you will find an eclectic mix of music including acoustic performers, solo piano players playing their beautiful 1939 upright piano, R&B, soul, funk, folk, lounge, bluegrass, and even a little rock.



Artists are compensated with a percentage of the door cover based on following, which can be negotiated at time of booking. Artists who cannot draw at least 20 people will not be considered. Set lengths are generally 30 minutes but may be extended based on turnout.



169 Bar provides drums, bass and guitar amps, upright piano with pickups, and all necessary PA equipment with a house engineer. Due to volume concerns, drummers are urged to use bundles instead of sticks.