Phone +1 212-358-7501 | ||
Address 107 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002, USA Similar Tonic East, M1‑5 Lounge, Kettle of Fish, Blue Note, Professor Thom's | ||
Tonic was a music venue located at 107 Norfolk Street, New York City which opened in the Spring of 1998 and closed in April 2007. It was self-described as supporting "avant garde, creative and experimental music " and known for its commitment to musical integrity. A former kosher winery, the small and unassuming building provided a sense of intimacy by setting the performers within arms length of the audience. Tonic was the location of numerous live recordings by a variety of musicians.
Tonic's closing was related to soaring rent on the Lower East Side. The final show on Friday, April 13, 2007 was an evening of improvisation organized by John Zorn and a techno party, the venue's weekly resident, The Bunker, hosted by Bryan Kasenic (DJ Spinoza). The closure the following day was accompanied by a symbolic protest. There were more than 100 protestors. Refusing to leave, two musicians, Marc Ribot and Rebecca Moore, were arrested for trespassing while cheered on by supporters across the street. The Bunker moved the following week to Luna Lounge in Brooklyn which was itself a club recently displaced from the Lower East Side.